February 2018 Emigrate News Archive
Archived Daily Emigrate UK News...
Hints on retiring in Portugal
If you’ve decided on Portugal as your retirement haven, you won’t be the first and you certainly won’t be the last, as the country has been a hub for British retirees for several decades.
Whilst those relocating for work normally settle in Lisbon or Porto, the sunny Algarve is an all-time favourite for retirees. The region offers a...
Setting up an expat business overseas
For most would-be entrepreneurs, setting up a new business is a challenge, but doing so in an unfamiliar county can seem like a nightmare.
Many world countries are sympathetic towards those wishing to set up new enterprises, but language, different laws, financial requirements and visas can make it seem as though it’s not worth the...
Expats marrying Thais must submit to fingerprinting and criminal record checks
If you’ve recently holidayed in Thailand, met the love of your declining years and are looking to marriage and a long-term stay in the tropical country, expect to have your fingerprints scammed before you say ‘I do’.
Reports of this controversial new law first surfaced on Phuket Island, and the issue has become a popular thread on a...
Need to know QROPS facts for expat retirees
Much has been written on expat forums about the pros and cons of transferring a personal pension to a QROPS, but the exact definition of the overseas pension scheme is often missing.
Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) are offshore pensions certified by their providers to meet HM Revenue and Customs rules permitting...
Portuguese property market boosted by expat buyers
Portugal’s booming real estate sales during 2017 were boosted by increased interest from foreign buyers.
Portugal have been a favourite destination for expats from the UK for several decades or more, but foreign buyers from across the world boosted sales figures to an impressive high during 2017. Data compiled by real estate...
Realities of being an expat in Thailand
Expat life in Thailand can be fulfilling and fun, but Westerners should never, ever forget the Land of Smiles is a very foreign country.
The rumour that all expats who arrive in Thailand are fat, old, rich Westerners looking for a sexy Thai girlfriend may well be true in many cases, but not all. A good proportion of expat arrivals are...
UAE worst in world for predatory expat financial advisors
According to an expert investor and author whose life mission is protecting expats from fraudulent IFAs, the UAE is the world’s worst for risky investment mis-selling.
In a round table discussion organised by the National English-language newspaper, Andrew Hallam compared the UAE’s market for long-term pension savings plans to...
Where to retire if heathcare is important
More and more older people approaching retirement are considering leaving their countries of birth for warmer, more exotic and less expensive surroundings.
Of all the convoluted decisions needing to be made when considering retirement overseas, healthcare is possibly the most important. Nowadays, it’s fairly straightforward to find...
Mexican lakeside haven is affordable expat retirement hub
If you’re looking for a retirement hub outside the EU, you could start by investigating these two Mexican lakeside cities already popular with US expats.
Chapala and Ajijic are both bordered by Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest freshwater lake and are just a 45 minute drive to Guadalajara, the country’s second largest conurbation. The...
Best areas in Dubai for property purchase or rental
If you’ve just begun working in Dubai or are about to relocate for work purposes, you’ll need to know the most popular and convenient locations for property.
Whether you’re renting or buying, Dubai has a wide choice of options, but ‘location, location, location’ is as true in this amazing desert city as it is everywhere else in...
How to get an Indonesian retirement visa
One of the trickiest tasks when deciding on the perfect overseas retirement haven is finding a suitable destination with visa requirements matching your financial status.
Indonesia is a recent entry in the long list of countries worldwide considered suitable for expat retirees. It’s a fascinating mix of cultures spread across an...
Sneaky Brit government excludes referendums from votes for life
Long-term UK expats are furious the new votes for life bill doesn't give the right to vote in referendums.
For expats who’ve lived long-term overseas, the chance to have votes for life may well be on the way after many years of protesting and lobbying against the 15-year disenfranchisement law. However, the UK government’s commitment...
UAE expats told not to panic as dollar rates get gloomier
If you’re a USA professional relocating to the UAE and have a mortgage or other financial commitments in the home country, keeping an eye on the dollar weighting might be a good idea.
During 2017, the almighty dollar lost around 10 per cent of its value when measured against a basket of global currencies. Its first decline for five...
Spanish dog rescue centre in crisis due to founders death
Albacete’s Hope for Podencos dog shelter may be forced to close due to the death of its founder and main benefactor.
Many British expat dog-lovers heading for Spain find themselves involved with a local shelter once they’ve settled in, with the shelters welcoming volunteers as well as donations of dog food and cash to allow their...
Friendliest places for expat retirement
If you’re determined to retire overseas to a warmer, less expensive country, one of the most important considerations is the ease of fitting in with the established expat community as well as with local people.
Real estate, an affordable cost of living and acceptable healthcare standards and costs are three of the most important aspects...
Brits heading for Spain may have longer to arrange their departure
Brits hoping against hope they can leave the UK before Brexit wrecks their lives now have until December 2020 to settle in Spain, providing the UK agrees to the later date.
Given that nothing’s yet set in tablets of stone, it does seem would-be UK expats yearning for the Spanish lifestyle might have almost three full years before the...
Survey shows Malaysia still a popular expat professional choice
A recent survey has tipped Malaysia is the place to be for expat quality of life.
Whilst Singapore again took the top spot in HSBC’s Expat Explorer survey, Malaysia is known for the ease of settling in as regards accommodation, healthcare and international quality schooling. The sheer simplicity of the bureaucratic process for expat...
Nanjing government to promote city as top expat talent destination
An international briefing conference held in Nanjing emphasised the importance of promoting the city as a major destination for top-talent expat professionals.
China is now well into promoting its welcome to expat professionals in various fields and is catching up fast on European countries such as the Netherlands. Attendees at the...
Strategies for relocating to a successful high end career
Even high-end expat professionals can have a hard time adjusting to their new positions overseas.
It’s far from easy to succeed as a high-end professional once you’ve left your home country’s comfort zone, especially if you’ve relocated to a totally unfamiliar country in which you’ve no terms of reference as regards the norms of...
Malaysia becoming country of choice for Chinese retirees
Always popular with retirees from Western countries, Malaysia is now the destination of choice for hordes of Chinese retirees.
The significant increase in the numbers of Chinese expatriates choosing Malaysia as their retirement destination is believed to be as much the result of real estate investment opportunities as it is for the...
