The guide
Read before you file.
Guides, comparisons, and updates for Americans relocating to Europe. Verified requirements, real costs, and practical advice.
Start here
The one guide to read for each country
Spain's DNV (Digital Nomad Visa) lets Americans live and work remotely in Spain legally — requiring €2,849/month income, a degree or 3 years experience, and employer authorisation. W-2 employees can qualify. Updated for the February 2026 SMI increase.
Read the guide →
Portugal's D8 Digital Nomad Visa requires proof of remote income of at least €3,680/month (4× the 2026 minimum wage), health insurance, and accommodation. AIMA processing runs 2–4 months in 2026. Here's the complete requirements list, document checklist, and what's changed since NHR ended.
Read the guide →
No income requirement. No degree needed. Just a €4,500 business investment and a U.S. passport. DAFT is the best-kept secret in American expat circles.
Read the guide →Yes. The IND says zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag and kinderopvangtoeslag don't end your residence; bijstand and Bbz can. 2026 zorgtoeslag limit: €40,857 single.
The IRS disregards a US single-member LLC for income tax, but Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands can tax it as a company. The 2026 rules and pre-move options.
Usually not: under Decreto-Lei 46/2022, residents under 60 can drive in Portugal on a US licence renewed within 15 years. An IMT exchange costs €30. No test.
A US license covers 185 days after moving to the Netherlands and can't be exchanged, so DAFT holders take CBR exams: €50.50 theory, €143.50 practical.
Spain's Non-Lucrative Visa renewal needs more than 183 days a calendar year in Spain (RD 1155/2024, Art. 64). The Digital Nomad Visa has no written day count.
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa tests income at application, at the switch to residence and at each renewal, not monthly. The 2026 bar is 200% of minimum wage.
All 9 Spanish consulates in the US charge Americans $190 for the digital nomad visa, but submission, NIE timing and criminal record windows differ by office.
Yes. A spouse on Spain's digital nomad visa can take a Spanish job or work as an autónomo. The main applicant still needs €3,918/month in 2026 for a couple.
Portugal waives import duty and 23% IVA on used belongings when you move your residence from the US. The 2026 rules, Certificado de Bagagem, costs and timing.
Close before the calendar year you become Spanish tax resident and only US rules apply. Close after, and Spain can tax the gain at 19% to 30% in 2026.
The IRS still treats qualified Roth withdrawals as tax-free. Spain taxes the growth at 19% to 30%, Portugal has no ruling, and Dutch Box 3 taxes the balance.
Spain allows 3 months of ordinary medicine; controlled drugs need an AEMPS permit, which Spanish consular guidance caps at 30 days. How to bridge to a local GP.
Not sure which country is right for you?
The free assessment checks every live pathway in about five minutes.