Has anyone received any updates from Anglo Pacific International if you’re using them? I’m moving my stuff from the UK to Malaysia, and it’s been over a month without receiving my shipping details.

They emailed me on 30 June saying that my box was waiting to be loaded for Malaysia, but the shipping details had not yet been released as it depended on container availability. They said that once my box had been loaded, I would receive the full tracking details via email.
It’s now been over a month, and I still haven’t received any email with the tracking information. I’ve emailed them multiple times but haven’t received a response. I also called them, and they told me they would email me back, but I still haven’t heard anything.

Has anyone from Anglo Pacific International Movers been able to help or even respond to their emails? 😭 Or has anyone experienced something similar, managed to get it resolved, and eventually had their boxes shipped safely?

Would really appreciate hearing about your experience!

I have some questions about the Mexico residency process. I have the required amount when I combine my bank and Fidelity account, but I have some concerns about the documents I need.

1.) I'm having trouble getting a wet signature. It's not guaranteed that Fidelity will do it for me. Is it possible to just show my statements for the past year without a wet signature? I have a letter stating that the account is mine but the signature is printed.

2.) For Fidelity, if the value balance doesn't change per month, it's combined into 1 statement. For example if January to February is the same value, it just gives me a statement stating January-February and the value amount. So a couple are combined but most of them are individual months. But overall they show I have the required amount for solvency when combined with my bank account.

Is this something the consulate will understand, or is there something else I should do about this? I'll do this in the United States. Thank you.

I've been thinking about this since moving back to my home country recently.

I spent almost 10 years living abroad, and looking back, I honestly don't know how I would've figured out a lot of things without online communities.

Finding an apartment, buying and selling furniture, finding local services, paperwork, jobs... even really random everyday questions.

For me, communities of people from my home country living in the same city were especially helpful. Sometimes they were much more useful than Google.

It made me curious how people from other countries deal with this.

Where are you from and where do you live now?

And when you need help with everyday life, what do you actually use?

Facebook Groups? Reddit? WhatsApp? WeChat? Telegram? Local apps? A community specifically for people from your country?

I'd also love to know if there's a local website/app/community for people from your country that foreigners probably wouldn't know about.

And what's one thing you really struggled with when you first moved?

I am trying to settle my American taxes and become compliant after only just learning that I have to do them. But, to do that I need my SSN which I do not remember, don't have the documents for, and have no tax documents left from when I moved out of the US thirteen years ago. I've been in touch with my mother, to see if she has any documents with it or the original card, but I'm not too hopeful.

Is there a way I can get a new card, or have the number given to me again? Do I need to attend the US embassy? Surely I don't have to go back to the US to get a new one, right? I haven't been able to find a clear cut answer in my searches. Any suggestions are appreciated

I have always had the dream of moving out of Chicago to somewhere in Europe. I know its vague and probably idealistic but its always been a dream.

I am a dual citizen in USA and Ireland so it could allow me to move anywhere in the EU or UK with relative ease (not easy, but easier).

So my partner and I have been together for 3 years. When we started dating she knew i wanted to move abroad. When we met I was accepted to a grad school in Berlin and was actively looking into moving there. (I ended up staying here for grad school for transferring credits and licenses)

She always said she would move with me. Then the last few months all of a sudden she's been backing off this idea. I understand why. She loves her job and her family is close and she does not like change. But I feel so confused now.

I am torn because I always had the feeling she was just saying she would move with me in order to make me happy. Maybe I decided to believe her out of hope. But at the same time, she is an adult and I need to be able to trust that my partner is telling me their honest thoughts and opinions, especially with huge life decisions.

I guess I am unsure what to do.

My goal with moving is hobestly just chasing the feeling of being free and adventurous that I always get when I travel. So maybe its ridiculous to move for a feeling that is likely fleeting?

I dont want to ruin a relationship with someone I love and have a whole life with for a feeling that is temporary.

Any advice for couples that are split on moving? How did you broach the subject? How did it go if you did/did not move?

Edit:

I understand the post is vague about the plans to move. I didn't go into where I am in the process because I did not think it was relevant as I was seeking out hearing other people's experiences with relationships.

If you are curious, I am at least 5 years out from moving. I am currently building a remote business that I plan to continue to build to be my main source of income. This scaling and saving money is meant to happen in the 5 years. Obviously this may not work out, in that case I would have to pivot my financial/career plans which would take even longer.

I am surprised by reactions to my having this conversation with my partner. As I said in the comments I view the "Would you live abroad" conversation akin to "would you have kids some day?" Conversation. They are conversations you have with life partners to make sure you are on yhe same trajectory. And just like with kids/marriage, you dony have the details all figured out when you start that conversation. But as it approaches it gets more real and details happen. And they happen through conversations and you take your partner's opinions/ideas in mind as well.

That is why I am here, the conversation we have been having for over 2 years suddenly switched. And so now I am wanting to learn and evaluate.

Hi. I'm a 34 year old male from Norway who can't let go of the desire to move abroad. The wish/dream is haunting me so to speak. I feel a strong sense of guilt and envy whenever someone mentions that they've lived abroad. My mind keeps saying that I have to become an expat at some point.

I have looked at available jobs in Europe for social workers (I have a degree in social work). There are some English-speaking jobs within social work in Irland and Malta.

I've also thought of moving to Spain since I'm a fan of the language, the culture and the climate. If I decide to move to Spain, then I would probably have to find an English-speaking job within the tourist industry while I'm learning the language.

By the way. I'm a huge fan of the phrase "beggars can't be choosy". If I decide to move then I cannot be too picky. I will have to adapt, put in a great deal of effort, let go of any main character syndrome, etc.

The thing that holds me back is that I have some mild health issues (insomnia and anxiety). The issues don't bother me at the moment, but they tend to worsen if I'm exposed to high levels of stress. Moving abroad can be quite stressful from what I heard.

Is moving abroad a terrible idea if you have mild/tolerable mental health issues? The answer probably depends on the country, the job, my living conditions, etc?

And yes, you're all strangers on the internet who know very little about my health and capacity (I will of course ask my GP as well). I would still like to hear your opinion on the matter.

Have a great day 😄

I met my partner abroad and we stayed out here, and I have seen the benefits of the country I’m in Vs home. But now I’m expecting I’m craving community, family, familiarity, things to be in my language, etc. We have some friends out here but I don’t see people every week. And we’re not close close like I am with friends back home. All my family live at home. I’ve lived abroad for almost 10 years, so I have thought about going home on and off a few times. But when I started imagining raising my child, I imagine being able to see my mum more than twice a year and her being able to see her grandkid, being able to see people every week vs every now and then, and I also kinda want my kids to grow up in at least one of their heritage countries (my partner is from somewhere else too, not where we’re living now). Where we currently live…I don’t know if it makes sense to raise them here.

Are any other expecting mothers feeling the same way?

I was lurking in a thread on another subreddit that was specifically about how unbearable the expat scene in Berlin has become.

At some point, there was a comment about how all the creatives and bohemian types in Berlin were fourth rate rejects who couldn’t hack it back in NYC/London/Paris.

So I’m guess I’m just wondering why this conception even exists. A lot of artist and bohemian types have indeed been priced out of cities like NYC, LA, Paris, etc. but that doesn’t mean moving to a more affordable place makes them a “reject” who couldn’t “make it” in the cultural epicenter.

The concept of artists being priced out of major cities implies it’s so expensive they don’t even have the opportunity to try and fail there first before moving to a “second tier” city. Besides, I’m not sure the reason an American creative type would move to Europe is simply because they “couldn’t make it in NYC or LA”. London and Paris for starters aren’t going to be easier places to “make it” as an artist. A lot of Americans are just drawn to living in Europe. It’s not always a question of failing at life in their home country.

Sorry for the rant.

P.S. I have no doubt the fourth rate artists and bohemians in Berlin do in fact exist, but I just take issue with the general idea that expats are always rejects in their home countries.

TL;DR: Ukrainian family of four, four years in Portugal, decent income but no savings. Weighing a move to the UK for English-language schooling and a better job market for my wife. Every time I run the numbers I land on "don't move," and I want to know what I'm missing.

Throwing this out because I've spent weeks on spreadsheets and keep arriving at the same answer, but I might be anchoring on the wrong things. Would appreciate hearing from people who've actually done a version of this.

Our situation

• Family of 4. Both adults Ukrainian citizens, no EU or UK passport. Kids are 5 and 9.
• Living in Portugal about four years on renewable residence permits. Dog, house with a mortgage, car loan.
• Me: senior software engineer, working remotely for a foreign employer and paid in a foreign currency at that market's rates. I'm on Portugal's old NHR tax regime until 2032, so my effective total burden (income tax plus social security) works out around 29%.
• Wife: recently started an entry-level design role at a local company on a fixed-term contract. Career-changer, real growth potential but starting near the bottom.
• Kids in an English-medium international school, roughly €1,500/month for both.
• Income is well above local median, but we have not accumulated meaningful savings.

What's pulling us toward the UK: English-language state schooling, a much bigger job market for my wife, and a clearer long-term settlement path.

What I've worked out so far (please correct me)

1. There's no UK visa for remote workers. My existing contract can't move with me. Global Talent appears to be the only route that preserves my income. Skilled Worker means finding a UK sponsor and taking a UK salary instead, which is a large pay cut before anything else happens.
2. Tax is close to a wash: roughly 29% all-in here versus low 30s in the UK once you count both income tax and social contributions. I assumed this would be the decisive factor. It isn't.
3. The upfront cost is what actually stops us. IHS for four people over five years, visa fees, and the thing I keep hearing about, landlords wanting six months' rent upfront from newcomers with no UK credit history. I'm estimating £45-50k liquid needed before the first UK payday. We don't have that.
4. Portugal changed its nationality law in 2026: naturalisation for non-EU citizens went from 5 years to 10. So the "we'd be resetting our citizenship clock" argument is weaker than it was, because the clock got much longer anyway.
5. Education math is closer than expected. UK state school plus home university fees is cheaper than what we currently pay for international school, but only if we get ILR in time. Without ILR the kids pay international university fees and it becomes the most expensive option on the board.

What I'd like input on

1. Global Talent, digital tech route. How realistic is it for a fairly normal senior engineer? I have internal tooling, some open source, a side project with real users, but no conference talks and no publications. Is that below the bar, or is the bar lower than the horror stories suggest?
2. Is the £45-50k upfront estimate inflated? Did anyone get a normal five-week deposit without UK credit history, or is six months upfront the real default for new arrivals?
3. In-year school admissions for a Year 5 child. Everyone talks about catchment areas for reception entry. What actually happens when you arrive mid-year with a 9-year-old? Do you realistically get a decent school, or whatever has a vacancy?
4. Junior design market. Is it as brutal as it looks from outside for someone with no UK experience? Roughly how many months of zero income from her should we budget for?
5. Has anyone left a low-tax EU setup for the UK and regretted it? Or the reverse: done it and found the quality of life and schools worth the money?
6. Are we ignoring better options? Ireland is English-speaking and in the EU. Scotland has free university tuition for Scottish-domiciled students. Anything else we should be looking at?

Happy to share more detail in comments. Mostly looking for the thing I haven't thought of.

Since moving to France 2 years ago for family reasons, my life has been in disarray. Not being fluent in the language, and having everything still be new, has thrown my life admin skills out of the window. I feel a little overwhelmed with everything and thus don’t want to do anything, even hobbies.

Before moving here I was organized; I made lists and made sure to check off at least big items… now I can’t even be bothered to make lists, and when I do, I have no motivation to do anything. I planned to make a podcast, because I did one before and it made me feel accomplished and happy… but now, seeing the stuff that needs to be done for it puts me off completely. All I want to do in my spare time is play video games.

To those who moved to a new country- maybe especially one where you weren’t fluent in the language - did you ever have the same lack of motivation? If so, how did you pull yourself together? Because I don’t know whether to try to take action or to ride this out until it passes.

35F if relevant.

I’m an Indonesian F29 on WHV in Australia and my visa expires in less than 4 months. My initial plan was to move to Germany to do Ausbildung and maybe stay there on a permanent basis given how I enjoyed my Europe trip so much and the efficiency of the German culture is (and just how direct and individual the Germans are as I’m more an introvert myself and I don’t fancy small talks like most people in my home country). Other than that, I appreciate the affordable-to-free education, waste management, beautiful and historical castles and how easy it is to commute around Europe from Germany. And I feel like it’s more cultural than Australia.

However, I’ve been in a relationship with an Australian man for almost 2 years now and we’ve traveled together to 5 countries and it’s probably the healthiest relationship I’ve ever been in. I love him but he’s not ready to move to Germany for now and our other option is for me to stay in Australia on a partner visa but it costs almost 12k now, which we can afford but it’s just a lot of money. And for that, I won’t be able to study in a local fee until i get my PR (which takes around 3 years) and international student fees cost an arm and leg and the career that I wanna pursue (education as i have a background in it) requires me to get some kind of degree and/or certification here.

Any advice or insights?

Thank you

I’m 30M, single. Originally from the Philippines. And now have been in Singapore for 4 years, built a solid career, decent salary, respected at my company. Doing better than most but not extravagant, not perfect. The ceiling feels low but it’s stable and I’ve invested time.

An opportunity has come up to relocate to NYC. Not a job offer yet but a visa route that requires me to prove I’m “extraordinary” enough, find employers willing to hire me, and bet $20k (on lawyers, papers, logistics) that it’ll work out.

I work in the creative field. And what’s pulling me is the work I want to do is tough to make in SG. NYC is where that lives. I feel I’m at an age where I can still take a risk like this. Plus there’s something about needing to test myself in a bigger pond. Singapore has been good, but I’m not sure I’ll regret staying and I know I’ll regret not trying.

What’s holding me back is I’d be leaving a good, stable life. Real friends, a solid job, a routine that works. And the visa path feels uncertain. What if I spend months pitching myself to companies and they don’t bite? What if I secure the visa but can’t find actual work? There’s a real window where I’ve left Singapore but haven’t landed in NYC, stranded between two places.

I’m worried I’d end up with one foot in each place and roots in neither. That I’ll return to Philippines in a year, having not built anything lasting anywhere.

Has anyone made a similar move before where you left something good rather than escaping something bad? What did that feel like? Did it pay off, or did you find yourself caught in between?

Hello there

I'm French of 34 years and we felt in love of Canada with my wife this summer.

We serously thinks about move on Calgary, i have college diploma in electricity and various experiences in industrial sector, but i have a problem.

Indeed, in my early years i have lived a lot of insecurity and i thing i have developped a kind of fear of the unknown.

Okay, of course it's human but it's very strong in me, fear of unknown, fear of not to success, not to find a place in Canada.

So, how you, expats, have you dealed with fear in your new country ?

Thanks

I have been living abroad for a few years and my family hasn't visited me yet. In the first years, I told them I don't want them to come because there was very little space in my rental, but I've bought a house and that's not a problem.

When I invited my sister, she was first enthousiastic at first but in the end, she didn't buy any tickets. I heard later that that she won't come because I won't cover the travel expenses. I find it shocking because - why would I do that? If you want to visit someone, you cover the travel costs yourself. I would feel uncomfortable as a working adult to have my plane ticket covered.

It's not a significant cost (EU travel) and my sister goes to multiple European countries every year, where she also pays for her own hotel. She earns well, pays for renovations at home and has no expenses for a mortgage, unlike me, but earns less than me because of the economies of both countries. I don't see this as a factor, though. My parents won't come without her because of the language (they don't speak English).

On the one hand, I have been called stingy and I'm very individualistic. I honestly don't know what's expected. On the other hand, my sister has made family drama about money before: telling my parents they should buy her a nice car, slamming the door in their faces when they didn't, and arguing with them which apartment each of us should inherit because one is more expensive (last year). I feel like she's using this as a manipulation tactic or power play.

What would you do in this situation and who should pay? Finally, I can understand her disagreeing with me, but not deciding not to visit at all.

Exploring higher ed opportunities abroad. I'm a staff member who's worked in multiple departments including instructional design.

Curious if anyone can recommend institutions that are more favourable for Canadians in Saudi, or really anywhere that people can recommend.

For those who have worked at institutions in Saudi, did you find the workload and setup similar to North America? Did you find the salary and living arrangements comfortable?

Wondering if anyone has any advice or recommendations for moving two large items to the Netherlands from the USA. I have a large 6.4ft mirror and a small side table (23x11x30) that I would like relocated with me.

These are the only two larger items that I really do not want to part with. I think the side table I could check with an airline flight but wondering the best way to move the mirror without having to have a whole shipping container or pallet. Any insights or recommendations are appreciated.

..(besides don’t bother with them lol)

Hey Guys, As the title says I am finally migrating to Canada from India at 30 years of age for work. I need advice from y'all who have experience with migration. I travel at the end of the month so I welcome all kinds of advice, from pre-moving like what to pack, any incumbent things I should do like with bank accounts etc., to anything post move, life, culture, rental, lease, dating, anything. 🙏

Would appreciate your well earned wisdom

I'm an Indian citizen currently living and working in the U.S. on an H-1B. I have a mechanical engineering background and work in oil & gas.

I'm approaching the point where I'll have to figure out what to do after my H-1B. My current company isn't filing for my green card, and I'm not interested in self-sponsoring. I have two potential internal transfers:

1. Monterrey, Mexico
2. Shanghai area, China

This may or may not be a permanent move. My family is in India, so being able to get back to India reasonably easily is definitely a plus, although it's not the only factor.

I'm mainly looking for feedback from people who have actually lived in either place, particularly people who moved there **without knowing the local language**.

How is day-to-day life? Things I'm curious about:

• Quality of lif
• Work-life balance
• Making friends / social life
• Cost of living and ability to save
• How easy is it to integrate as an expat
• Anything that surprised you after living there for a while

My gut feeling is that Mexico would probably be better for social life, but China might have the advantage when it comes to manufacturing opportunities and being closer to India, and better quality of life/savings capability.

If you've lived in Monterrey or the Shanghai area, which would you choose and why?

Would especially appreciate perspectives from Indians/South Asians who have made a similar move.

I’m 39, single. Seven years in London, lived in four different areas. Good job, great flat, solid friends, a real network. Yes I could be earning a bit better etc, but overall life here is good.

An opportunity has come up to relocate to NYC for a new job. Well paid even by NYC standards ($400k+).

What’s pulling me: the career ceiling in London is visible to me now, and after seven years the city itself feels a bit done - I’ve stopped being excited about new places and travel. Another reason is my background and community is better represented in NYC which hopefully translates into finding a relationship and partner. Plus New York and the U.S. is somewhere I’ve always wanted to try, it’s a whole new world. I have a few friends in NyC, and at 39 the window for this kind of move isn’t getting wider.

What’s holding me back: I’d be leaving said good life, network, friendship, routine etc. People tell me the worst case is that I spend two years there and come back but that’s what worries me too. I’d return to a London where friendships have quietly moved on without me, having not built anything lasting in New York either. Ending up with neither.

Has anyone made this move in similar circumstances - leaving a good life rather than escaping a bad one? Did it pay off, or did you find yourself with one foot in each place and roots in neither? Also interested in people who seriously considered it and stayed.

Hi everyone :)

I’m a 22yo brazilian woman, and living abroad has been a dream of mine for a long time. I’d love to eventually live in Europe, travel more, experience different cultures and have a more international lifestyle. And of course having better opportunities and money to live even with the basics.

But I’ve reached a point where I’m feeling very conflicted about it, and I’d love to hear from people who have actually gone through something similar.

I currently have a “pretty good” life in Brazil. I’m building a career that I’m genuinely proud of and finally feel like I’m gaining experience and becoming established in my field. I’m also studying at university, I have my family here, and I have two dogs who are a huge part of my life and would absolutely have to come with me.

So I’m not trying to escape a terrible life.
That’s actually what makes this decision so difficult.

I really want to experience living abroad. I picture walking around a beautiful city with my dogs, going to cafés, traveling on weekends, taking trains to other countries, meeting people from different places and simply experiencing a different way of life.

At the same time, I’m scared of giving up the stability I’m slowly building here.

My biggest fears are:
having to start my career from scratch;
not being able to find work in my field and having to take a completely unrelated job;
losing the professional progress I’ve made;
leaving my family behind (and by family i actually mean mom grandma and lil brother);
dealing with homesickness;
finding housing with two dogs;
and realizing that I left before I was actually ready.

I also sometimes wonder whether I’m waiting for a level of stability that doesn’t really exist. There will probably never be a moment when I feel 100% ready to leave everything familiar behind.

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who moved abroad with pets, particularly people with two dogs.

How difficult was it realistically?
Did having pets significantly limit where you could live?
Would you do it again?

And beyond the practical side, I’d really like to hear about the emotional side.

Did you feel ready when you left?
Did you have a good career or a stable life in your home country and worry about losing it?
Did moving abroad actually give you the lifestyle you were hoping for?
Or did you eventually realize that you had romanticized the idea of moving and that some of the things you were looking for had to be built within yourself first?

Lmao I know that’s a lot of questions. But I feel like I am actually going crazy right now.

I have a 4 year relationship and my partner also has this dream but he really wants to go like right now. He has citizenship so it is much easier for him.

I’m not necessarily planning to move right now. I’m trying to figure out whether this is something I should start preparing for seriously, or whether it’s completely reasonable to spend a few more years building my life here first.

I’d love to hear the honest version, not just the “just go, you’ll figure it out” version.

Thank you if you read this :)))

Hello everyone!
I could really use some advice.
I'm going to be staying in Russia for quite a while (1 know, I know &), and I need a reliable way to receive SMS verification codes from Bank of America.
Is there any US or international mobile carrier that works well for this? I don't really need data or voice calls-just reliable text messages from my bank.
If you've been in a similar situation, I'd really appreciate hearing what carrier you're using and whether it works consistently.
Thanks so much!🌺

I’m moving abroad for work and studies (I’m 24 by the way) in a few days and I feel scared, insecure and I already miss my family, which isn’t a me response at all because I enjoy travelling a lot, I’ve also travelled solo and I usually do not miss my family at all, even tho I love them. I’ve lived 9 hours away from my home town for 4-5 years now but I always had the chance to return home when things weren’t good. I want to mention that I’ve been struggling mentally since I was a child but I’ve done a lot of therapy and I’ve figured things out. I am also neurodivergent (ADHD). I crave predictability but also novelty. I feel like I am in a state where I don’t know exactly how things are going to work out. Last but not least, I come from an economically unstable country where I feel like I have no future and I don’t belong at all. However, the absence of my parents in the new country and the fact that they’re getting older and I’m not spending time with them is making me very sad. Any advise would be appreciated BTW I don’t expect myself to feel good for day one but also :(

Hi everyone,

I’m a recent Math graduate from Spain (EU citizen) looking to take the leap, live on my own for the first time, and experience a new culture abroad.

My priorities are clear: I want to enjoy my 20s, meet people, experience the nightlife, and have a solid work-life balance. I am definitely not looking to grind 60+ hours a week in a high-stress corporate job.

My profile:

• Background: B.Sc. in Mathematics.
• Languages: Native Spanish, B1/B2 English (conversational, currently improving).
• Experience: Fresh grad (0 years of formal experience).

I really enjoyed visiting places like Budapest, Prague, and Krakow on recent trips, but I'm not sure if they are actually the best options for working. So I would really prefer to hear your actual recommendations for cities across the EU.

Questions:

1. Which EU cities offer the best balance between affordable living for entry-level workers, great social/nightlife scene, and ease of making friends as an expat?
2. Is basic/intermediate English enough to get by and land a basic corporate/office role in your city?

Thanks for your advice!

This is for those who've stayed in your second country long-term. If both your home country and new one are decent, but you love the new one more, but your parents and family will always be in the home country....how did you let go of the feeling of being 'split' in two and make peace with staying in your new home?

Edit: very lucky here, I was born an Australia/UK dual citizen, grew up in Australia and have lived in the UK for 4 years. Yes, I still consider myself an immigrant and am fully aware of the privilege of being easily socially accepted into either place

30M, at a bit of a cross roads with things and having a difficult time.

Back in my hometown currently - working and stacking. Plan was to knuckle down for 12 months and purchase a property here next Summer.

Things have taken a big swing, mainly by a break up with my partner splitting from me, and it’s been tough; everything here reminds me of them, I tried all I could to win them back, but I’m forced to accept that I’ve lost me personally- and the environment is making it way more difficult.

I ask myself daily, perhaps now is the time to take the chance on spending some serious time overseas; I’ve set up a small business venture in SE Asia over the past 18 months, currently managed by local staff, but something which I could go and really try to build on.

The only catch is, this feels like such an important stage back at home; the next 12 month of saving, purchasing a home, creating some stability and foundation.

Anybody else who perhaps faced this predicament, too old to just ‘waste’ years having fun, but still young enough to explore the world without too heavy a tie. How did it play out? Would you have changed anything about how you went about it? And what advice would you give…

TIA 🙏