scottcam

I am looking for advice on moving from the North East USA to the Caribbean. I am 45 years old, male, retired, single. Looking to live outside the USA for 5-10 years. Don't mind flying back to the states so no residency issues. Not looking to purchase a home would rather rent and continue to move place to place every year or so. Would only work if I needed something to do, not for the money.

I would like to live in an area within walking distance to downtown area. I am not looking for a dating scene but looking for a fun social scene. I have been to many islands and Mexico for vacation but do not have a good handle on what would meet my needs. I would vacation for 2 weeks or more before I move to a certain location.

Questions: What Island would you recommend I should move first? town? What do you see as my challenges? A furnished condo is all I need and would like to live for around $4000 a month.

Does anyone know of areas which are known for non-married people which meets my needs? Thanks

RoamsAround

As a US citizen you'll find it infinitely easier to relocate to Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra or any of the US Virgin Islands as you will already have citizenship (i.e. "resident") and work status. Go to: www.vimovingcenter.com it's a website dedicated to living and working in the US Virgin Islands. There's tons of information there. Click on all the dropdown menus - you'll be reading for weeks. They also have a very active forum with 10,000's of threads covering every relocation topic imaginable. You'll find answers to all your quests plus hundreds more you haven't even thought of yet.

You would have to apply for "residency' to live on all other islands and that usually entails investing a substantial amount of money (think $300K) +in property or in a business that provides jobs for locals. Having "residency" does not give you the ability to work - for that you need a work permit and they are very difficult to get. You have to have a unique skill and find an employer willing to sponsor you. Before you can be hired that employer must prove there are no locals qualified to fill the position.

one caveat - living expenses in the caribbean are high (most likely 25% to 35% higher than they are where you now live. Wages on the other hand are low (think 20% to 25% lower then for comparable jobs in the US.

Jimmie

Following on the comments from Roams about a US territory, look into Christiansted on St Croix.

suze

If I were in your shoes, I'd pursue the Mexico idea.

Also I don't think a 2 week vacation is long enough to give you a feel for a place. I would aim for 3 months at minimum before committing to staying a year.

suze

If I were in your shoes, I'd pursue the Mexico idea.

Also I don't think a 2 week vacation is long enough to give you a feel for a place. I would aim for 3 months at minimum before committing to staying a year.

RoamsAround

Regardless of which island you are considering don't "vacation there for 2 weeks". Instead make what is known as a Pre-Move Visit (aka PMV). It's not a "vacation' so don't stay at a resort. Instead stay in a condo or housekeeping unit, preferably one that's in your "rent budget" range. DO NOT STAY IN A BEACH FRONT UNIT UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE WHEN YOU MAKE THE MOVE. Go for a minimum of 4 weeks - longer if you have the time. And DO NOT do tourist or vacation things or spend time laying on the beach, snorkeling, swimming, etc. The idea is to spend your time doing everyday chores like grocery shopping, banking, paying utility bills, doing the laundry, cleaning the house/apartment and any number of routine chores. After all these are the things you'll be doing if you move to the islands.

Living on an island is far different than being there on vacation. See if you can live without air conditioning - electricity is VERY expensive in the Caribbean and quite frankly, with a monthly budget of $4,000 you may find you'll have to use your A/C sparingly.

You'll need to budget for a car and they are not cheap - significantly more than back in the states. On most islands public transportation is lacking and, quite honestly, walking somewhere gets old pretty fast especially in the heat and humidity of the day. There are no sidewalks, the roads are narrow and locals drive like they are nuts. There are few if any streetlights so walking at night is problematic.

Spend your time checking out neighborhoods where you might want to live and what you might have to spend for that "furnished condo" you are seeking. Depending on location you could spend half your budget just on rent alone.

If you are considering relocating to non-US islands go to the official government websites for that particular island(s) to research the legal requirements for obtaining residence on that island. Without residency you will not be able to remain on those islands for more than 180 days per year BUT you'll probably only be granted a 30 day visa which you'd have to renew periodically. Again, you WILL NOT be able to work on those islands.

Good luck following your dream.

Sassafrass

Agree with Suze about the time. The first time I went to St Kitts, I wanted to move there asap. The second time, I enjoyed it and thought, maybe for part of the year and looked at property. The third time, I realized I would not like it full time.

suze

My dream place is Puerto Vallarta. I've been there 27 times I think it is over the past 20 years. When I'm there I rent an apartment, shop at the grocery store, meet people who live there, check out long term rental prices, etc. I am contemplating part-time retirement and feel like I am fairly knowledgeable about what expat life in PV is like in reality. And it's not at all how I viewed it after my first two week vacation there.

RoamsAround

You'll really have to do "first hand" research to find what island works best for YOUR situation. Every island has living accommodations that are within walking distance of the major cities and towns on that island but whether those accommodations fit YOUR lifestyle and budget is something only YOU can decide.

Keep in mind, too, that the closer accommodations are to a beach or a town/city and the better the view it has the higher the rents and/or purchase price they will have.

As mentioned in previous responses, unless you, as a US Citizen, are relocating to Puerto Rico, the so called "Spanish Virgins" or the USVI's you have to check the immigration requirement for the island you are considering otherwise you will be considered a visitor and be restricted to short term stays. Gaining "Residency" on an island is not an quick, easy or inexpensive process (it took us over a year and a significant investment in real estate to get approved for residency on our island).

Do your RESEARCH first hand - don't rely solely on information you get on a travel forum - we can only give you general guidelines. You'll need the services of a local attorney to help you with the specifics of immigrating to the island you eventually choose (if it is not a US territory).

suze

I think another consideration is language. Do you have a 2nd language besides English?

Going local where the language is Spanish or French or Dutch will put another layer of challenge on the move, compared to an English-speaking island.