# Brit & American moving to Portugal



## Ubik (Feb 14, 2017)

Hi there, just introducing myself.

I'm British, living in the US on a Green Card. My wife is an American citizen. We are planning on moving to Portugal, hopefully some time this year. As I work for a Telecoms company and work 100% from home, it looks likely that I will be able to keep my current job (no reason why not but company politics being what they are...).

My wife is a chef and owns a bakery here in the US. She's in the process of selling up.

Our plan is to empty our house here, move across the pond (with 2 cats) and rent something, probably in or around Coimbra. We can then sell our house here in the US with less pressure, and start to look for property over there. 

We're looking for something like 10-15 acres, with residential building plus farm buildings (barns, sheds etc) that can be converted into guest accommodation. The plan is to open a B&B and give cookery lessons. 

As it stands at the moment, we'll be looking in the area around Porto, along the Duoro and as far south as Coimbra. This isn't written in stone, but we have tried to limit the area a bit, at least initially. 

We plan to visit Portugal in April/May time and do a bit of scoping around, visiting friends near Lisbon, that kind of thing.

We're both very excited, and hopefully, as I mentioned above we can move there by the end of this year.

John


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

Hi and welcome to the board. You have a long road ahead of you but there are plenty of good, willing folk on here to help you find your way. We are based in Coimbra and already have two good friends here from the US. If you make it down this way on your trip over in April/May we would love to meet up. Oh and you can put me down for a cookery course too!


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Hello John & welcome.


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## HKG3 (Jan 11, 2015)

Ubik said:


> Hi there, just introducing myself.
> 
> I'm British, living in the US on a Green Card. My wife is an American citizen. We are planning on moving to Portugal, hopefully some time this year.



John

You may wish to consider applying for US citizenship before moving to Portugal with your wife. Green card holders could be seen as abandoned their US permanent residency when they 'absent from the United States for more than a year'. Please see link below for details - 

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/international-travel-permanent-resident

Having US citizenship means that you can enter the US whenever you want and stay in the US for as long as you wish.


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## Ubik (Feb 14, 2017)

HKG3 said:


> John
> 
> You may wish to consider applying for US citizenship before moving to Portugal with your wife. Green card holders could be seen as abandoned their US permanent residency when they 'absent from the United States for more than a year'. Please see link below for details -
> 
> ...


Thanks. We did discuss this, but I am not going to pursue American Citizenship - I've lived here almost 19 yrs, and still have no need or desire to take the plunge. Additionally, there's the whole, 'If you're an American Citizen you pay income tax to the US no matter where you live', issue.

I have no issue with paying income tax to the country where I work and live, but I have no desire to do so for a country where I no longer reside.

My wife will likely keep her US citizenship, but who knows what the future holds? We live in interesting times after all...

John


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## HKG3 (Jan 11, 2015)

Ubik said:


> My wife will likely keep her US citizenship, but who knows what the future holds? We live in interesting times after all...


John

Your wife can take on another citizenship without the need to give up her American citizenship.

As you said so yourself, if you and your wife needs to return to live and work in the US, it is better for you to have US citizenship so that there will be no US visa issue for you.

With regards to the US tax issue, while I am not qualify to advice you on such matters, a good accountant can help. The US has a tax treaty with Portugal. Please see link below for details - 

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/international-businesses/portugal-tax-treaty-documents


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Ubik said:


> Thanks. We did discuss this, but I am not going to pursue American Citizenship - I've lived here almost 19 yrs, and still have no need or desire to take the plunge. Additionally, there's the whole, 'If you're an American Citizen you pay income tax to the US no matter where you live', issue.
> 
> I have no issue with paying income tax to the country where I work and live, but I have no desire to do so for a country where I no longer reside.
> 
> ...


Think yourself lucky...... I'm not a US citizen, have never lived there & don't get a vote there but the busstards make me pay tax there because I wrote a book that's published there & I get hit hit for tax on every copy sold. 

so much for no taxation without representation! 

I cannot express how much that ticks me off!


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## Ubik (Feb 14, 2017)

HKG3 said:


> John
> 
> Your wife can take on another citizenship without the need to give up her American citizenship.
> 
> ...


Appreciate the concern, but we are leaving the US, not looking for a way back in. I have zero desire or need to become an American citizen, If I did I would have done it years ago. Any visits to the US can (unless it changes) be addressed either with a visa or a visa waiver. My wife needs neither of course.

If I have any concerns about nationality, it is the fact that I hold a UK passport. With BREXIT looming ever closer, I do have concerns that visa requirements and residency in Portugal. That is very much "wait and see" at the moment, but there is absolutely no advantage or reason for me to take US citizenship. 

Thanks,
John


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## HKG3 (Jan 11, 2015)

Ubik said:


> If I have any concerns about nationality, it is the fact that I hold a UK passport. With BREXIT looming ever closer, I do have concerns that visa requirements and residency in Portugal. That is very much "wait and see" at the moment, but there is absolutely no advantage or reason for me to take US citizenship.


John

With regards to Brexit - nothing formal has happen yet. Article 50 has not yet been trigger by the British government so as a British Citizen, your freedom of movement rights within the EU is the same as it was before the vote in June 2016. However, no one knows when the cut off date will be, as it can be - 

1) June 2016 (the date of the EU vote in the UK)
2) March 2017 (the date in which the UK government triggers Article 50)
3) March 2019 (the 2 years after triggering Article 50)

As we do not know what kind of deal the UK and the EU will come up with, I would think it is best for you and your wife to try and settle in Portugal as soon as possible.


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