We our threshold even before the 2024 presidential election as the handwriting of what was/is happening in the USA was on the wall. It took about 13 months to put our affairs in order and extricate ourselves, but very glad we joined the tens of thousands of other Americans who’ve emigrated to the EU.
We decided in early July 2024 that the election would be our threshold, and began actively preparing for a possible move -- fresh passports and other documents, a deep pruning of offices and closets, research into building the team (immigration attorney, movers, brokers, etc.) that would help us execute.
When I woke up at 12:30 am on November 6 and saw the election results, I didn't go back to bed. Instead, I started working my way through the tabs that were already open on my computer. When my husband woke up to the bad news at 7 am, I could tell him we'd already been in touch with the entire team. By noon, I was making appointments, signing contracts, and formulating a schedule for dismantling our very complicated life.
We left the US 74 days later, on January 19, and have not returned since.
Knowing your hard threshold is important because it gives you a date to work toward. Even if the election had gone the other way, we'd have had fresh documents, a cleaned-up house, and a plan in place against another day. The clarity of knowing what we were going to do, and having the map already charted, made what came next far more rational.
The goal is to survive this with your family, health, and wealth intact. Every day you wait, the odds of pulling that off without significant losses goes down.
My threshold was Covid. Being from a medical background it was obvious even then that political measures were being taken and would stop at nothing to divide the population. The rage baiting, the escalation of racism and of course, the coercion around vaccines. I left as they were locking down.
My threshold was ICE attacking people peacefully living in Minneapolis. In my teens and 20's I read a lot of holocaust and WWII accounts and decided if my own country turned against its own citizens, that was it for me. Unfortunately, my husband wants nothing to do with moving, especially far away.
We have a Belize visa, so we do have an escape possibility. I am also a Canadian descendant, as are our kids, so we put in our applications for verifications.
it's stressful not seeing eye to eye, when we usually do. And his goalposts keep moving, not that they were that solid to start with.
I'm a historian, among other things. When those with standing chose not to challenge clearly statistically fraudulent election returns, and the incoming criminals made their intentions clear, we left the jurisdiction. January 2025.
We now live where we have rule of law, representative democracy, effective public education, quality affordable health care, locally produced food and essentials, clean air and water, and a national renewable energy grid that doesn't care if the strait is closed. So what that I'm having to learn yet another language. We're polite and behave ourselves and support the local economy, and hope this place doesn't get spoiled by too many rude norteamericano expats.
My kids are all 16-21. The auto draft in December is the straw that broke the camels back. They're already audhd/adhd/lgbtq+, can't afford and don't believe in college here, and politics is worse by the day since the election. Bye
During the Obama years, a discovered opportunity of getting a Canadian citizenship through a spouse's father's birth certificate seemed like a waste of time and money. Too much to afford the search.
Like raw materials, costs only climb through time. Now plan B is trying to live in CA.
We were having a hard time getting birth certificates (for Canadian citizenship verification.) Then we found familysearch. The Mormons have a great genealogical base, for free, on this website. You do have to go in person to pick up the birth certificates, but they are at many public libraries. You can also access this through many historical societies.
Two things: financial and family. One elderly parent unfortunately passed recently which has given us the location flexibility, but we are still working to meet our financial threshold, which should occur next spring/summer and will then go. That is the plan.
times. Our son is 24 and a draft is certainly on the horizon. The cruelty in general but specifically the gestapo type tactics add to the need to get the fuck out. We are currently trying to save money and get our future destination locked down. Of course for most of us in the lower middle class our biggest hurtle are finances. I’m a retired firefighter and my wife is a mental health therapist who works remotely. Hopefully we can get out within 12-18 months. Congratulations to all who weee able to do it already!
We our threshold even before the 2024 presidential election as the handwriting of what was/is happening in the USA was on the wall. It took about 13 months to put our affairs in order and extricate ourselves, but very glad we joined the tens of thousands of other Americans who’ve emigrated to the EU.
We decided in early July 2024 that the election would be our threshold, and began actively preparing for a possible move -- fresh passports and other documents, a deep pruning of offices and closets, research into building the team (immigration attorney, movers, brokers, etc.) that would help us execute.
When I woke up at 12:30 am on November 6 and saw the election results, I didn't go back to bed. Instead, I started working my way through the tabs that were already open on my computer. When my husband woke up to the bad news at 7 am, I could tell him we'd already been in touch with the entire team. By noon, I was making appointments, signing contracts, and formulating a schedule for dismantling our very complicated life.
We left the US 74 days later, on January 19, and have not returned since.
Knowing your hard threshold is important because it gives you a date to work toward. Even if the election had gone the other way, we'd have had fresh documents, a cleaned-up house, and a plan in place against another day. The clarity of knowing what we were going to do, and having the map already charted, made what came next far more rational.
The goal is to survive this with your family, health, and wealth intact. Every day you wait, the odds of pulling that off without significant losses goes down.
My threshold was Covid. Being from a medical background it was obvious even then that political measures were being taken and would stop at nothing to divide the population. The rage baiting, the escalation of racism and of course, the coercion around vaccines. I left as they were locking down.
My threshold was ICE attacking people peacefully living in Minneapolis. In my teens and 20's I read a lot of holocaust and WWII accounts and decided if my own country turned against its own citizens, that was it for me. Unfortunately, my husband wants nothing to do with moving, especially far away.
We have a Belize visa, so we do have an escape possibility. I am also a Canadian descendant, as are our kids, so we put in our applications for verifications.
it's stressful not seeing eye to eye, when we usually do. And his goalposts keep moving, not that they were that solid to start with.
Glad to hear how well it's turned out for others.
My exit threshold was a second Trump administration. I'm glad I left. I wish I could bring everyone. I loved with me.
I'm a historian, among other things. When those with standing chose not to challenge clearly statistically fraudulent election returns, and the incoming criminals made their intentions clear, we left the jurisdiction. January 2025.
We now live where we have rule of law, representative democracy, effective public education, quality affordable health care, locally produced food and essentials, clean air and water, and a national renewable energy grid that doesn't care if the strait is closed. So what that I'm having to learn yet another language. We're polite and behave ourselves and support the local economy, and hope this place doesn't get spoiled by too many rude norteamericano expats.
My kids are all 16-21. The auto draft in December is the straw that broke the camels back. They're already audhd/adhd/lgbtq+, can't afford and don't believe in college here, and politics is worse by the day since the election. Bye
During the Obama years, a discovered opportunity of getting a Canadian citizenship through a spouse's father's birth certificate seemed like a waste of time and money. Too much to afford the search.
Like raw materials, costs only climb through time. Now plan B is trying to live in CA.
We were having a hard time getting birth certificates (for Canadian citizenship verification.) Then we found familysearch. The Mormons have a great genealogical base, for free, on this website. You do have to go in person to pick up the birth certificates, but they are at many public libraries. You can also access this through many historical societies.
The following website tells you the whole application process and links to forms. If I remember right it is $75 to apply. Plus postage and lots of copying fees. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/cit0001.html
Good luck if you decide to pursue it!
You are a blessing!
Two things: financial and family. One elderly parent unfortunately passed recently which has given us the location flexibility, but we are still working to meet our financial threshold, which should occur next spring/summer and will then go. That is the plan.
My. Families threshold has been crossed several
times. Our son is 24 and a draft is certainly on the horizon. The cruelty in general but specifically the gestapo type tactics add to the need to get the fuck out. We are currently trying to save money and get our future destination locked down. Of course for most of us in the lower middle class our biggest hurtle are finances. I’m a retired firefighter and my wife is a mental health therapist who works remotely. Hopefully we can get out within 12-18 months. Congratulations to all who weee able to do it already!
My threshold is the death of an elderly relative.
Not knowing where there is a safe place to try to make a life.