Since this wasn’t apparent the last time I asked… no, I’m actually not a US citizen or green card holder (permanent resident). Just happened to be in this country for a long time due to career reasons.

  • hit_the_rails@reddthat.com
    0·
    23 days ago

    Buy some non US-based cloud storage and copy all your sensitive data to it, and delete said data from personal devices before leaving the country, so you can safely allow customs access to devices if required.

    Retrieve data from the cloud when you arrive in the destination country.

      • ylph@lemmy.world
        0·
        23 days ago

        This is true, however you can still be targeted for extra checks by both customs and immigration if they have a reason to suspect you, even when departing the US. Both CBP and ICE have access to departing passenger lists.

        For example you are required to declare larger sums of cash being carried out of the country (over $10k). You are supposed to go to customs and fill out a form, but many people do not know this, often legal immigrant workers taking cash back to their home countries. CBP uses dogs trained to smell cash and patrols departure lounges in airports, and if they pick you out, you can be searched, and any undeclared cash will simply be seized if found.

        It’s easy to imagine with the current administration they could start targeting people based on social media posts or some kind of previously compiled political profile or “enemies” list or whatever, if they aren’t already.

    • COASTER1921@lemmy.ml
      0·
      22 days ago

      Has anyone seen customs ever actually search an electronic device before? I travel internationally nearly every month and have never seen this before, even in China.

      • ylph@lemmy.world
        0·
        22 days ago

        According to CBP’s own stats they conducted 42725 basic and 4322 advanced searches of electronic devices at US ports of entry last year (so before any new policies of the current administration took effect)

        “Under a basic search, a border agent physically inspects your phone and reviews what they can, while an advanced search means the agent can potentially download all of your files using an external device.”

  • Tiefling IRL@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    0·
    23 days ago

    Currently in the same boat, though I’m a citizen

    1. Figure out your car and drivers license stuff. Some countries have an agreement that lets you swap a US license for theirs.

    2. Mail forwarding. Either forward your mail to someone you trust or pay for an international forwarding service. You’re still gonna be getting mail afterwards, like credit card renewals.

    3. You’ll likely have to do the same for finances

    4. Go through everything you own and trim down. Whatever you don’t get rid of, you’ll have to deal with customs.

    And finally, get a lawyer. No seriously. I know they’re expensive but you don’t want to fuck around with emigrating on your own. You’re gonna have pleeeenty of questions for them

    • frank@sopuli.xyz
      0·
      23 days ago

      Cash travels, sell your non -heirloom stuff.

      Doesn’t need to be a lawyer, relocation companies are amazing at this stuff. They can help with taxes, government registration, all of it

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      0·
      23 days ago

      So others can’t get out? So others still can’t come in? So we don’t let out all the AC?

      Find out next time on: Puzzling Commentary!™

      this has been a Desilu presentation.

      • MehBlah@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        23 days ago

        Mine are 95 percent county funded in a blue zone. State is already trying to lay down the law only to discover they don’t give much in the way of funds. No bucks no leverage. Only law they passed got overturned.

      • enthusiasticamoeba@lemmy.ml
        0·
        23 days ago

        Libraries with access to the enormous amount of English language content are usually only found in English speaking countries, though.

        Good luck finding more than a few books on niche topics in, say, Dutch (ask me how I know).

        I deeply regret not hanging onto my US library card.

  • nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    0·
    23 days ago

    Open as many credit cards as you can and spend all the money and don’t worry about paying it back it’s all good

    • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      23 days ago

      I can’t tell which way this comment is going, but Five Guys is the most I’ve spent for the worst French fries I’ve ever had in my life, and the burger is “meh” grade. Burger King does a better burger and fries faster and cheaper.

      • Flax@feddit.ukEnglish
        0·
        23 days ago

        I spent £17 on a burger and chips at five guys due to peer pressure. I still haven’t mentally recovered.

        • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          23 days ago

          Yeah, the burger quality was on par with just about any other smash burger, and the fries were limp, undercooked, slimy and pale.

          I think it was only 14 bucks for me at the time, but this was when you could get a whopper combo for like 6.

      • trolololol@lemmy.world
        0·
        23 days ago

        Why not both?

        Or hear me out

        Last lunch at five guys with five guys

        Spend the night having Wendy’s at Wendy’s (not the restaurant)

  • Lord Wiggle@lemmy.world
    0·
    23 days ago

    Go to a country which is better than the US. So skip North Korea, Somalia, Palestine. Then you’re good.

  • tiredofsametab@fedia.io
    0·
    23 days ago
    1. consider keeping your US phone number until all banking stuff is done since many banks do 2fa and this can be a giant pain after moving. Try to switch to an app if possible. Many providers also disallow known VoIP numbers.
    2. driving license was another one mentioned. Having it not expire before you can transfer it is preferable (assuming the target country allows transfer. Japan didn’t until after two years after I got here and my license expired so I had to start from zero despite driving for 15+ years in the US). You may need to get notarized driving records which is also easier before you leave.
    3. go through and change/cancel anything with an address on file – can be much easier from within the US. I went through the past year’s bank records to find anything sneaky that doesn’t renew monthly. If you have things that only renew every N years, don’t forget to cancel or update those (domain names, for instance).
    4. Make sure all city, municipal, county, state, and federal tax stuff will be OK to do after leaving (sometimes, some prep is needed)
    5. If you have any retirement plans like 401ks, IRAs, etc. see about rolling them over or whatever
    6. maybe do something with social security with regard to your target country if an agreement is in place, particularly if you didn’t work long enough to claim it. You can get US SS overseas in the vast majority of countries, but there are also certain provisions where you wouldn’t or it would be reduced based on what you have in the target country.
    7. Freeze credit reports at the agencies as others mentioned
    • jjpamsterdam@feddit.org
      0·
      23 days ago

      driving license was another one mentioned. Having it not expire before you can transfer it is preferable

      This is a giant, often overlooked issue. My home country of the Netherlands for example doesn’t allow a simple transef and makes you take a test (because road safety is important to Dutch people!). In Germany it’s even worse. There it depends on the state you obtained your US license in, since Germany has agreements with some states but not all…

      • tiredofsametab@fedia.io
        0·
        23 days ago

        I’ve been happy most of the time. It’s not for everyone, but I’m a decade in and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          0·
          23 days ago

          What’s the cost of living like compared to the US? I’m guessing you speak the language if you’ve been there that long?

          • tiredofsametab@fedia.io
            0·
            23 days ago

            Both the US and Japan have extremely varied costs of living depending upon where you’re talking about. I live in the countryside and things are generally fairly cheap, though inflation has been hitting hard since corona and a poor rice harvest last year. I studied the language a bit before I moved, came over as a language student (probably second-oldest there in my 30s), and found a job a few months later. I’m conversational, but my reading is pretty crap. I generally do all my own medical stuff and the like, though definitely run documents by my wife to make sure of some things (particularly government and finance). We basically only speak Japanese at home.

            Tokyo can be expensive or not totally depending upon the experience you want to have. No need to own a car so no inspection, tax, insurance, gas, and parking spot cost. I lived there for 8 years without driving at all but did end up getting a motorbike after moving to the suburbs. I had to get a car when we moved to the countryside. Houses are going to be much smaller and much closer than most of the US. I earn well above the median salary (which is something like 4-6 million JPY/year for someone in their 40s) and pay roughly 26% of that out to pension, taxes, etc. Healthcare is far cheaper than in the US but not free at point of service like other countries. There are out-of-pocket maximums over some periods and tax rebates on the year if you go over 100k yen.