The short version
- Here, "easiest" means the lowest bar on the official page: the age, income and fee a country asks for. By that measure, a working holiday visa is the easiest move from the US if you are 18 to 30.
- Which country is easiest for you depends on your age, your income and your family.
- If you earn online, Uruguay and Argentina set no income figure for digital nomads. Sri Lanka asks for USD 2,000 a month.
- If you have a pension, the Philippines (USD 800 a month, from age 40), Panama and Peru set some of the lowest pension figures we track.
What is the easiest country to move to from the US?
It depends on what you bring. If you are 18 to 30, a working holiday visa asks the least. If you earn online, some digital nomad visas set no income figure or a low one. If you have a pension, some retirement visas ask for about USD 1,000 a month.
These are the lowest bars we found on the official pages, for US passports:
| Country | Route | What you must show | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Working holiday | Age 18 to 30, NZD 4,200 | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Australia | Work and holiday | Up to 30, secondary school | 12 Oct 2026 |
| South Korea | Working holiday | Student or recent graduate | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Ireland | Working holiday | Student or recent graduate | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Austria | Working holiday | Graduated within 12 months | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Portugal | Youth mobility | One of 400 places | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Uruguay | Digital nomad | A sworn statement | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Argentina | Digital nomad | Proof of remote work | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Sri Lanka | Digital nomad | USD 2,000 a month | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Malaysia | Digital nomad | USD 24,000 a year (tech) | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Philippines | Retirement | USD 800 pension, age 40 or over | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Panama | Retirement | B/.1,000 pension for life | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Peru | Retirement | USD 1,000 a month, net | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Portugal | Retirement | EUR 920 a month in 2026 | 12 Oct 2026 |
A low bar is only the first step. Most routes also ask for health insurance, papers and a fee, and some have a cap on places. One simple setup is to pick the route that fits your age and income first, then compare the countries on it.
Which countries give Americans a working holiday visa?
Six countries in our data take US passports: Australia, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal and South Korea. A working holiday visa lets you live and work in that country for up to about a year.
- New Zealand. Ages 18 to 30, for up to 12 months, with at least NZD 4,200 for living costs. The fee starts at NZD 770. On 12 October 2026, the New Zealand USA working holiday page said the scheme was open.
- Australia. The Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). For US passports, the legal list asks for secondary school qualifications and sets the top age at 30.
- South Korea. For post-secondary students and people within a year of graduating, aged 18 to 30. The fee is USD 45, and there are 2,000 places a year.
- Ireland. For full-time students and people who graduated in the last 12 months. The fee is USD 295, plus EUR 300 to register after you arrive.
- Austria and Portugal. Austria has 100 places a year for recent graduates. Portugal's deal with the US allows 400 youth mobility visas.
See working holiday visas for Americans to compare all six. For the full picture in one country, read how to move to Australia from the US, how to move to New Zealand from the US or how to move to Ireland from the US.
Which digital nomad visa asks for the least income?
Two in our data set no income figure at all, and a few set a low one. All of them are for remote work for an employer or clients outside the country.
- Uruguay. No set figure. You sign a sworn statement that you can support yourself while you are there.
- Argentina. No set figure. You show proof of your remote work, such as a contract or income receipts. It is only for passports that can visit Argentina without a visa, which our entry data shows includes the US. The stay is up to 180 days and can be extended for the same length.
- Sri Lanka. At least USD 2,000 a month sent to Sri Lanka. You can stay up to 12 months, renewable each year. The fee is USD 500 a year, says the Sri Lanka digital nomad visa guide.
- Malaysia. More than USD 24,000 a year for tech roles, or USD 60,000 for other roles. The pass lasts 3 to 12 months and can be renewed for 12 more.
The UAE asks for more, at least USD 3,500 a month, and lets you live there while you work for a company abroad. See the ways to get a UAE residence visa.
Where can Americans retire on a small pension?
Some of the lowest pension figures we track are in the Philippines, Panama and Peru. In Europe, Portugal ties its figure to the minimum wage.
- The Philippines. A lifelong pension of at least USD 800 a month, or USD 1,000 with dependants, from age 40. Pensioners also place a deposit: USD 15,000 from age 50, or USD 25,000 at 40 to 49, says the Philippine Retirement Authority.
- Panama. A pension for life of at least B/.1,000 (1,000 balboas) a month. The permit has no end date, so it needs no extension.
- Peru. A permanent income of at least USD 1,000 a month, net. It must come into Peru through a supervised bank.
- Portugal. At least EUR 920 a month in 2026, after social security. Passive income counts, not only a pension.
Mexico is close to home, but its bar is higher. The figure comes from the consulate you apply at: the Saint Paul consulate asks for a net monthly pension of USD 7,350 for permanent residence. See how to move to Mexico from the US.
Can a parent or grandparent make the move easier?
Yes, if your family line qualifies. Citizenship by descent is not a visa. If you qualify, you become a citizen of that country.
- Ireland. A grandparent born in Ireland lets you apply to the Foreign Births Register. You become an Irish citizen once you are entered on it.
- Italy. Since a 2025 change, people born abroad who hold another citizenship usually need a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship.
- The UK. British citizenship normally passes down one generation to children born outside the UK.
The rules turn on dates and on every link in the line. Check yours with the citizenship by descent checker.
Is Canada easy to move to from the US?
Not through a working holiday. The United States is not on the International Experience Canada country list, and that programme runs Canada's working holiday visas. So the lowest bar on this page does not apply there.
Canada has other routes, each with its own rules. They are set out in how to move to Canada from the US.
Is Europe easy to move to from the US?
It depends on the country, because Europe has no single visa. You pick one country and use its route. Austria and Portugal run working holidays for US passports, and many European countries run digital nomad, freelance and retirement routes.
On income, Portugal's retirement and passive income visa starts from the minimum wage. The routes, with examples and figures, are in how to move to Europe.