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International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 12:28:02 PM   
BitaTruble


Posts: 9779
Joined: 1/12/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		Just looking for some help and/or feedback from those who have picked up and moved to another country. The country in question is Portugal and some of the things I'm looking for: a good language immersion program, recommendations for a good international relocation service (help with setting up utilities, housing etc), any information regarding health care and how it works for US American's overseas, tax issues and how they're dealt with when you retain US citizenship, any good websites dealing with relocation issues (I've only found one for Portugal and it didn't have the sort of information for which I'm searching), any information on the leather scene/culture in Portugal - oh hell, just anything that anyone wants to share regarding international relocation.

Any thoughts are appeciated and if there is information required from me in order to help answer some of these questions, I'll be happy to provide it. I'm just not sure what anyone would need to know in order to help me out here.

Oh, we'd be going to the Algarve (or possibly Faro) area on the southern coast so, not that close to the Lisbon area if that helps to answer any questions and, it's a job relocation for Himself.

Oh, I almost forgot .. if anyone has any information regarding medical conditions (Himself is diabetic) which would prevent our move, please let me know. I couldn't find a single thing about that issue on google.

Thanks!

edited: Oh, doh! Information about taking domestic pets (the 4 legged kind) would also be appreciated!

< Message edited by BitaTruble -- 7/2/2008 12:39:53 PM >

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 1:19:43 PM   
Maya2001


Posts: 1656
Joined: 8/22/2007
From: Woodstock ONT,CANADA
Status: offline 		this site would like be helpful information on transporting pets as well http://pureportugal.info/

this is probably more detailed... you need to obtain a EU pet scheme passport http://www.algarveprop.com/features/taking-pets-portugal   you can look up international pet transporters  they will deal with a lot of the rules and regulations  that is needed to ensure a pet does get there because things like weather and temps affects when a pet can fly and pet can suddenly be denied entry on to the plane at the  last minute if  air temp become too hot or too cold.  If your pet is not used to being crated it is best to prepare them well before hand,  some animals cannot handle and become severely claustrophobic which can result in death in some animals as stress can cause their core temp to elevate so high the stroke/coma occurs..meds is not normally recomended  because if an animal vomits could lead to aspiration ..usually with greyhounds that transported from florida to Ontario  their prior meal is not fed to prevent possible vomiting/aspiration only water is given so they are usually without food for about 48 by the time arrive here and we start them on a half meal  after they arrive and a few hours later the other half, when shipped to alberta from florida the same applies so they go even far longer without food. ,but water is a necessity to ensure they do not get dehydrated 

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 1:39:00 PM   
housesub4you


Posts: 1879
Joined: 4/2/2008
Status: offline 		You should contact their Embassey here in the states and get all the paperwork you require. Also when I worked overseas my employer filed all the paperwork (there is a lot) and it takes time to get a work visa.

As far as insurance goes that is up to the type you have through the employer, they hopefully will cover you over there   Look up international insurance policies to find some, but they tend to cost a ton of cash 

This might sound trival, but are you married? When I worked overseas they would not grant my GF a visa based on my work contract, she had to apply for one on her own after finding a job.  Once we got married she was fine.

As for taxes, I would contact a Tax Lawyer here, I still worked for a US firm and my checks where deposited in my American Bank so no real tax issues there for me.   

Make copies of everything, burn everything onto a disc. Leave a copy with someone you trust stateside.  If anything gets lost they can email or fax you the info.  This saved my ass when someone stole my wallet overseas

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 1:45:17 PM   
BitaTruble


Posts: 9779
Joined: 1/12/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		Thank you, Maya for the links and information. I'll be checking those out!

Housesub -  I never even thought about burning a CD. What a great idea! We can leave copies with the kids in case of emergency. Oh, and yes, we're married.

I didn't think about the tax lawyer either. I happen to have a cousin in the field. I'll be calling him this weekend as well as contacting the Portuguese embassy. So much useful information.. thank you so much!


_____________________________

"Oh, so it's just like
Rock, paper, scissors."

He laughed. "You are the wisest woman I know."


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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 5:12:04 PM   
GreedyTop


Posts: 52100
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Savannah, GA
Status: offline 		Bita... contact Sundowner... he's Brit..but he spends time in Algarve, so he may be able to help with local info

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 6:44:45 PM   
kyraofMists


Posts: 3292
Joined: 7/29/2005
Status: offline 		I cannot suggest anything about Portugal, but having just moved to Canada I can say that being highly organized made things a lot easier.  Hiring an immigration lawyer in Canada helped provide peace of mind and it made sure that any required paper work was completed. 

The one thing that I needed and did not have was a copy of my driving record and insurance history.  Both were easy enough to obtain, but I didn't know before hand that I would need it in order to obtain insurance in Canada.

Regarding taxes, I know that as long as I remain a US citizen, I will have to file taxes in the US listing the income I earned overseas.  However, Canada and the US have laws that allow me to not pay income tax in the US while I am a permanent resident of Canada, but I still have to file.  Whether the US and Portugal have such an aggreement, is something to look into.  Here is a link to the IRS.gov site regarding this issue

The other issue that is a thorn in our side is that I have no credit history in Canada.  I have a good credit rating in the US, but none here.  Trying to get a Canadian Visa card for emergencies is a frustration.  I am still working through the issue of how to give them access to my US credit history so that I can be approved.  One of those little things that can be an annoyance.

That is all that comes to mind now... the biggest is be organized.  The people who will help you get through the red tape will be much easier to work with if you are.  Though from what little I have observed of you, I don't think you will have any problems in that area.

Knight's Kyra

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/2/2008 6:48:08 PM   
Thadius


Posts: 5091
Joined: 10/11/2005
Status: offline 		I haven't checked about Portugese, but Rosetta Stone has always been a goto for people I know that want a good immersion into a different language.  They all have recommended it highly.

Good luck with your plans,
Thadius

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/3/2008 5:09:10 AM   
meatcleaver


Posts: 9030
Joined: 3/13/2006
Status: offline 		This site might have some worthwhile info. http://www.portoadvertiser.info/relocation/page-6.html

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/3/2008 8:56:15 AM   
philosophy


Posts: 5284
Joined: 2/15/2004
Status: offline 		.....learn to enjoy football.......not being entirely flippant here, what you call soccer and what everyone else calls football is, alongside the catholic church, one of the planks of that part of europes society. Being able to enjoy watching a game with the locals will go a long way to establishing you as one of them non-ugly americans.........

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/3/2008 12:22:12 PM   
BitaTruble


Posts: 9779
Joined: 1/12/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		Thank you to everyone. The information provided has been a great help and I've added several things to my to-do list based on that information .. including, learning the rules of 'football'.

_____________________________

"Oh, so it's just like
Rock, paper, scissors."

He laughed. "You are the wisest woman I know."


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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/3/2008 6:38:54 PM   
UtopianRanger


Posts: 3251
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius

I haven't checked about Portugese, but Rosetta Stone has always been a goto for people I know that want a good immersion into a different language.  They all have recommended it highly.

Good luck with your plans,
Thadius


Ditto on Rosetta Stone - Well worth the cash....

Give me another six months, and I'll have mastered the French language

On a serious note....the CD's are great.




- R


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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/3/2008 6:41:39 PM   
MzMia


Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline 		Bita, I don't have any advice but I would contact the U.S. embassy.
Please keep us posted on your potential move.
Good luck to you!


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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/6/2008 8:53:37 AM   
Sundowner


Posts: 2549
Joined: 3/11/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: BitaTruble
any information on the leather scene/culture in Portugal


There doesn't seem to be much of a scene in the Algarve Bita (I've looked!).

There's a fairly strong Brit expat community though, so English is spoken widely; but the courtesy of learning the local language is always appreciated.

It's a relatively poor part of the EU - once you get away from the narrow coastal strip (which is well developed as a tourist area) you quickly find an almost peasant culture in the smaller villages.

One key point - the Portuguese are the worst drivers in the EU. They are awful - learn defensive driving!

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RE: International Relocation ?'s:Portugal - 7/6/2008 2:32:35 PM   
BitaTruble


Posts: 9779
Joined: 1/12/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Sundowner

There doesn't seem to be much of a scene in the Algarve Bita (I've looked!).


Well, that sucks!

quote:

There's a fairly strong Brit expat community though, so English is spoken widely; but the courtesy of learning the local language is always appreciated.


There's an immersion program in Faro which we'll utilize if we make the move. Seems very comprehensive and it's guarenteed results or your money back. The Rosetta Stone only offers Brazilian Portuguese so it wasn't going to work or I'd have started it already.

quote:

It's a relatively poor part of the EU - once you get away from the narrow coastal strip (which is well developed as a tourist area) you quickly find an almost peasant culture in the smaller villages.


That's okay for me. The town I was born in has a population of less than 1000 but Himself is from the Bronx, New York. It may be a mitigating factor for him. We're heading out there in a few weeks and that may be a deal breaker  - will have to wait and see. If we can live right on the coast, might be okay. If we have to go inland to Loule, might not be okay. It depends on where the final resting place is for the new audiology training center and we won't know that till we get there.

quote:

One key point - the Portuguese are the worst drivers in the EU. They are awful - learn defensive driving!


I'm a horrible driver! I should fit right in.

Thanks for the dope, SD.

_____________________________

"Oh, so it's just like
Rock, paper, scissors."

He laughed. "You are the wisest woman I know."


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