Last few years, U.S. travel to Portugal has grown a lot, and it’s now the place where Americans want to move the most.
That’s what 116,363 Americans who were thinking about leaving the U.S. between 2024 and 2025 said in a survey run by Expatsi, a company that offers moving tours and tools for expats.
People who visit Expatsi’s website can take a 20-question quiz to find out which country might be best for them based on their lifestyle preferences (like weather and local laws), future plans (like studying or working), financial situation, and other things.
People who fill out the survey are asked to name the places they want to learn more about. These are the most-asked-for countries:
Portugal
Spain UK
Italia
Italy and Ireland
France
America
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Based on the preferences people choose in the survey, Portugal is also the country that people are most likely to suggest to others. It is followed by France, Spain, Greece, and Switzerland.
Why people in the US want to move abroad
The poll found that people want to leave the U.S. most for adventure, growth, and the chance to learn new things. 56% of those who answered say the U.S. is too conservative, and 53% say the country is spread out too much. About half of people who are interested in living abroad say they want to do so to have more or different freedoms and to avoid the danger of gun violence. Another 41% say they want to save money while they are living abroad.
Two-thirds of people who took Expatsi’s test say they want to leave the U.S. by 2026, and 12% say they want to leave in the next six months. 31% want to retire abroad, 18% want a digital nomad visa, and 17% say they will move with a skilled worker visa.
Since the 2024 elections, more Americans have thought about moving to another country.
CNN looked at U.S. Google search data and found that starting in June 2024, a lot of people were looking for terms like “how to move to X country.” After President Trump was re-elected, Expatsi saw a huge jump in site traffic, from about 8,000 users in October to almost 51,000 in November.
Moving to another country is big business right now.
Expatsi co-founder Jen Barnett says that people are more interested in their services after controversial political events. She saw a first wave of interest after the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned that summer.
Now, they’re making a lot of money.
According to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It, Expatsi’s revenue is up 19,632% year-over-year. This is because the company sold more and more products, such as relocation scouting trips, one-on-one consultations, and tickets to events like a conference in San Antonio starting Friday and going through the weekend. Over 300 people will hear from speakers about how to move abroad, including how to get a visa, move your money, choose the right neighborhood, and find a job as a foreigner.
According to Barnett, the business helped more than 200 people go on moving tours in 2024. “Roughly 5% have already moved, and another 25% are in the paperwork stage,” she says. “This means they have either filed for a visa or have an appointment to file.”
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