Where can a trans US citizen most easily relocate safely and legally?
February 1, 2025 1:17 AM Subscribe
I'm a transgender person in the United States. I'm thinking about my options if I need to leave the United States. Where can I most easily relocate to live and work?
I care most about transgender safety, then ease of getting permanent (or very long term) residency, then ease of getting work permits. Ideally I could become a citizen eventually and most people will speak English (I speak decent Spanish too). I have some money but I'm not rich. I work in the tech industry if it makes sense to work in a country different from my residence. I'm open to any climate. I've done some googling but what are my best options?
I've set up an email address at mefi.trans.question@gmail.com for people who don't want to answer publicly.
I care most about transgender safety, then ease of getting permanent (or very long term) residency, then ease of getting work permits. Ideally I could become a citizen eventually and most people will speak English (I speak decent Spanish too). I have some money but I'm not rich. I work in the tech industry if it makes sense to work in a country different from my residence. I'm open to any climate. I've done some googling but what are my best options?
I've set up an email address at mefi.trans.question@gmail.com for people who don't want to answer publicly.
Typically, the order these things work in is that you start with a job and work visa/permit. As that gets renewed or extended you start to meet criteria for residency that is no longer tied to a particular job or continued employment that meets certain criteria. That may or may not entail applying for nationality.
So I’d start by where you can work that meets your safety criteria.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:28 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
So I’d start by where you can work that meets your safety criteria.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:28 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
If the Netherlands interests you, google the DAFT treaty. If it continues in spite of the current administration, it is a simple option many USians take to live here. It involves starting your own business with a small financial stake. Note that housing in the Netherlands is not at all a pretty picture.
posted by frumiousb at 2:58 AM on February 1 [4 favorites]
posted by frumiousb at 2:58 AM on February 1 [4 favorites]
You need to share more information, perhaps through a mod. Your parent’s and 4 grandparent’s nationalities if not US. If your grandparents are living, their parents, just in case. Also, what your profession is, as certain roles can access special conditions, also, whether you have the possibility of applying for, e.g. graduate studies or similar that would buy you some time abroad at a university.
posted by Iteki at 3:39 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
posted by Iteki at 3:39 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
If you are okay with living somewhere Spanish speaking, Uruguay might fit the bill. You need to show proof of income to get residency, but it's not much, and you could also work there. The country has a strong LGBT+ track record.
posted by chaiminda at 3:52 AM on February 1 [7 favorites]
posted by chaiminda at 3:52 AM on February 1 [7 favorites]
Canada of course is the evergreen escape country. There are many paths to permanent residency however it can be exceptionally easy to come to Canada on a six month work visa depending on your age or qualifications. Many of them don't lead to permanent residency but it would at least allow you to flee the US and regroup to consider other options.
posted by Mitheral at 5:47 AM on February 1
posted by Mitheral at 5:47 AM on February 1
Do you have an Irish grandparent or work in tech or finance? Ireland would be a good option perhaps? Sorry on edit i see you work in tech so yes, working in Ireland would be a real possibility - i have a friend who is a trans US citizen who works in tech who moved to Ireland without too much difficulty
posted by foleypt at 5:54 AM on February 1 [2 favorites]
posted by foleypt at 5:54 AM on February 1 [2 favorites]
Many countries in Latin America will give you a visa simply by showing you have enough money to support yourself in the bank or in investments, which might not be very much (for instance, you can get a four year visa in Mexico that can later be converted to a permanent residency by showing you have about $71k). For economic and language reasons, this might be a reasonable option if you can arrange remote work for a US company.
posted by ssg at 8:18 AM on February 1 [3 favorites]
posted by ssg at 8:18 AM on February 1 [3 favorites]
New Zealand is far but they appear to be reaching out for folks in your situation
posted by olopua at 9:18 AM on February 1 [3 favorites]
posted by olopua at 9:18 AM on February 1 [3 favorites]
Really not enough info here to give good advice. But:
If you can work remotely on a 1099 contract, look at Spain's Digital Nomad Visa. Spain is a great place for trans people on many levels. This route theoretically can lead to citizenship, but the visa hasn't existed long enough for anyone to actually qualify.
If you want to seek employment in the European Union, the job will have to meet the labor market test, which is to say that the job must be first offered to people in the country and then to all of the EU. The employer can only hire an external worker if no suitable EU worker can be found. Obviously that's not the case for most people. Also, you didn't mention any degrees, but you'll have a very hard time getting in to the EU without a degree or three.
Look at reskilling or upskilling in a specific field that has demand (cybersecurity, an unusual programming language, etc.). Tech is having a hard time everywhere, but still is very employable.
Don't try to get into English teaching. It's been a long time since people could just go to other countries and get teaching jobs. Now the jobs usually require education degrees and specialized certificates. The pay is low and usually a visa will not be granted for these jobs.
If you have ancestry from another country, you can pursue immigration by decent. Every country has their own rules, which can change rapidly, but Ireland and Italy are some of the more permissive.
Uruguay and Chile are both good options in LatAm. Secular Spanish-speaking countries are generally much more progressive on LGBTQIA+ issues than English-speaking countries. You'll have to contend with TERFs in all the Anglosphere, sadly. The UK is the worst for trans health care (i.e. it's functionally banned, as wait times for new patients are nearing a decade).
All of these routes can be EXPENSIVE. Save as much as you can. Get your passport if you don't have one. Get copies of your vital documents.
Emigration is a tedious, bureaucratic process, but there is a better life out there. Stay strong!
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 9:51 AM on February 1 [2 favorites]
If you can work remotely on a 1099 contract, look at Spain's Digital Nomad Visa. Spain is a great place for trans people on many levels. This route theoretically can lead to citizenship, but the visa hasn't existed long enough for anyone to actually qualify.
If you want to seek employment in the European Union, the job will have to meet the labor market test, which is to say that the job must be first offered to people in the country and then to all of the EU. The employer can only hire an external worker if no suitable EU worker can be found. Obviously that's not the case for most people. Also, you didn't mention any degrees, but you'll have a very hard time getting in to the EU without a degree or three.
Look at reskilling or upskilling in a specific field that has demand (cybersecurity, an unusual programming language, etc.). Tech is having a hard time everywhere, but still is very employable.
Don't try to get into English teaching. It's been a long time since people could just go to other countries and get teaching jobs. Now the jobs usually require education degrees and specialized certificates. The pay is low and usually a visa will not be granted for these jobs.
If you have ancestry from another country, you can pursue immigration by decent. Every country has their own rules, which can change rapidly, but Ireland and Italy are some of the more permissive.
Uruguay and Chile are both good options in LatAm. Secular Spanish-speaking countries are generally much more progressive on LGBTQIA+ issues than English-speaking countries. You'll have to contend with TERFs in all the Anglosphere, sadly. The UK is the worst for trans health care (i.e. it's functionally banned, as wait times for new patients are nearing a decade).
All of these routes can be EXPENSIVE. Save as much as you can. Get your passport if you don't have one. Get copies of your vital documents.
Emigration is a tedious, bureaucratic process, but there is a better life out there. Stay strong!
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 9:51 AM on February 1 [2 favorites]
I actually just saw a TikTok from an American trans person saying they had been granted asylum in Canada twice, and to claim it had rocked up at the border in Buffalo and in Detroit, I believe on foot?
I'm currently on mobile so here is a link to some information and I will try to find the relevant TikTok: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/about-refugee-system/2slgbtqi-plus.html
posted by DarlingBri at 10:00 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
I'm currently on mobile so here is a link to some information and I will try to find the relevant TikTok: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/about-refugee-system/2slgbtqi-plus.html
posted by DarlingBri at 10:00 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
Around the time of the election i wondered if we (Canada) might need to prepare for a lot of trans refugees from the U.S. and also whether we already did get a lot of trans refugees from the U.S. I know that Canada's refugees laws already explicitly include refugee status based in oersecution for being trans. Anyway, what I found at the time was that refugees applicants from the U.S. often had a hard time getting refugees status in Canada because the discrimination was often based on state laws so the potential for "internal flight" exists as an alternative. The articles suggested that if trump one and put in anti-trans laws, it might be easier for U.S. refugees applicants. Here is one article from an immigration lawyer.
Though we will likely have a conservative government federally in a few months my sense is that they would be more concerned with fiscal conservativism than social conservatism and the supereme court (which is far less partisan) has also ruled that gender and gender orientation are unconstitutional grounds for discrimination. That said, that is my understabding as a cishet woman. I'm not going to be as aware as a trans person if the de facto situation differs, so obviously try to connect with trans people in Canada about how a conservatice government is likely to change anything.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:55 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
Though we will likely have a conservative government federally in a few months my sense is that they would be more concerned with fiscal conservativism than social conservatism and the supereme court (which is far less partisan) has also ruled that gender and gender orientation are unconstitutional grounds for discrimination. That said, that is my understabding as a cishet woman. I'm not going to be as aware as a trans person if the de facto situation differs, so obviously try to connect with trans people in Canada about how a conservatice government is likely to change anything.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 11:55 AM on February 1 [1 favorite]
I actually just saw a TikTok from an American trans person saying they had been granted asylum in Canada twice, and to claim it had rocked up at the border in Buffalo and in Detroit, I believe on foot?
Processing times for being granted asylum in Canada are currently something like 2 years, so it seems likely this is mistaken.
I can't imagine you could get asylum twice for the same reason from the same country and I'm sure that voluntarily returning to the country in which you claim to be being persecuted while your request was pending would weigh very heavily against being granted asylum.
posted by ssg at 1:47 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
Processing times for being granted asylum in Canada are currently something like 2 years, so it seems likely this is mistaken.
I can't imagine you could get asylum twice for the same reason from the same country and I'm sure that voluntarily returning to the country in which you claim to be being persecuted while your request was pending would weigh very heavily against being granted asylum.
posted by ssg at 1:47 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
We're in this same boat. In addition to the countries that have already been mentioned, Spain has a digital nomad visa and is apparently quite trans-friendly.
posted by Birds, snakes, and aeroplanes at 5:34 PM on February 1
posted by Birds, snakes, and aeroplanes at 5:34 PM on February 1
Definitely look into jobs where you can work remotely. That will help you wherever you land.
Mexico has legal status for transfolk, and that's close. However, you'll want to choose where you live carefully, because transfolk can face a lot of discrimination, even violence. Mexican states with larger expat populations, like CDMX or Queretaro, can be softer landing spots (more than a few people who speak English, some stores that are familiar to USians) and can often be a bit safer for trans/enbys/agenders.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 6:10 PM on February 1
Mexico has legal status for transfolk, and that's close. However, you'll want to choose where you live carefully, because transfolk can face a lot of discrimination, even violence. Mexican states with larger expat populations, like CDMX or Queretaro, can be softer landing spots (more than a few people who speak English, some stores that are familiar to USians) and can often be a bit safer for trans/enbys/agenders.
posted by Tailkinker to-Ennien at 6:10 PM on February 1
olopua: New Zealand is far but they appear to be reaching out for folks in your situation
Noting that the linked page refers to people visiting NZ for holidays. As a US citizen OP would presumably qualify for the NZETA, and thereby be able to visit NZ for up to 3 months at a time, and for 6 months in any given 12 months. So not as useful as we might hope.
Another option depending on your age is a working holiday visa, which you would possibly be eligible for in several countries (e.g. see here for NZ). Advantage: you don't need a job offer. Disadvantage: it's only for 12 months and you might struggle to find work.
Or study - the disadvantage being the cost, but some countries give you a limited work visa after you finish studying, if you're able to find work you may be able to get another work visa, and eventually residency.
Others have mentioned work visas, difficult to know what your chances would be without knowing your exact skill set.
I'm sceptical about the chances of any refugee claim by a trans American at the moment, given the availability of an internal protection alternative (basically moving to a blue state). If things start getting bad at the national level, that could change.
In terms of identifying countries that are good/bad for LGBTQ rights, I like the ILGA. Would suggest looking for English, or maybe Spanish, -speaking countries with high ratings there, and then exploring visa options for those countries.
posted by Pink Frost at 1:52 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Noting that the linked page refers to people visiting NZ for holidays. As a US citizen OP would presumably qualify for the NZETA, and thereby be able to visit NZ for up to 3 months at a time, and for 6 months in any given 12 months. So not as useful as we might hope.
Another option depending on your age is a working holiday visa, which you would possibly be eligible for in several countries (e.g. see here for NZ). Advantage: you don't need a job offer. Disadvantage: it's only for 12 months and you might struggle to find work.
Or study - the disadvantage being the cost, but some countries give you a limited work visa after you finish studying, if you're able to find work you may be able to get another work visa, and eventually residency.
Others have mentioned work visas, difficult to know what your chances would be without knowing your exact skill set.
I'm sceptical about the chances of any refugee claim by a trans American at the moment, given the availability of an internal protection alternative (basically moving to a blue state). If things start getting bad at the national level, that could change.
In terms of identifying countries that are good/bad for LGBTQ rights, I like the ILGA. Would suggest looking for English, or maybe Spanish, -speaking countries with high ratings there, and then exploring visa options for those countries.
posted by Pink Frost at 1:52 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Luxeria is a trans creator from the UK who has documented some details about their move to Spain, in order to escape an increasingly and similarly hostile situation in Britain, which might be of interest to you given your ability to speak some Spanish. In their videos, they go over some of the stickiness in finding a place to live, for instance, so their situation may be of interest in terms of some of the details involved in emigrating and working.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:59 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:59 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Are you legally transitioned and straight on your paperwork? Singapore is surprisingly legally ok if you are fully transitioned and tech jobs are here. You get assumed to be what gender you are on your legal documents. LBGTQ rights are behind Taiwan and Thailand but there’s a small friendly queer community.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 10:26 PM on February 2
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 10:26 PM on February 2
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
I've lost touch with all the short-term "digital nomad" work visas that sprung up during the early pandemic, but they're still out there. Narrow your range of interest in the destination countries by seeing which of those are available now and evaluate their eligibility terms accordingly. Not all of these visas are going to get you into countries with better trans politics. It's a good idea to seek local input on the feeling of a place beyond the external view of the letter of the law.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:27 AM on February 1 [4 favorites]