Expatriate Websites

Top Resources for those Moving and Living Abroad

The best way for future expatriates to prepare for their time abroad is to obtain as much information about their host country as possible. Thanks to the web, information is now much easier to come by than ever before. A vast number of websites today specialize in providing information and resources for those planning to move and live abroad, very often at the country or even city level. Finding out about housing, employment, visas, health insurance, retirement, customs and etiquette, tax laws, and other relevant expatriate information is now only a few mouse clicks away, as are forums of all kinds.

But no one website can honestly pretend to be the only all-inclusive database or social networking site containing all information. The world is huge and people of all nationalities have very specific questions and needs. To help readers find what they need, we have made a selection of what we deem the most useful websites for expatriates apart from our own. We hope that this section will provide expatriates with the tools you need to to make moving and living abroad a wonderful experience. — Volker Poelzl

Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) is a non-profit organization that has been representing Foreign Service spouses, employees and retirees since 1960 and provides loads of practical information for the expatriate. Membership is required for access to some information.

EasyExpat is a useful site that offers expat guides, reports and blogs from those living abroad, a busy forum, a cost of living calculator, and much more.

Expat Exchange is a fairly extensive expatriate site, with a forum, providing resources and articles for expatriates worldwide.

Expat Focus provides news, information, and advice for the expatriate; also maintains an online community through forums and blogs.

Expat Network is an online resource for expatriates living and working abroad; features job board (for registered members) and an expat forum.

Expatistan.com is a tool that provides cost of living comparisons for countries and cities worldwide. The site is useful for expatriates during their research, as is Numbeo.com and NomadList.com. All use crowdsourced data and are very useful tools.

Expatica is a Netherlands-based site provides useful resources for those living and working in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, and Russia; also publishes an online newsletter and the annual Expat Survival Guide with basic information on living abroad.

InterNations is an international online community that connects expats in over 390 cities, and growing daily, worldwide for meetups.

JustLanded offers "everything you need to live abroad — connecting expats worldwide."

Meetup lists group meetings in cities around the world to help bring people with common interests together and promote the development of active local communities. The “Expat American” category lists hundreds of Meetup groups for expatriates from around the world.

USA.gov—Americans Living and Traveling Abroad, go to this part of the U.S. government’s main web portal, which provides information on formalities and legal aspects of traveling and living abroad; a very comprehensive and highly practical web resource for the expatriate.

Tales from a Small Planet offers news, stories, reports, and other resources for travelers and expatriates.

Workpermit.com provides useful information about immigration and work permits for a variety of countries.