Tips for emigrating

Just how difficult is it for GLBT Americans to move to Europe? It'll take time and cash, but it's doable. Most countries require proof that foreign residents have a job and can support themselves before emigrating; some provide special exemptions for skilled or sought after workers, particularly in technology.

Although many of the countries on this list are part of the European Union, each has different rules for retirees and gay and lesbian couples. While countries such as the Netherlands and Spain have--or are close to having--equal or nearly equal protections for same-sex couples, it is a good idea to contact the appropriate consulate to see how that relates to foreign citizens. (For links to the Web sites for each of these nations, go to www.advocate.com and click on LINKS.)

Here are some tips:

CANADA

Most Canadian provinces have specific programs allowing emigres to apply for a provincial nomination, You must show proof of a job or enough money to cover living expenses for a six-month period. Canada also has special immigration programs for French speakers, skilled workers, and "business immigrants"--those who can make an investment in the country of about $328,000.

Apply for an immigration visa through the country's visa office in Buffalo, N.Y. A Canadian immigrant visa and a passed medical examination are required to enter Canada. Base fee: about $800.

UNITED KINGDOM

You can get a work permit only if a U.K. employer asks to have you hired or transferred from the United States. You must apply for an entry clearance at a British consulate, by mail, or online.

Same-sex partners of British citizens can apply, as long as they show they are not married to anyone else, can prove they have been together at least two years, and can prove financial interdependence.

Retirees have to be at least 60, financially independent, and show family or other close ties within the United Kingdom.

The fee is $143 for either retirees or emigres looking to work, which you can pay online.

GERMANY

Interested parties can apply for a residence and work permit after entering Germany without a visa. Register at the local Aliens Office, where you have to show an employment con tract or a letter of intent for work. Applications take one to three months to process. Fee: $31.

NETHERLANDS

Before applying for a work permit, you must have an authorization for a temporary stay, known as an MW, which you have to apply for in the United States (about $60). After five consecutive years on a temporary residence permit, you can apply for permanent residency. Fee: about $1,102.

If you arrive without an MVV and stay longer than 90 days, you have to prove you have a work permit, which you can only get if your Dutch employer applies for a government work permit on your behalf. The fee to do that is about $533.

FRANCE

For a long stay work visa, you need to secure a job offer from an employer in France and get a work contract approved by the local division of France's Labor Department before leaving the United States. Once in France you have to register with the government and take a physical. Retirees looking to settle have to prove a sufficient income to stay. The fee for both workers and retirees is $120.

SPAIN Apply for a visa at the Spanish consulate assigned to your state. A work permit is available only if you have a job lined up and your employer has registered you with the Ministry of Labor. You also must provide evidence of a clean police record and a passed physical exam. The fee is $100 and it can take about four months. Retirees can get a visa in six weeks if they have an annual income of $10,000.

BELGIUM

For more than a 90-day stay where you can work, you'll need a temporary residency visa. Your Belgian employer has to apply for a work permit and send it to the consulate nearest you in the United States, which could take one month. You'll also need to show a police record and a passed medical exam. Fee: $65. Retirees and investors can also apply for residency.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Liberation Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group