If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash...

Originally posted by Silver Shadow

We don;t like illegal immigrants over here, no matter where you come from originally.

You may last a month, or a couple of years over here, but you WILL eventually be caught, because you have no identity, no paper trail, you do not exist in the system..

Just an outstanding arrest warrant as an illegal entrant into Australia.

That is generated automatically as they have a record of you coming, but no record of you leaving within the stipulated time..

Don't know about other countries, but forget about sneaking into Australia.

I'd forget Australia. In the first place, originally, almost the entire white population was made up of convicts; you can pretty well bet that the gene pool lacks something, like cleanliness. And in the second place, they are just as crass and cruel as any population could be. And, in the third place, their government is more screwed up then the USA. Not only has their government taken their guns, but just look at what they did to the Aborigines. No, there are much finer places to start a new life then Australia; Iran for one.

reply to post by regretable


I have a valid passport currently, which is still good for I think like 5 more years, and since I have no felonies I'm not really well restricted to travel (although leaving outside of any surrounding counties I'm supposed to get permission however if I'm leaving for good who the hell cares? ha).

If you don't mind check your U2U I sent you a message.

I just thought what about Luxembourg. Not because it is easy to get in exactly but because if you can set yourself up there noone will notice. A third of the population was born outside the country so another foreigner is not going to be suspicious. Of course this does mean that you will have to set yourself up first but at least you will be somewhere where foreigners aren't anywhere near unusual.

Also another idea is that you get in touch with people that can create a false background for you. I know you are short on cash but if you were to create new bank accounts, pull the overdraft, overdraw or whatever you need to pay them and then disappear, well then your gone anyway. As you said you already have a large debt and your escaping it, what harm could a little more do as long as you get out successfully.

-Cauch1

reply to post by Cauch1


You make it sound much easier than it really is. I'm still young, and student loans, hospital bills etc. have really hurt me a lot. No one is going to let me go far below my balance nor give me any type of loan.

Either way, yeah I'd much rather get whatever I can out of this crap country before I leave, if I leave, but it would take a bit of ingenuity. However I know I'm very capable of doing such things, as is many others, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

reply to post by highlyoriginal


I didn't say it was easy I was suggesting something that could be done if you were really determined.

-Cauch1

Come and claim political asylum in the UK. The tax payer will delight in wining and dining you and pandering to your every need. By the time you have been rumbled and the Border Agency has realised that the country of Atlantis (which you fled) is a myth, you will have raised a family and it would be against your human rights to remove you.

Regards

I'm kind of like you in a way. Some college education, no real obligations, some debt & i was thinking about fleing my country for a (long) minute recently.

The harsh question came: where could i go. * Ouch
The language should be considered, obviously, me being a frenchman i have options such as Africa ( enjoy the civil wars yeah!! That's a cliché i know). The climate would have to be warm, i can't stand living with the coldness of winter anymore, 29 years like that i'm full of it.

I still don't know which country but i know there are lots & lots of little countries out there that may need us foreigners to develop.I don't wanna be a homeless obviously so this imply my work potential should be higher than the locals, so i can put all developped countries out of the list and be modest.
Like i said, it's tough.












[edit on 24-1-2010 by themaster1]

reply to post by paraphi


I already suggested that, its depressingly accurate isn't it. On the other hand I get the feeling this guy wants a real job and life rather than being a parasite which is probably why I got ignored when I said it .

-Cauch1

Plenty of good and BAD advice on here if all you have is a backpack and no money.

The Good:

Listen to Doc Velocity, longwalker, and Proto...well, ProtoPlasmicTraveler kind of got carried away, but you get the point. If you have little/no money, Central/South America is the place. Warmth year round, free food in the forest--just watch out for snakes, hostels that will let you stay for free if you sweep the floors, and other group living/ hippie community options. Most of the local latinos are friendly people in Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Chile, Ecuador. It helps to know Spanish, but not absolutely necessary.
Tons of expats who can't stand Amerikkka to befriend you.

The Bad:

New Zealand, Australia, UK+Europe, Canada and Alaska. There is no more homesteading in Alaska currently--and yes, the streams and lakes are full of fish, but sooner or later you will face the problem of 20 hour dark days and unbelievably freezing winters. Are you going to burn your feces in the fireplace to stay warm like the Eskimos? Forget that.

Helpful link:

These guys have little money and only their backpacks in the Amazon. Check out their lifestyle:
www.walkingtheamazon.com...

Originally posted by highlyoriginal

If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash with just a backpack, how would I survive?

Okay, let's say I were to leave the US with a one way plane ticket to another country, first things first, where would be the best place to go (as in the easiest place to survive & thrive)?

After I have that question answered, what would I need to do to survive? I'm a smart person, but I have no money. The only plus is I have no obligations, no responsibilities, nothing. I really don't care about returning to the states, other than having some family and a couple friends that I truly love and care about that live there. However they can always come visit me.

Oh, by the way, did I say this is hypothetical?

[edit on 31-12-2009 by highlyoriginal]

Well you already have one skill that's useful, you speak English. Why not volunteer to teach English as a second language somewhere overseas, they are screaming out for people all the time. A workmate of mine is looking into this at the moment, he's sick of the UK and I might just join him as I feel the same way.

Chuffer

Originally posted by Chuffer
Well you already have one skill that's useful, you speak English. Why not volunteer to teach English as a second language somewhere overseas, they are screaming out for people all the time. A workmate of mine is looking into this at the moment, he's sick of the UK and I might just join him as I feel the same way.

Chuffer

I have done a lot of researching into volunteering. Problem is if I do it legit, I need a visa however the volunteer programs offer the help to get one so I might be okay... however they also ask for those reports (forget the names) of your legal stuff and it includes everything from anywhere under the name I use... I guess I could get around that. Also, some places give everything free to you (house food etc.) but some you got to pay for some things. So I don't know, I'm signed up for a few right now they're waiting on my response... it doesn't help I don't have a license.

I really need a way to get my license back (I have many years before I get it back all from BS that wasn't my fault, other than the one DUI but thats 3 months I should get, it all started because of a ticket they send to a PO Box I didn't have anymore so I didn't respond... got pulled over and they said I had a suspended license, now they add a year to my suspension (I was like 17 years old and im like LOOK heres my license! see I have it still, he takes it "Not anymore")... I was thinking of going to another country and getting some sort of papers proving I'm eligible to get a license, maybe possible even just going to another state and somehow pulling it off?

Anyone know any tricks on getting a license back without buying it back (I looked into it, it's almost as much as I owe in fines) approx. $5000 to get points removed and lawyer fees too... it sucks.

I know if I got to another country and stay there I could always get a license, just say I never got one from the US and I'm looking to legally drive wherever I am, OR using my US passport say I have a legal license in the US but that would be stupid because if for some reason I got in an accident they'd look me up and figure out who I am.

I don't know how bad they'd chase me though running from parole... I mean if I run, and something happened in another country they find out who I really am, they put me into the computer database, will it come up I was on parole and ran? Would they even care? Lol, I have no idea but some answers from you guys would be nice, trust me I've looked up and spent MANY hours researching so please don't say "find out yourself" because I've tried.

[edit on 29-1-2010 by highlyoriginal]

Does anyone have some information on how I may be able to get my license back quicker? As of right now I have approx. 27 months until I get it back and I really can't wait that long, and I don't have the money to pay a lawyer.

I have done some researching on the net but everyone wants money... can anyone direct me to a place where I can read-up on some info on getting at least some kind of temp. license back, or tricks on getting my license back sooner?

I'd appreciate it.

It depends from state to state but here in Illinois you can get a hardship license for anywhere from 500 to 1000 dollars depending on the locality. With a hardship license you are limited to specific driving times and places you can go. It is to allow people who have lost their license to continue to work. With one you can drive to work and thats about it. There may be a provision for grocery store trips but Im not sure. If you get caught driving outside of your approved route/allowance, there are very serious penalties including potential jail time.

If you leave the US without any cash you'll be screwed wherever you go... that is if you can afford the expense of getting to wherever you decide to go which appears doubtful.

You'd be better off staying in the US because here you can speak the language and can get around and live off the fat of the land. However, once you do get to wherever you could likely make a living by teaching English to the locals.

Your goal to bum around the world is admirable but most travelers do that by working somewhere long enough to save a stash to go on walk-about and then live in Asia for a year and smoke dope and party.

America is terrible but better to play that game long enough to learn a marketable skill because without money, or the ability to earn or scam for money... you're always going to get screwed and you'll never get the good girls.

Maybe better to face your problems and man up in America before trying the same in a foreign country where there's not likely to be much sympathy for a poor man, white or not.

but dream on, it's free.

[edit on 29-4-2010 by Brown Bear]

Originally posted by Epsilon5
I highly reccomend Neil Strauss' book "Emergency: This book will save your life!" It discusses how to obtain citizenship in other countries, how to survive on your own without electricity or water, and just how to get around with no cash-on-hand.

And, on top of all of that, it's a nice read. Pick it up on Amazon for just a few bucks if you're interested in a read-through.

From the amazon.com review

What this book is not: 1. A manual that dwells on options. Example, the only solution Neil offers for economic safeguarding is wiring $500,000 to St. Kitts and buying property there, and later becoming a citizen. Not a scalable solution. 2. About currency, passports, swiss banking etc. - basically all the topics about becoming a "lawsuit-proof global citizen" or opening up your personal options internationally are glossed over. The law firm in charge of "lawsuit proofing" Neil is under investigation by the end of the book. 3. A practical guide to anything really that can save your life, unless you take it to be advice that you should take a half dozen survivalist courses and practice sleeping in your backyard.

the third world is your friend. knowing a trade is the best way to get a job. personally, i'm 19, and i'm a certified welder. so if i had to go anywhere, my skills would be in demand. if you were to hypothetically take my advice on belize (or any country for that matter) check around with local churches, and ask about their missionary programs. hell, if you get close to the pastor, or someone running the missionary work, you could let them know about your situation, and they might be able to set you up with the mission in the other country. for cleaning, cooking, and some manual labor, you could get a bed and food for however long you wanted. if its not for you, it would be easy to use that as a place to stay while you looked for work and lodgings elsewhere. (but i guarantee you, missions can set you up with the best lodgings, food/water, medical, and jobs).

Why in the world would you even want to leave the US w/o money? I know, I know, money is the root of all evil, but I hate to tell you, money has become our only bartering chip. I mean, unless you're gonna cross the border into Canada or Mexico w/ livestock or some gold jewelery, you're not going to have anything that anyone would want and would be willing to trade you food and water for.

I think if you go anywhere, you should bring SOME money and use it to establish yourself until you can find a job, a place to live, food and water, etc. IF you really want to do this, like I said, you need to bring some serious valuables--stuff you know will be wanted/needed by the local people, because I feel like that's the only way you're gonna get help.

This site has links to just about all the expat sites out there: www.transitionsabroad.com... patriatewebsites.shtml

You mentioned that you have a passport, but most countries require visas upon entry - you must apply well beforehand. As for buying a one-way plane-ticket, I'd look into also buying a one-way refundable ticket for the return trip and returning it once you're in your destination country. If you're looking to do a de facto immigration - i.e. skip the paperwork, go, and not leave - you definitely don't want to go a country that takes immigration very seriously (like the US! ), which pretty much eliminates the entire EU, Canada, and a host of other countries which will treat you like garbage if they find you (Mexico comes to mind).

If you have any time grab Rosetta Stone and learn the basics of the local language. If you become proficient you can get a certification in TOEFL/TOESL - teaching English to students in another country. It's not strictly necessary to know the other language but you're facing international competition from college grads, so it's a good idea. The job itself is supposedly lovely, and pretty much every country in the world has some demand for it. If you happen to have a female companion, au pair (nanny) jobs are popular with the expat crowd.

Speaking of which, when you pick a place, find the online forums for that country's US expat community and sign up.

Save up as much money as you can, nothing beats having a cushion to land on when you're traveling. I'd also suggest getting a world-phone or a cell-phone compatible with your destination's network. Most importantly, RESEARCH everything about your destination. Information and knowledge are your best friends.

Some nations have Right of Return laws or programs, meaning that if you can show that you belong to one of the recognized ethnicities, you'll be given assistance in immigrating. The most famous of these is probably Aaliyah, which basically guarantees people of Jewish descent citizenship in Israel if they seek it. See en.wikipedia.org.... I've considered pursuing the Polish or Ukrainian programs, but the EU isn't easy to emigrate to and it's becoming more and more socialist. In more favorable socio-econo-political circumstances, I'd be headed for Europe in a heartbeat. By the way, most of the EU is included in the Schengen Zone, which allows relatively free international travel between member nations (you do get stopped at the border and ID'd, however). It's worth considering.

Another option, which has it's own set of dangers, is becoming stateless. Some places will still allow you to renounce your U.S. citizenship without possessing any other citizenship, you are then eligible for a sort of resident-alien status. This is not a well-documented process, seeing as the UN has been working for decades to eliminate statelessness, and not without good reason - stateless persons historically tended to be refugees.


One more thing, the French Foreign Legion has been extensively reformed since the Albanian conflict. They are now very selective with applicants, can kick you out at any time during basic training for even minor things such as slow progress in learning French or lagging behind in PT, and do not grant citizenship automatically. I believe they now offer citizenship in return for about 3 or 4 years' service. It's no longer like the popular myth makes it out to be, except for the fraternity - it's still a life-long, hardcore brotherhood that affords its members special status around the world. They say a legionnaire in need can call for assistance anywhere in the world and the Legion is oath- and honor-bound to provide it. Definitely worth looking in to, if you're up to it. Additionally, there are some militaries which will accept non-citizens on certain conditions.

---

In case you're wondering, becoming an expat has been a dream of mine for years. I've researched it extensively and am slowly working toward it. I encourage everyone to travel as much as possible, regardless of their reasons.

[edit on 9-5-2010 by EtSolveMundi]

reply to post by EtSolveMundi


The Foreign Legion will still take you without proof of who you are. However you cannot get promoted above the lower ranks or get citizenship without telling them your real name and where you're from. At which point they may send you back if you are wanted in your home country.

Also as I have said before the UK has poor border security also there is quite a high immigrant population amongst the Mediterranean countries. So not all of Europe is as secure as you think.

-Cauch1

Hoi guys, this is a late thread but I've also been considering this since 2007. I have great friends in Germany and am very seriously considering becoming an expat and uprooting myself to Germany within the next couple of years. Ich kann ein bisschen deutsch sprechen und ich war in Deutschland fuer drei Monate so, ja, ich kann vielleicht in Deutschland leben.

Wanted to address this -> "I've considered pursuing the Polish or Ukrainian programs, but the EU isn't easy to emigrate to and it's becoming more and more socialist."

I don't see that as a bad thing actually. We think of socialism and communism usually in contexts of Stalinism from the red scare which was really fascism in communist garb. The truth is we can't be communist, that only works in contexts of small groups of people who do not work in anonymity like society is, which is millions of people working together in anonymity. In other words, communism worked best in hunter gatherer tribes of 20 to 100 people. We most obviously can't be pure capitalist because of it's tendencies to cronyism, fascism and exploitation of the weak and the environment, and it's wars and inequalities that create more problems than solutions for them. Socialism seems to be the best mix where you have a system that takes the good of communism (what brought us this far as a species in the first place) and capitalism for human potential and growth.

Nonetheless - many of the points that were put into context here were good points. I'm going to wing it, I'm saving enough to have some cash on hand after I buy my ticket (2 way to be sneaky) and meet up with my friends over there to immediately get some kind of podunky job. I don't care what it is, even I'm scrubbing toilets, and I can work myself back into my career industry which is computers. We will see but my friends tell me I could do it and that I should finish my studies over there.

I'm tired of America. It's embarrassing almost to continue living here. I just looked at a map of hate groups which was a final straw and the fact that Hillary beat Bernie due to some finaggling of voters and voter registration. From our embarrassingly low turnout of votes in the elections including midterm, to our #ty educational, healthcare and incarceration systems, I think it's about that time. The Bern man may be able to help out, but, it may still take a long while and there are tons of stupid people here. Sometimes I think the opposite of what are told actually happened: the brightest from other countries came over here for the "American Dream", no we got a bunch of the dumbasses. Now it's better over there because all the stupid people left.

I was also considering New Zealand or Canada or Iceland. I would love to live in Iceland. I've visited there already and fell in love with it. It's likely though I'll stick with Germany as my roots there extend some years but what's nice is the ability to travel while in the E.U. So I'll be able to hop and skip over to Iceland for cheaper within E.U. flights. Going to England is like $100 from Hamburg and a train to Portugal is similarly priced.