Expat Focus: For anyone moving or living abroad

You've no doubt heard about the devastating second wave of Covid-19 that India's currently experiencing, and how it has overwhelmed the local health system. Many foreigners have decided to leave while they still can, as countries put bans on flights to try to prevent the spread of India's Covid mutation.

One foreigner who is staying put in the country is YouTuber Ben Jenks. An American, he has been based there for the past couple of years, and he's joining me in this episode to describe what the situation is like where he is, in South India, why he's decided to stay, and how he's keeping safe.

Our listener Susan recently got in touch and asked if we could do an episode on deafness and hearing loss, and the challenges these conditions can present when you're abroad. So Liam O'Dell, deaf freelance journalist and campaigner, is joining us today to speak about the subject and his own experiences.

Tax expert Oliver Heslop from Global Expatriate Tax Services is back today, and he's going to give us an update on UK and EU pension rights after Brexit. It's very good news for the million plus Brits living in EU countries and the more than 3 million EU citizens who call the UK home.

Oliver is also going to touch on what you should keep in mind this tax season if you have relocated, and the potential tax implications of everyone working from home - and possibly from a different country - in 2020.

Today's guest is Rebecca Grappo, the founder of RNG International Educational Consultants. Rebecca has been working with expat families for decades, and I wanted to get her perspective on the Covid-19 pandemic, how it has affected international students – in particular, over the past 12 months – and what expat families can do to continue to help and support their children, as distance learning continues.

Deciding to pack up your life abroad and head back to your home country can be difficult enough, but doing it during the Covid-19 pandemic brings all kinds of extra challenges.

Australian journalist, Denee Savoia, recently returned home after four years living and working in Turkey. However, getting herself home certainly hasn't been straightforward. She was among the tens of thousands of Aussies that – even now – remain 'stuck' abroad, due to travel restrictions and Australia's international arrival caps.

I caught up with Denee during her stay in hotel quarantine in Brisbane, to chat about the difficulties that she faced, and how it feels to finally be back on Aussie soil

Recent updates and changes to the United Arab Emirates' legal system are set to benefit the millions of expats that call the country home. Law reforms announced in November cover divorce, wills, and local rules around the consumption of alcohol and unmarried couples living together.

Alexandra Tribe, lawyer and owner of Expatriate Law, joins me in this episode to talk through what the changes mean for the foreigners in the UAE. You can continue the conversation about these law changes in our 'Expat UAE' Facebook group.

The end of 2020 marks the end of the Brexit transition period, and one of the big changes for UK nationals is how long they can spend at second homes in the EU. Up until now, British nationals have been able to spend up to six months a year at another property on mainland Europe without running into any issues around residency.

But that all changes from 2021. My guest, Jason Porter – a director at Blevins Franks in the UK – is going to explain why you'll most likely need to keep a closer eye on how much time you spend outside the country.

The dreaded C-word has really dominated the year, but now we're reaching the end of 2020, and it's the B-word that a lot of British expats in particular are worried about, as they rush to secure a base in mainland Europe.

Oliver Heslop from GETS – Global Expatriate Tax Services – is back on the show today to talk through where things stand when it comes to residency, benefits like healthcare, tax and pensions. We also touch on home working and the possibilities for moving to another country and taking your existing job with you.

At the time of recording this, of course, Brexit talks are still ongoing, so for the most up-to-date advice, specific to your situation, you can drop Oliver a message through the Expat Focus website.

How much do you keep up with the news and issues back in your 'home' country? Where do you go for updates on subjects that affect you, like new law proposals and policy changes? American Citizens Abroad is an apolitical organisation, on a mission to educate and advocate for US citizens living and working overseas, from expat voting rights to citizenship issues, taxes and healthcare.

ACA Executive Director Marylouise Serrato joins me in this episode to talk through some of the important work they're doing from their headquarters in Washington D.C., for the benefit of all American expats.

Today we're exploring some of the need-to-knows if you're planning a move to Vietnam. My guest is Creighton Wong, an American who owns a digital marketing agency. In more normal times, he would be based not just in Vietnam but in other parts of the world too, as a digital nomad. Creighton's going to share his opinion and experiences with visas, Vietnam's healthcare system, working in the country as a foreigner, finding places to live, and learning the language.