LGBTQIA+ Immigration Resources

 

I will try to continue to update this list of LGBTQ+ immigration resources as I gather more information. I do not endorse or get any commission/money from these links — simply passing along helpful resources, government websites and articles. Please make sure to verify all info, conduct your own research, and consult immigration attorneys where appropriate.

 

 

Quick Reference Lists:

Easiest Countries to Immigrate To

Australia
Belize
Canada
Costa Rica
France
Malta
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Portugal
Spain
Thailand

Countries that Allow Dual Citizenship

Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Belize
Canada
Costa Rica
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
The UK

Countries that Offer Citizenship By Descent

*requirements vary by country*
Australia
Belgium
Cape Verde
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Malta
The Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain

Countries with Digital Nomad / Remote Work Visas

Andorra
Argentina
Belize
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Malta
Mexico
Montenegro
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain
Taiwan
Thailand

Immigration + Autism

Countries known to deny autistic immigrants:
Australia
New Zealand
The UK

Countries known to accept immigrants with autism:
Canada (restrictions loosened but not entirely eliminated)
The Netherlands

Countries with Pet Breed Restrictions

Australia
Canada (varies by province)
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Colombia
Croatia
Denmark
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Japan (no restrictions, but airlines can refuse “aggressive” dogs)
Luxembourg
Mexico (some cities)
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Spain (no restrictions, but some breeds carry additional rules & responsibilities)
The UK

Best Countries for POC

Experiences vary depending on skin tone & race, as well as source. General consensus I’ve seen from POC creators on TikTok, POC bloggers, and POC writers in general are that these are the best countries for LGBTQ+ POC:

Belize
Cape Verde
Germany
Mexico
Portugal
South Africa
Taiwan
Thailand
Uruguay

Abortion Laws

Illegal:
Andorra
Malta

Fully Legal (without any restrictions):
Canada

All other countries listed below permit abortions under certain instances and/or with restrictions. I have a resource link under “other resources” with a full summary table of every country.

Countries Accepting LGBTQ+ Refugees/Asylum

Each country has different definitions/regulations as to what constitutes acceptable grounds so please do research to confirm if your situation is covered:

Argentina
Belgium
Canada
Costa Rica
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Mexico
The Netherlands
Norway
Spain

US Income Tax Treaties

“The United States has tax treaties with a number of foreign countries. Under these treaties, residents (not necessarily citizens) of foreign countries are taxed at a reduced rate, or are exempt from U.S. taxes on certain items of income they receive from sources within the United States.” (link in “Other Articles & Resources” at the bottom)

Australia
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain
Thailand
The United Kingdom

Countries Without Employment Requirements to Immigrate

Each country has different visas available, so it’s important to look through the “Immigration, Residency & Visa” info under each country listed on this page. Many countries offer visas for job-seekers, entrepreneurs, skilled workers, etc. This is geared towards people who aren’t freelancers or digital nomads and looking for employment or to start their own business in that country. These are a few offering this type of visa:

Australia
Canada
Denmark
Germany
Ireland
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Portugal

Trans Healthcare Access

Each country’s access varies, but these are countries known to have access to healthcare for trans individuals:

Argentina (2012’s Gender Identity Law made gender affirmation surgery and hormone therapy a legal right included in both public and private healthcare plans)
Canada (partial coverage under national healthcare, long wait times for surgeries)
Denmark
Malta (covered under national healthcare)
The Netherlands (covered under national healthcare)
Spain
Thailand (only for trans women; trans men have difficulty)
The United Kingdom (access times have been reported to be very long)

 

 

Andorra

Helpful Info:

 

Argentina

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Spanish
  • Living Costs (single person): ARS $228,231 per month (about US $1,000)
  • Religion: 58.9% (Christian), 39.8% (None), 1.3% (Other religions)
  • Income Taxes: 5% to 35%
  • Healthcare: Universal health care system and a private system
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for personal use (small amounts) in private locations
  • Living in Argentina: pros & cons (Nomad Flag)

Australia

Helpful Info:

Other Resources:

  • Disabled migrants being rejected from citizenship (NY Times)
  • “Australia’s immigration system discriminates against disabled people…” (The Guardian)

Belgium

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Dutch, French, German
  • Living Costs (single person): €1,935 per month (about $2,100)
  • Religion: 60% (Christian), 31% (None), 7% (Islam), 2% (others)
  • Taxes: 25% and up. Article on Greenback Expat Tax Services.
  • Healthcare: Universal public health insurance available for all citizens & permanent residents. Private health insurance also available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal. Personal possession legal since 2003. Medical use is legal.
  • Pros & cons of moving to Belgium (Expat Arrivals)

Belize

Helpful Info:

Canada

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): English, French
  • Living Costs (single person): BZ$2,950 per month (about $1,500)
  • Religion: 53.3% (Christian), 34.6% (None), 4.9% (Islam), 2.3% (Hinduism), 4.8% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 15% and up. Article on H&R Block
  • Healthcare: Free public healthcare funded by taxes. Private/supplementary insurance available for not/partially covered components such as prescription drugs, eye care, and dentistry.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Recreational and medicinal use legal
  • 32 pros & cons of living in Canada (Nina Out and About)

Other resources:

  • Pipestone, Canada is selling plots of land for $10 (Pipestone)
  • Canada reduces barriers to disabled immigrants (Moving 2 Canada)

Cape Verde

Helpful Info:

Cayman Islands

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): English
  • Living Costs (single person): CI$3,958 per month (about US $4,750)
  • Religion: 66.9% (Christian), 25% (None), 8.1% (Other religions)
  • Income Taxes: 0%!!
  • Healthcare: Managed solely by the government
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal, limited usage of CBD for medical purposes allowed
  • Living in the Cayman Islands (Island Diaries)

Colombia

Helpful Info:

Costa Rica

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Spanish
  • Living Costs (single person): ₡777,331 per month (about $1,500)
  • Religion: 72.6% (Christian), 27% (None), 0.4% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 10% and up. Article on Greenback Expat Tax Services
  • Healthcare: Universal public healthcare (CAJA) provides 100% coverage. Private coverage also available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal. Personal consumption carries no criminal penalties. Medical use legal since 2022.
  • Pros & cons of living in Costa Rica (USA Today)

Croatia

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Croatian
  • Living Costs (single person): ₡777,331 per month (about $1,500)
  • Religion: 87.4% (Christian), 6.4% (None), 2.3% (Other religions), 3.9% (Undeclared)
  • Taxes: up to 30%
  • Healthcare: State health insurance (HZZO) for citizens & long-term residents
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for personal use, legalized for medical use
  • Pros and cons of living in Croatia (Nomad Life 101)

Denmark

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Danish, German
  • Living Costs (single person): kr21,463 per month (about $3,100)
  • Religion: 75.8% (Christian), 19.1% (None), 4.4% (Islam), 0.7% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 12% and up. Article on PWC
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded health care (average individual cost is US$20/month)
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal but largely decriminalized. Medical is legal.
  • Pros & cons of moving to Denmark (Expat Arrivals)

Other Resources:

Finland

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Finnish, Swedish
  • Living Costs (single person): €2,341 per month (about $2,500)
  • Religion: 68.6% (Christian), 30.6% (None), 0.8% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 12% and up. Article on PWC
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded health care with private options available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal. Very limited medical use.
  • Pros & cons of living in Finland as an expat (Scandification)

France

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): French
  • Living Costs (single person): €2,220 per month (about $2,400)
  • Religion: 50% (Christian), 33% (None), 4% (Islam), 2% (Buddhism) 10% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 0% to 45%. Article on PWC
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded health care with private options available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal. Very limited medical use.
  • 20 pros & cons of living in France (Dabbling in Jet Lag)

Germany

Helpful Info:

Iceland

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Icelandic
  • Living Costs (single person): €2,417 per month (about $2,600)
  • Religion: 72.4% (Christian), 25.2% (None), 1.5% (Ásatrúarfélagið), 0.9% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 31% and up. Article on PWC
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded universal healthcare with private options available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal.
  • Living in Iceland (Hertz)

Ireland

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Icelandic
  • Living Costs (single person): €2,417 per month (about $2,600)
  • Religion: 72.4% (Christian), 25.2% (None), 1.5% (Ásatrúarfélagið), 0.9% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 31% and up. Article on PWC
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded universal healthcare with private options available.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal.
  • 17 pros & cons of living in Ireland (Travel Safe Abroad)

Other Resources:

Italy

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Italian
  • Living Costs (single person): €1,681 per month (about US $1,800)
  • Religion: 83.3% (Christian), 12.4% (None), 3.7% (Muslim), 0.6% (Other religions)
  • Income Taxes: 23% to 43%
  • Healthcare: Universal health care system and a private system (albeit limited)
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for recreational use, legal for medical & industrial use
  • 44 pros & cons of living in Italy as an expat (Nina Out and About)

Japan

Helpful Info:

Luxembourg

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Luxembourgish, French, German
  • Living Costs (single person): €3,142 per month (about US $3,400)
  • Religion: 73.2% (Christian), 23.4% (None), 3.2% (Other religions)
  • Income Taxes: Progressive scale with 23 brackets ranging from 0% to 42%
  • Healthcare: Publicly financed social health insurance scheme
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for recreational use, legalized medical use
  • Pros and cons of moving to Luxembourg (Expat Arrivals)

Malta

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): English, Maltese
  • Living Costs (single person): ¥328,990 per month (about $2,400)
  • Religion: 88.% (Christianity), 5.1% (None), 3.9% (Islam), 1.4% (Hinduism), 1.1% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 15% and up
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded healthcare with additional private options
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Legal (restrictions on amount in possession)
  • 36 shocking pros & cons of moving to Malta (The REAL Malta)

Mexico

Helpful Info:

Montenegro

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Montenegrin, Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
  • Living Costs (single person): €1,316 per month (about $1,400)
  • Religion: 76% (Christianity), 19.1% (Islam), 1.3% (None), 1% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 0%, 9% or 15%
  • Healthcare: Fully tax-funded health insurance system in 2022 for all residents
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal
  • The pros & cons of living in Montenegro (Medium)

Nepal

Helpful Info:

The Netherlands

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Dutch
  • Living Costs (single person): €2,830 per month (about $3,050)
  • Religion: 55.4% (None), 37.5% (Christianity), 5.2% (Islam), 1.1% (Hindu), 0.8% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: Based on tax bands, taxes up to 49.5% (income above €68,508)
  • Healthcare: Publicly funded universal social health insurance approach that merges public and private insurance.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal, but decriminalized for personal use. Readily available in coffeeshops.
  • The pros & cons of moving to The Netherlands (Expatriate Group)

New Zealand

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): English, Māori
  • Living Costs (single person): NZ$4,582 per month (about $2,850)
  • Religion: 48.6% (None), 37.3% (Christianity), 2.7% (Hindu), 1.3% (Islam), 10.1% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 10.5% and up.
  • Healthcare: Mostly publicly funded universal health coverage.
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal, but medical usage legal since 2022
  • 25 pros & cons of living in New Zealand (Nina Out and About)

Other Resources:

  • Disabled migrants being rejected from citizenship (NY Times)

Norway

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Norwegian
  • Living Costs (single person): NZ$4,582 per month (about $2,850)
  • Religion: 74.9% (Christianity), 21.2% (No religion), 3.1% (Islam), 0.8% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: Flat rate of 22%
  • Healthcare: Universal health coverage, funded primarily by taxes and by payroll contributions
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Strictly legalized for medicinal usage, all other uses illegal.
  • The pros & cons of living in Norway (Life in Norway)

Portugal

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Portuguese
  • Living Costs (single person): NZ$4,582 per month (about $2,850)
  • Religion: 84.8% (Christianity), 14.1% (No religion), 1.1% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 14.5% and up
  • Healthcare: Subsidized state healthcare (free for people under 18 & over 65)
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized, medical usage legal since 2018.
  • Living in Portugal: pros & cons (Immigrant Invest)

South Africa

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): 12 official languages including English
  • Living Costs (single person): NZ$4,582 per month (about $2,850)
  • Religion: 78% (Christianity), 10.9% (No religion), 11.1% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: Progressive from 18% to 45%
  • Healthcare: Private and public healthcare systems available (public is subsidized by up to 40%)
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for personal use by adults in private
  • Pros & cons of moving to South Africa (Expat Arrivals)

Spain

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Spanish
  • Living Costs (single person): €1,568 per month (about $1,700)
  • Religion: 56% (Christian), 27.2% (None), 12.6% (Agnostic), 4.2% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: 19% to 28%
  • Healthcare: Free universal healthcare (funded through taxes)
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Decriminalized for personal use, also available in public cannabis clubs
  • Living in Spain pros & cons (Caser Expat Insurance)

Other Resources:

  • The town of Ponga will pay young couples $3,600 to move there (link)
  • The village of Rubiá is paying new residents — preferably families — up to €150 a month to live there
  • The small village of Xesta has around 125 vacant properties to fill, and is offering newcomers €100 in rent

Taiwan

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Standard Chinese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Formosan, Matsu, Wuqiu
  • Living Costs (single person): NT$50,580 per month (about $1,650)
  • Religion: 35.1% (Buddhism), 33% (Taoism), 26.7% (None), 3.9% (Christian), 1.3% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: Progressive up to 40%
  • Healthcare: Government-run single-payer National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal
  • 31 pros and cons of living in Taiwan (Nina Out and About)

Thailand

Helpful Info:

The United Kingdom

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): English
  • Living Costs (single person): £2,196 per month (about $2,700)
  • Religion: 52% (None), 35.6% (Christian), 6.7% (Islam), 5.7% (Other religions)
  • Taxes: Ranges from 0% to 45%
  • Healthcare: Free public healthcare (funded via taxes), with private supplemental insurance available
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Illegal, medical use legal since 2018
  • 35 pros & cons of living in the UK (Nina Out and About)

Other Resources:

  • Scotland paying 100 young people & families £50,000 to move to the islands (link)
  • The Island of Sark (Channel Islands) allows writers, composers & artists a 2-year visa FOR FREE which can be extended indefinitely

Uruguay

Helpful Info:

  • Language(s): Spanish
  • Living Costs (single person): $U60,550 per month (about $1,550)
  • Religion: 54.3% (Christian), 44.5% (None), 1.2% (Other religion)
  • Taxes: Progressive rates ranging from 10% to 36%
  • Healthcare: Public and private healthcare systems available
  • Politics: Overview & trends
  • Weed: Fully legal since 2013
  • Expats in Uruguay: pros & cons of living in Uruguay (Expat Exchange)

 

 

Other Helpful Resources (Non-Country Specific)

Equality Index Listings:

Asylum / Refugee Resources:

Disability Immigration:

  • US International Social Security Agreements (SSA)
  • Disability laws and acts by country/area (United Nations)
  • A short guide for disabled American expats moving abroad (Expat Focus)
  • Best countries for expats with disabilities (Mapping Megan)

Trans Rights & Healthcare Access Info:

  • European Union Trans Health Map 2022 (TGEU)
  • Access to gender-affirming health care: A European comparison (Oxford)
  • Trans healthcare around the world from a well-travelled trans woman (GenderGP)
  • Access to trans healthcare: the situation in Europe (The New Federalist)
  • Countries with Progressive Trans Rights (Matador)
  • Argentina Becomes the World’s Most Transgender Friendly Country (National LGBTQ Task Force)

Debt & Student Loan Repayments:

  • Can your debt follow you if you move to another country? (Experian)
  • What happens to unpaid credit card debt if you move abroad? (Forbes)
  • Can you move to another country with student debt? (Tate Law)
  • What happens to student loans if you move abroad? (Forbes)

Other Articles & Resources:

TikTok Accounts to Check Out:

  • Jen from Expatsi – If you want to leave the US, we help you decide where to go
  • Stephanie Synclair – Black American woman living in & renovating 600+ year old home in Sicily
  • The Smith Family – American family living in Rioja, Spain
  • Aly – American immigrant mom in Germany
  • Berlin Fresh – A fresh look at European life from Germany’s international broadcaster DW
  • Devon DKC – Black, queer, fat positive, immigrant traveler
  • Nidhi Nagori – International career coach who’s worked in over 25 countries
  • Arnela Tolic – Australian immigration lawyer