I am a dual citizen of the United States and Croatia (European Union citizen). I am culturally American, and I have spent the vast majority of my life in the US.
I left the US about a month before the lockdowns started. I have been living in Croatia for the past year. I can technically live/work/retire in any EU/EFTA country (minus Lichtenstein--has an immigration quota), due to having Freedom of Movement rights. In a lot of ways the world is my oyster.
Being a dual citizen has some unique advantages: I can also work a US based job, remotely in the EU, completely legally. I have pretty severe health problems, so being able to work remotely in the EU for a US based company is a huge deal. I just have to get the US based employer to agree to use a payroll company as an intermediary to deal with payroll taxes. Obviously I forfeit EU workers' rights.
But, it is way, way, less stressful living here, just in general. Americans have no idea. The taxes are worth the peace of mind along with the stability it gives society.
I naturalized as Croatian only for the right to healthcare: I have 2 rare immune-mediated neurological diseases affecting my peripheral nervous system, which is in remission. I require many unusual treatments and medications, which are difficult to access in the US, for a variety of reasons. Some of these interventions are life-and-death.
I left the US about a month before the lockdowns started. I have been living in Croatia for the past year. I can technically live/work/retire in any EU/EFTA country (minus Lichtenstein--has an immigration quota), due to having Freedom of Movement rights. In a lot of ways the world is my oyster.
Being a dual citizen has some unique advantages: I can also work a US based job, remotely in the EU, completely legally. I have pretty severe health problems, so being able to work remotely in the EU for a US based company is a huge deal. I just have to get the US based employer to agree to use a payroll company as an intermediary to deal with payroll taxes. Obviously I forfeit EU workers' rights.
But, it is way, way, less stressful living here, just in general. Americans have no idea. The taxes are worth the peace of mind along with the stability it gives society.
I naturalized as Croatian only for the right to healthcare: I have 2 rare immune-mediated neurological diseases affecting my peripheral nervous system, which is in remission. I require many unusual treatments and medications, which are difficult to access in the US, for a variety of reasons. Some of these interventions are life-and-death.