Living
Americans Are Leaving Portugal as Golden Visa Honeymoon Ends
Some expats are departing the country as rising home prices and bureaucratic hurdles make life difficult.
Carrie Lane stayed in Portugal three months before she moved back to Minnesota.
Source: Carrie Lane/Bloomberg
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For many Americans, a love affair with Portugal blossomed over the last three years: The Iberian nation offered cheap real estate, miles of beautiful coastline and a reprieve from divisive US politics at a time when remote work was flourishing. Now, reality has settled in — and the honeymoon is over.
From language barriers and bureaucratic challenges to housing costs that have been driven higher by foreign investment, some expats say that life in Portugal hasn’t met their expectations.