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US Citizens teaching in EU, specifically Portugal
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:04 pm    Post subject: US Citizens teaching in EU, specifically Portugal Reply with quote

Hello, in the past I had not considered Europe as a teaching destination but now I am becoming more intrigued.

Just quickly, am I spinning my wheels to think that my wife and I can live and teach English in Portugal as Americans? Are other US citizens doing this? If so, is the proceedure for visa worth the trouble?

Another question, if it is too difficult to get am English teaching work permit, can we teach through online classrooms? I know there are lots of online EFL organizations. Anybody doing that??

I have just recently begun to think about Europe and have not come across a lot of information yet. I knew Dave's would be a good place to get straight answers.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spinning wheels, sorry. Assuming that your wife is also not an EU member citizen, the only places where you can get working/living visas are Central and Eastern European countries, and Germany (read the Germany board for more info on this).

Further, you'll want to google Schengen zone. You can't legally live in Portugal, either - in fact, US citizens have maximum 90 days in the zone, before having to leave for 90 days.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any company offering to get you a work/live visa for a fee is a SCAM.
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW. OK, so Americans cannot retire in Portugal?? Southern Portugal is one of the top retirement destinations in the recent polls.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes - but read the income/investment levels required. I am not up on the 2105 requirements for Portugal, but usually you need upwards of 200/250 thousand US to qualify. You discuss working, so I assume a need to do so.
BTW, whose recent polls????? That sounds dodgy, to be honest.
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am going to have to do some more research because everything I am finding is telling me otherwise. According to the consulate there seem to be several options for US citizen visas, and quite a few people doing it. It is the Golden Residence Visa that is the difficult one, and requires a boat load of money. But there are a few temporary residence visas which lead to permanent stay visas available. A lot of the blogs and forum posts from American residents are a couple years old though.
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sparks



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 632

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps you could post some links, my quick Google search doesn't produce anything new. Yes, you can live there as a student, a rich retiree or the employee of a company willing to get you a visa (pretty much reserved for specialists in multi-nationals) As far as I know, there aren't really any tricks to getting in. Pretty much the only places Americans can hope to get into are Germany eastward (excluding Austria Smile

Remember, just because you really really want to live in Western Europe, doesn't mean that Western Europe wants you Smile
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's one I was just reading. Not official at all, I realize. But it was updated January 2015.

http://www.expatexchange.com/ctryguide/4216/92/Portugal/United-States-Citizens-Moving-to-Portugal-Demystifying-the-Paper-Trail
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, pensioners seem to qualify easily. It doesn't mention a particular dollar amount they are looking for in a pension though. They even define an annuity as pension; a set payment that never stops. That's not hard to do. American retirees seem to be loving it there.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Landon wrote:
Also, pensioners seem to qualify easily. It doesn't mention a particular dollar amount they are looking for in a pension though. They even define an annuity as pension; a set payment that never stops. That's not hard to do. American retirees seem to be loving it there.

I suspect many of those American retirees have familial ties to Portugal.

Anyway, more on the
Golden Visa Program
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This thread's evolved significantly away from its title - the options for US citizens earning a living teaching EFL in Portugal remain essentially non-existent.
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Xie Lin



Joined: 21 Oct 2011
Posts: 731

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:


Just quickly, am I spinning my wheels to think that my wife and I can live and teach English in Portugal as Americans?



Yes.

Quote:


Are other US citizens doing this?



No. Not unless they:

1. Are dual citizens

2. Can obtain a visa for spousal/family reunification reasons. (Married to, the parent of a Portuguese citizen.) There may be other familial connections that qualify--I'm not sure.

3. Have the kind of exceptional qualifications and experience that will inspire an employer to go to bat for you.


I've had two advisees who wanted to work in Portugal once they completed the US graduate program I work in, one last year and the other about 3 years ago. The last one had a newly minted MA, a CELTA, and at least 7 years of solid experience. (Pre-MA, but post-CELTA.) Neither was successful. Candidates who go the teacher licensure /international school route may be more successful, but openings are infrequent.

ETA: #4. Student visa. An expensive and time-consuming route if you don't have other more intrinsic reasons to be a student than just obtaining a visa.


.


Last edited by Xie Lin on Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the info everyone. Faster and more direct answers than other forums will offer.
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
This thread's evolved significantly away from its title - the options for US citizens earning a living teaching EFL in Portugal remain essentially non-existent.


I never imagined actually making a living teaching EFL anywhere we considered living. Don't know how a lot of you guys do it. We saved it up and have passive streams set up first. Very Happy
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Xie Lin



Joined: 21 Oct 2011
Posts: 731

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Landon wrote:
spiral78 wrote:
This thread's evolved significantly away from its title - the options for US citizens earning a living teaching EFL in Portugal remain essentially non-existent.


I never imagined actually making a living teaching EFL anywhere we considered living. Don't know how a lot of you guys do it. We saved it up and have passive streams set up first. Very Happy


If your passive income is enough, it's possible to obtain residency permits on that basis. The problem here is that no amount has been specified by the Portuguese government, and approval varies considerably from one official to another. I've heard of as little as €2400/month income getting accepted; but much more substantial amounts routinely rejected by other officials.

If you apply based on passive income, please do report back and let us know what happens.

.
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Landon



Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure. We may give it a go. We are young but I have ownership in a couple companies that pay dividends and I receive product royalties as well. I am hoping that these could be considered "pension" income. We also own investment properties in the States. I bet retirement accounts do not mean much to them, but they are not too shabby. And we could also set up an Immediate Annuity if need be. Although that might be kind of weird at such a young age. (Not so sure about that one) If some of these things would count, a don't think a few thousand € would be a stretch. It doesn't hurt much to give it a try.
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