Keep Your US Life Running While You Live Abroad

Moving abroad doesn't end your life in the US. Your bank texts codes to a US number, the IRS mails letters to a US address, and some brokerages restrict your account once you list a foreign address. Set these up before you leave, while you can still visit a store or a notary in person.

Checked against the sources at the end on November 4, 2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the official source before you apply.

At a glance

Your US phone number

This is the one people regret losing most. Your bank, your brokerage, the IRS sign-in and most apps send one-time codes by text to the number on file. If the number stops working, you can be locked out of accounts you need from abroad, and getting back in often means a phone call from a US number.

1. Port it to Google Voice. Google charges $20 to bring a mobile number into Google Voice. US-based users must request the port while they're in the US, and Google says not to cancel your phone plan until the port is confirmed. After that, calls and texts work over Wi-Fi or data anywhere.
2. Or keep a cheap US plan. Many phones hold two SIMs or eSIMs: a local number for daily life and your US number for codes. Check what your plan charges to receive texts abroad.
3. Test your important accounts before you leave. Some banks won't send codes to internet-based numbers such as Google Voice. Log in to each account that matters, and switch to an authenticator app wherever it's offered.

Do this at least two weeks before your flight, so you can fix a failed port from the US.

Your US mailing address

The IRS, your bank, your state and your old insurer will keep sending paper mail. Missing an IRS notice can cost penalties even when you owe nothing. You have two options.

• A virtual mailbox. A company receives your mail at a US street address, scans the envelopes and opens what you ask. Plans run about $10 to $30 a month, and forwarding a package abroad costs about $10 to $80. USPS Form 1583 authorizes them to take your mail, and it must be notarized; an online notary costs about $25 to $35.
• A relative's address. It's free, but a state can count it as one of your ties when deciding whether you still owe it income tax. Read Your state may not let go before you choose.

Either way, switch every account you can to paperless statements first. Some banks don't accept a mailbox address for every account type, so ask before you change it.

Bank accounts and cards

• Keep at least one US checking account. Your paycheck, tax refunds and US bills land there. Tell the bank before you move: an unexplained foreign address or log-ins from abroad can trigger a review or a freeze.
• Carry two cards with no foreign transaction fee, on different networks (for example one Visa and one Mastercard), so one blocked card doesn't leave you stuck.
• Move money with a multi-currency account. Bank wires abroad are slow and expensive. See our money partners.
• Open a local account after you land. You'll need your local tax number first. Our taxes and banking guide covers what foreign banks ask Americans for.

Investments and retirement accounts

This is where people get caught out. US brokerages handle customers abroad very differently, and their rules change. Reports from 2026 say that once you list a foreign address:

• Vanguard has restricted or closed some accounts of customers living abroad.
• Fidelity usually lets you hold and sell, but often blocks new mutual fund purchases.
• Schwab restricts new purchases on some US accounts. Its separate international brokerage accepts Americans living abroad, usually with a higher minimum.
• Interactive Brokers serves customers in most countries.

Much of this comes from customer reports rather than published policy, so call your brokerage before you change your address and ask what happens to your account in your new country. If you need to move accounts, do it while you still have a US address. Don't replace US funds with local ones: foreign funds are usually PFICs, which the US taxes harshly.

Health cover and Medicare

• Original Medicare generally doesn't pay for care outside the US. The exceptions are narrow, such as a foreign hospital closer than the nearest US one in an emergency inside the US. Some Medigap plans cover emergency care abroad.
• If you're 65 or older, talk to Medicare before you drop Part B. If you drop it and sign up again later, you may pay a late-enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.
• US health plans usually stop at the border. You'll need travel medical or international health insurance, and many visas set their own rules for it. Our insurance chooser tells you which kind fits your move.

Voting from abroad

You keep the right to vote in federal elections. Send a Federal Post Card Application through FVAP.gov to register and ask for your ballot. You'll usually vote from your last US address, and some states also let citizens born abroad vote where a parent was eligible.

Voting for federal candidates won't affect your federal or state tax. Voting in state or local races can, depending on your state's law, so check before you vote in those. Send a new application early in each election year and whenever your address changes.

Driving

• Get an International Driving Permit before you leave. AAA issues it for $20 with two passport photos and your valid US license. By mail it takes 4 to 6 weeks.
• Keep your US license valid. Renewing often needs a US address and sometimes a visit in person, so check your state's rules before it expires.
• Expect to switch to a local license. Many countries let new residents drive on a US license only for a set time. Your country guide has the rule.

Documents to get before you go

• Apostilles. Federal documents, such as your FBI check, are apostilled by the State Department: $20 per document, about 5 weeks by mail. Birth and marriage certificates are apostilled by the state that issued them.
• Certified copies. Order fresh certified birth and marriage certificates, and bring diplomas and professional licenses if your visa or job needs them.
• Your passport. Many residence cards are tied to your passport's validity. If it expires within about a year, renew before you go.
• Medical records and prescriptions. Ask for copies and a letter listing your medications by their generic names.

Your checklist

• Port your US number to Google Voice, or keep a low-cost US plan
• Test sign-in codes on your bank, brokerage and IRS accounts
• Choose a virtual mailbox or a US address, and go paperless
• Tell your bank you're moving; carry two no-foreign-fee cards
• Call your brokerage about accounts for customers abroad
• Decide on Medicare Part B if you're 65 or older
• Send your Federal Post Card Application
• Get an International Driving Permit
• Get apostilles, certified copies and a passport with time left on it

Sources

Checked on November 4, 2026. Where sources disagree, we say so above.

• Google Voice Help: Port your mobile number to Google Voice
• Taxes for Expats: Virtual mailbox services for Americans living abroad
• Greenback: Can I keep my US bank and brokerage accounts after moving abroad?
• Where Next: Fidelity, Vanguard and Schwab restrictions for US expats (Apr 2026)
• Medicare.gov: Travel outside the US
• FVAP: Voting assistance FAQ
• AAA: International Driving Permit
• US Department of State: Request authentication services