Living in a van over seas?

[popcorn2007]

I'm wanting to buy a van and move to central america or south america. Does any country south of the USA that allow americans to live in a van? I'm looking for a low cost option.
Any advice?

Is there a cheap option to get a van to south america or are american cars allowed in parts of south america?

 

[Scorpion Regent]

I don't know about restrictions as to living in a vehicle.  There maybe specific laws on the books, but there is also the issue of how laws are enforced.  If you are lucky a police officer won't extort money from you for "camping without a permit".  Friends who live locally that know how things are done are priceless in these situations.  If you know some one that is from the area you're interested in, buy them dinner and to learn all you can from them. 
American cars are welcome every where, at price.  If you are going to be a permanent resident you will have to register your van and get license plates.  This going to cost a lot.  I have heard of import duties in Costa Rica that were close to the cost of the vehicle.  Ever wonder why only drug dealers drive the nice SUV's in Latin America?  If you are just "traveling" then you might be able to avoid such costs. Perhaps when your plates expire you could sell your van to a local, return to the States and buy another.

 

[popcorn2007]

There was a couple on youtube that drove a 15 pass school bus down central america and ended up buying some farming land and parking the school bus on the land. From what i understand, the bus broke down about the same time they bought the land. I assume they ended up using the bus as their house.  As i recall, they had problems crossing the borders since they had to have the right paperwork if they wanted to license the van/school bus when they got to their final spot. 
I was looking for somewhere that i could buy land and live out of my van. I was thinking peru or ecuador and build a farm of some sort. If i just shipped my stuff to peru by container, it would cost me $7,000+

 

[user 423]

You would probably get much better info from online forums that cater to American expats living in Peru or Ecuador or other countries that you are interested in.

 

[Sofisintown]

Why don't you go to Colorado or Texas? Or get some cheap land in Tennessee, Arkansas, South Dakota, et all.
They are van-friendly states and they speak English too. And much cheaper to haul your stuff there too.

Peru is not overseas, just south.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

There are those who, for reasons their own, are driven to live in distant lands, speak foreign tongues, and embrace exotic cultures.  They renounce the mundane and embrace discovery.  They are expatriates.

Ever get bored of Starbucks, McDonalds  and Walmart?

 

[Cammalu]

You might want to check exactly how much it’s going to cost you to be a resident in any of the countries. You have to meet their requirements and some countries are pretty particular about who they allow.

If you plan to retire in Peru you have to show an income of $1000 per month. Otherwise you can leave the country every six months and return and get a new tourist Visa.

By the way. I lived in Peru for several years for a job. Peru was a dangerous and extremely poor third world country. To even walk around thru a flea market there were thieves that would try to take anything from you. A $5 pair of sunglasses would be ripped off your face. I had to pay to have my car watched while I was gone otherwise when I got back it would be ransacked and tires missing.

No way would I live in a van in Peru. It’s not one bit safe at all.

I’ve been to Ecuador and it’s a step up but I still wouldn’t be living in a van down there.

By the way. Gas was more expensive than here. Probably still is. You might want to rethink your destination.

 

[eDJ_]

There are message board communities that address living outside the USA.  I started with "Escape Artist" and "American Citizens Abroad" but have found all kinds of sites addressing this.  Much of it depends on what kind of work or retirement you are considering. 

I've been studying on this for some time now.  If I were to expatriate, I would register as a resident of a state without income tax such as South Dakota, Washington, Utah, Delaware, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, etc and find an Accountant/Firm who practices Expatriate Tax or specializes in it to set me up so that I could keep most of what I would be earning.  Then look into investment schemes to shelter as much of my earnings that would go over the limit on Fed Taxes. (the Accountant would know all about this)

I once worked in corporate with a guy who had moved back to the US from Panama with his parents & family.  They had owned a General Motors Dealership in Panama. He told me you can buy American cars in many countries where the dealerships are owned by Expat Americans. Get service and whatever you kneed there. 

But check out the links below in this site and ask your questions.

Take a look at this site which is a portal of many links to other message boards & sites for "expat's".

Expat's Guide to Resources & websites