Our Story

Founded in 1997 as Betsy Burlingame's graduate thesis project, Expat Exchange was among the first websites dedicated to expatriates and their specific needs. It was quickly and widely adopted by expatriates, digital nomads and retirees all over the world.

Our goal has never changed since we first launched more than 25 years ago. We set out to create a platform that empowers expats to help each other. So when someone decides to move to another country, they can benefit from the wisdom gleaned by those who have already made the move.

In short, Expat Exchange is about more than finding what you need... it's also about helping others along the way. Expats are often surprised how taking the time to make someone else's journey easier makes the entire expat experience so much more rewarding.

On Expat Exchange, expats, digital nomads and retirees generously share their knowledge by completing expat reports about their international experiences (on topics such as moving, living, having a baby, healthcare, retiring, culture shock, working and more), interacting with others on our Country Forums , and much more.

We also welcome relevant international relocation professionals who help expats manage their journeys from beginning to end.

Over the course of more than two decades, hundreds of other websites created for expatriates have come and gone. We've been here since the beginning - and we're not going anywhere! In fact, we feel like we're just getting started!

Join Expat Exchange and become part of the most respected expat community in the world!