StartAbroadReviews of startabroad.com

StartAbroad was an incredible help with my move to Costa Rica. They guided me through both getting a car and securing my digital nomad visa. I would have been completely lost without them, as neither process is straightforward for someone coming from the U.S. and unfamiliar with how things work in Costa Rica. They are friendly, professional, and completely trustworthy. I recommend them without hesitation.

We were very impressed with the Anna and the staff at StartAbroad. They were personable, knowledgeable and fun to work with. Anna expertly shepherded us through the D7 visa process utilizing that left us very prepared for VSF interview and follow-up discussions with the Portuguese Consulate. We appreciated that our questions and concerns where handled promptly and in a clear fashion. We especially appreciated the services of our rental agent Declan Oecguera. He found a furnished apartment that met our selection criteria within one week, helped greatly during the negotiation phase of the contract agreement process and offered expert coaching when I became frustrated with the pace of negotiation. The other members of the StartAbroad staff and partners where equally professional and a joy to work with. We would highly recommend their services to anyone else looking to relocated to Portugal.

We recently used Start Abroad’s Visa and Residence Permit services for our Portugal D7 Visa. Start Abroad obtained an appointment with the VFS office located in our jurisdiction. We were assigned to Anna to handle our visa application and were impressed by Anna’s responsiveness and professionalism. Anna advised on and reviewed our documentation and helped us prepare for the visa interview. She explained the visa process clearly and was always available to answer our questions. We felt confident and well prepared once we had our interview. A Start Abroad representative will be there to accompany us to our AIMA appointment in Portimao in January 2026. We had a very positive experience and highly recommend Start Abroad to anyone applying for a Portugal visa.

My husband and I recently moved to Costa Rica. We're fairly organized and had most of our affairs in order—but the visa process felt incredibly daunting, and we knew we needed help. StartAbroad truly saved us! Their service pays for itself 10x over. Without Zach and his team, we would have been stuck dealing with a range of frustrating immigration issues—spelling mistakes, appointment bookings, printing random forms, translation errors, even a country-wide system outage. The StartAbroad team handled everything smoothly and with real care, saving us an enormous amount of time and stress.

Anna is very knowledgeable, professional, warm, and efficient. We wouldn't have made it through the Visa application process without her help. I am very grateful. She is working to improve her system. Our case was really challenging as my mother doesn't have readable fingerprints. So we couldn't get the FBI Criminal Background Check. She told us about the FBI Formal Rejection Letter, which really helped. I highly recommend the Start Abroad service.

StartAboard was an amazing guide to a moving process that could have been a mess. Organized in a step-by-step process they covered EVERYTHING I needed to do, including requirements, rules, paperwork, deadlines…the works. They were also SO understanding when I asked the same question they had answered before over and over again! Their work gave me the time to think about questions very specific to my own situation so nothing was left to chance. I’ve been in Portugal for three weeks, I already have neighbors and shop keepers saying hello and talking on the street, but I think I might call StartAbroad once in a while just to say hi….they were amazing

My wife and I decided to retire in Costa Rica. StartAbroad guided us through every stage of the process. Our myriad questions were answered with detailed information. We were advised on what to bring with us, and what to leave behind. StartAbroad provided guidance on how to bring our pets to Costa Rica. We were provided broad options on purchasing a car in Costa Rica and renting a house. An interpreter accompanied us to various car dealerships to assist in making a purchase. In short, StartAbroad assisted us every step of the way. I cannot imagine how we could have made a successful transition to retirement in Central America without their help. I recommend StartAbroad without hesitation or reservation.

Although we ultimately have decided not to move to Portugal, the service we received from StartAbroad and Anna was the absolute best! We were well on our way toward moving. Unforeseen personal reasons came up which caused us to cancel these plans. We are continuing to recommend the courteous and professional treatment received from Anna and StartAbroad. This is definitely not a "numbers" company. Instead, StartAbroad is a very personalized relocation service. Take time to review the videos prepared and you immediately see the warmth and caring approach this company provides. Thank you again Anna. We feel a part of your family.