Phone & SIM |
The Only Phone Setup Guide You Need Before Moving Abroad
Unlock your phone, set up an eSIM, and keep your US number — all before your flight. Here's exactly what to do.
Read moreNow boarding · Americans moving abroad
Your move is sorted. Your tech isn't.
The tech layer of moving abroad — phone, banking, backups, streaming, mail — cleared for departure before you are. Written by an American who moved his, then everyone else's.
Arrivals · what actually happens
The tech stuff nobody warns you about
Delayed
Your bank blocks your card
You didn't set up Wise before you left. Now you can't pay for anything.
Delayed
Your phone won't take a local SIM
Locked devices don't work abroad. Welcome to your new country.
Delayed
Netflix is gone
Your VPN is from 2019 and doesn't work on your smart TV.
Delayed
You're locked out of your accounts
SMS-based 2FA goes to your old US number. It's gone.
Delayed
Your work VPN is fighting your personal one
Remote work infrastructure is a mess nobody prepared you for.
Delayed
Your router fried itself
Different voltage. Different outlets. Different everything.
Departures · your itinerary
- CH 03 Phone & Connectivity
- CH 04 Banking & Money
- CH 06 Backups & Loss Recovery
- CH 07 Streaming & VPN
- CH 08 Security & Access
- CH 09 Remote Work Infrastructure
- CH 11 US Presence Maintenance
- CH 12 Timeline Checklists
$29 — lifetime access, always current
The guide
The Exit Nerd Guide
13 chapters plus tools, behind your own login. Written by someone who actually lives abroad.
- ✈Phone unlocking, eSIM setup, and keeping your US number
- ✈Which banks survive abroad and which ones will betray you
- ✈Streaming abroad: VPNs that actually work, smart TV setup, router-level solutions
- ✈2FA migration before you lose access to everything
- ✈The interactive Phone Checker: answer 7 questions, get your exact carrier plan
- ✈US presence maintenance: virtual mailbox, digital notarization, IRS filing from abroad
- ✈The 90-day / 30-day / 2-week checklists — 152 items that save in your browser
- ✈Updated in place: when a recommendation changes, log in and you're current
One payment. Lifetime web access. No subscription.
Pre-boarding · free
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Crew · Exit Nerd
AB
Aaron Bailey
Costa Rica · year five abroad
"I'm Aaron. I've been living abroad since 2021, running businesses remotely from Central America. With my background in the tech industry, I've personally sorted the communications, US banking access, streaming, VPN, power, and connectivity setup across multiple countries — and helped hundreds to do the same. I wrote this guide so you don't have to learn it the hard way."
- ✈Living and working remotely in Costa Rica since 2022
- ✈Self-hosted infrastructure across 3 properties in 2 countries
- ✈Built for the move I wish I'd had a guide for
From the blog
Banking |
Why Your US Bank Will Betray You Abroad
Most US banks will freeze your card, charge foreign fees, or close your account when you move overseas. Here's how to protect yourself.
Read more Streaming & VPN |
VPNs for Expats: What Actually Works in 2026
Most VPN advice is written by affiliates, not expats. Here's what actually works for streaming, banking, and remote work abroad.
Read moreFinal call
Stop Googling.
Start packing.
The Exit Nerd Guide is $29 and saves you weeks of research.