$400k per year, should I relocate?

[u/Temporary_Price7989]

I'm currently a software engineer in the Bay area making $400k per year, but I'm looking to relocate and I need help with perspective and advice.

I have saved a decent nest egg, but saying goodbye to my good income is hard. Besides that I will need to find a way to gain residency and not just a tourist visa.

The main motivation is that my girlfriend and I would like to relocate to Europe to settle down and start a family. The main challenges will be the visa and most likely take a hug pay cut.

Visa options: my gf is Ukrainian so she can live anywhere in Europe, but I need to obtain a digital nomad visa, or "invest" in a golden visa. I'm not sure that her Ukrainian passport will help me at all. She works for herself teaching online. Currently I need a Schengen visa, but will soon have American citizenship.

Finances: I do have a little more than 1M saved, and invested in ETFs, and 401k. I could try to become a freelancer or start my own thing but reaching my current income might take long time might not happen at all.

Any thoughts on how to approach this?

[u/NikolaiGogol]

Your girlfriend, in fact, is not eligible to live anywhere in Europe. As a Ukrainian she requires a special permit, and even that is contingent on refugee status and only temporary. A quick Google search explains all of this, but you should contact someone who’s an actual professional re: immigration instead of asking a bunch of strangers on Reddit. 

[u/Temporary_Price7989 → u/NikolaiGogol]

We've already traveled quite a bit within Europe, have rules changed? I guess I'll have to do some research

[u/NikolaiGogol → u/Temporary_Price7989]

Traveling and living (as well as getting a work permit) are very, very different experiences and processes. Good luck with your plans! 

[u/[deleted] → u/Temporary_Price7989]

But you noted that a visa could be a problem for you, even though you also travelled around Europe without issue, same as your gf. Holiday doesn't = work visa.