Get Out, For Real: The Rise of Black Americans Moving Abroad
The Best Countries for Black Expats in 2025
What do Tina Turner, Josephine Baker, Nina Simone, and James Baldwin have in common? They f— got out!
They didn’t wait for America to get better. They packed up and left. Some of them left to escape racism or to build a life where they could be seen as artists, thinkers, and humans, not just Black bodies moving through this hostile country.
I’ve traveled to Asia, Australia, Europe, and Central America. I’ve seen anti-Blackness in many forms, but nothing, nothing, compares to the racism I’ve faced in America (West Hollywood definitely included).
The numbers don’t lie. More than 655,000 African Americans are living abroad. That number is growing. Some moved for better jobs, others for safety, and many just wanted to live somewhere they weren’t constantly reminded they were Black in the worst way.
And countries are taking notice. Ghana’s Year of Return in 2019 wasn’t just a tourism campaign, it was a call to the African diaspora to come home. Rwanda is actively encouraging Black Americans to come there. South Africa has become home to a growing number of Black expats drawn by business opportunities and culture.
With inflation, housing costs, and job instability rising, it seems sensible to question whether staying in the U.S. is worth it. Here’s an episode of my podcast Now What’s Next? on the future of travel (listen here) explores what travel and relocation could look like in the coming years.
But this movement isn’t new.
Aunt Pauline and the First Wave of the Back to Africa Movement
My beloved late Aunt Pauline Onyango used to tell me and my cousins, “You are Africans.” She wasn’t being poetic. She meant it. If you understand that, you can find your people anywhere.
Aunt Pauline wasn’t just talking—she lived it. She married a Kenyan (Gabe Oyango) and moved to Kenya, the same region where Barack Obama Sr. lived. (Interestingly the former president and I both have an Aunt Pauline Onyango.) She was one of the first Black Americans to return to Africa as part of the Back to Africa Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Influenced by leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and Malcolm X, Black Americans looked to Africa as more than just an ancestral home. They saw it as a place where they could build, thrive, and be free.
Here’s Pauline telling her story in Detroit.
Today, that same spirit is alive. Black Americans are still looking for places where they can just be. The difference is, now they have more options.
Ghana’s call to the diaspora isn’t new. African leaders have been telling Black Americans to come home for decades. Kwame Nkrumah said it. Julius Nyerere said it. The message has always been the same: You don’t have to stay where you’re not wanted.
My father (a Nigerian man) rarely quoted the Bible, but he always talked about shaking the dust off your feet and moving on. He believed that when a place no longer serves you, when it becomes clear that you’re unwelcome it’s time to go. And he didn’t just say it. He lived it. He’d walk out of a movie, a dinner, or a store if he felt disrespected or not wanted.
He felt that way about America, and eventually, he left America for good.
When he left when I was a teenager. While that caused me a lot of pain at the time, now I fully understand. If my Aunt Pauline told me that I was African, my Nigerian father warned me that one day I would realize that I'm Nigerian. That day has come.
Where We Going and Who All Gone Be There
These are some of the countries where Black Americans are moving. It includes links and details about how to get a visa, cost of living, racial climate, and LGBTQ+ rights.
1. Ghana
Citizenship: The Right of Abode program allows people of African descent to live and work indefinitely. Full citizenship is possible after five years.
Visa Requirements: U.S. citizens need a visa, but long-term residency is available.
Cost of Living: Lower than in the U.S., with affordable housing and food.
Racial Climate: Ghana actively encourages return migration and fosters a welcoming environment.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Homosexuality is criminalized, with penalties of up to three years in prison.
2. Sierra Leone
Citizenship: African Americans with DNA ancestry from Sierra Leone can apply for citizenship.
Visa Requirements: A visa is required, but citizenship is fast-tracked once ancestry is verified.
Cost of Living: Affordable housing and essentials.
Racial Climate: Strong connection to the African diaspora, especially for returning Black Americans.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex relationships are illegal and punishable by life imprisonment.
3. South Africa
Citizenship: Available after five years of residency or through marriage.
Visa Requirements: Work, business, and residency visas available.
Cost of Living: Lower than in the U.S., varies by city.
Racial Climate: Still grappling with post-apartheid inequality, but many Black expats feel at home.
LGBTQ+ Rights: One of the most progressive in Africa; same-sex marriage is legal, though rural violence still occurs.
4. Nigeria
Citizenship: Possible through descent or naturalization.
Visa Requirements: Visa required for U.S. citizens; long-term residency available.
Cost of Living: Affordable outside Lagos and Abuja.
Racial Climate: Very welcoming to African Americans exploring ancestral ties.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Harsh anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including imprisonment and death penalty in some states.
5. Kenya
Citizenship: Dual citizenship allowed; those of Kenyan descent may reclaim it.
Visa Requirements: Visa needed for entry; long-term stays are available.
Cost of Living: Moderate to low, depending on location.
Racial Climate: Generally positive and welcoming, especially in Nairobi and Mombasa.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Homosexuality is illegal; LGBTQ+ individuals face legal and societal challenges.
6. Liberia
Citizenship: Liberia offers citizenship to individuals of Negro descent, making it one of the most accessible countries for African Americans.
Visa Requirements: A visa is required, but residency permits are available for long-term stays.
Cost of Living: Lower than in the U.S., with affordable housing and food.
Racial Climate: Liberia has a deep historical connection to African Americans, as it was founded by freed Black people from the United States. The country actively encourages return migration and cultural exchange.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex relationships are criminalized, with penalties including imprisonment. LGBTQ+ individuals face widespread discrimination and social challenges, though enforcement is inconsistent.
Europe
7. Portugal
Citizenship: Available after five years of residency or via the Golden Visa program.
Visa Requirements: Residency or investment visas required.
Cost of Living: Lower than most of Western Europe.
Racial Climate: Urban areas are increasingly multicultural; growing Black expat presence.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Among Europe’s most progressive; full legal protections.
8. France
Citizenship: Available after five years of legal residence.
Visa Requirements: Work and long-stay visas are available.
Cost of Living: Moderate to high, depending on city.
Racial Climate: Paris is diverse, but racism is still present, particularly in policing and employment.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Strong LGBTQ+ protections; same-sex marriage is legal.
9. Spain
Citizenship: Possible after 10 years of residence (2 years for Latin Americans).
Visa Requirements: Work, investor, and retirement visas available.
Cost of Living: Lower than Western Europe; good quality of life.
Racial Climate: Tolerant in cities like Madrid and Barcelona; issues in rural areas.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Very LGBTQ+ friendly with legal protections and public support.
North & Central America
10. Canada
Citizenship: Apply after three years as a permanent resident.
Visa Requirements: Express Entry, skilled worker, and 2SLGBTQI+ refugee pathways available.
Cost of Living: Higher in major cities, but includes healthcare and safety.
Racial Climate: Strong anti-discrimination laws; vibrant Black communities in Toronto and Montreal.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Among the best globally—full marriage rights and legal protections.
11. Mexico
Citizenship: Available after five years of residency.
Visa Requirements: Temporary and permanent resident visas accessible.
Cost of Living: Significantly lower than the U.S.
Racial Climate: Welcoming to Black Americans; established expat enclaves exist.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex marriage legal nationwide; protections vary by region.
12. Panama
Citizenship: After five years of legal residency.
Visa Requirements: Friendly Nations and Pensionado visas are common options.
Cost of Living: Affordable, especially outside the capital.
Racial Climate: Large Afro-Panamanian population; inclusive in urban areas.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex relationships legal, but cultural conservatism remains.
South America
13. Brazil
Citizenship: Possible after four years of residency.
Visa Requirements: Work, family, and investment visas available.
Cost of Living: Lower than the U.S., particularly outside major cities.
Racial Climate: Strong Afro-Brazilian cultural presence; racism persists but is actively challenged.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex marriage is legal; discrimination protections exist.
14. Colombia
Citizenship: Available after five years of residency.
Visa Requirements: Retirement, business, and investment visas offered.
Cost of Living: Lower than the U.S.; major cities more expensive.
Racial Climate: Strong Afro-Colombian heritage, especially on the Caribbean coast.
LGBTQ+ Rights: Same-sex marriage is legal; progressive laws exist, though enforcement varies.
Asia & Middle East
15. Japan
Citizenship: Difficult to obtain; permanent residency available after 10 years.
Visa Requirements: Work, education, and cultural visas are available.
Cost of Living: High in Tokyo; moderate in rural and mid-size cities.
Racial Climate: Generally respectful curiosity, but some social barriers exist.
LGBTQ+ Rights: No national same-sex marriage yet; growing acceptance in major cities.
16. Thailand
Citizenship: Rare, but long-term visas are available for retirees and business owners.
Visa Requirements: Retirement, business, education, and elite visas offered.
Cost of Living: Low, with good infrastructure and health care.
Racial Climate: Welcoming to foreigners; race less of a social dividing line.
LGBTQ+ Rights: LGBTQ+ rights are culturally respected; legal recognition of same-sex unions is in progress.
Once you take that first step into expat life you feel so much relief. I mean don’t get me wrong it has its unique stress but I feel like when I was in high school in the US, everybody demonized going abroad for university.
For SA, I wish Guyana was on this list! Someday… 🇬🇾