5 countries where it's relatively easy for Americans to become expats

More American expats call Mexico home than any other country in the world, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Many of these American expats are retirees who go to Mexico for the warm weather, as The Washington Post's Adam Taylor has noted.

Though Mexico is not without its problems, due to narcotics-related violence, it ranks highly for expat quality-of-life, likely due to the delicious food and beautiful beaches.

If you want to move to Mexico, the first step is buying an FMM visa for only $21 USD, which you can do upon arrival. The FMM visa — only valid if you don't intend to work — works for up to six months, and you can renew it indefinitely.

Trump's wall, if it gets built, might end up serving a dual purpose.

If the thought of President Trump scares you so much that you're willing to permanently relocate to a tiny archipelago north of the Arctic Circle, look no further than Svalbard.

While technically part of Norway, Svalbard's 2,642 residents are largely self-governed. And unlike the rest of Norway, the Immigration Act doesn't apply to Svalbard — meaning that no residence permit or visa is required to settle in Svalbard. You just need to buy a plane ticket.

While Svalbard is probably the easiest place to immigrate to in the world, living there is tough. The average temperature in the winter ranges from -12 to -16 Farenheit, and you won't see the sun between October and mid-February. And don't mind the polar bears.

Sweden welcomes immigrants with open arms.

The Swedish government granted approximately 110,000 residence permits in 2014 — a huge number for a country with a population of just under 10 million. For comparison, Poland, which has a population of around 38 million, only let in 46,000 migrants in 2013, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Sweden also scores high on expat quality-of-life rankings, with a strong education system and environmentally-friendly policies.

But Sweden, like other Scandinavian countries, has high taxes and a high cost-of-living.

If you want to move to Sweden, you can start the process online. A residence permit will set you back 1000 Swedish krona (approximately $117 USD.)

New Zealand is arguably one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. Beyond the filming locations of the "Lord of the Rings," New Zealand offers countless opportunities for outdoor recreation and some pretty cool cities to boot.

New Zealand has chronic skills shortages. It's so bad, that three-quarters of CEOs in New Zealand think that skills shortages are the biggest threat to their businesses, according to a 2015 survey by the consulting firm PwC.

If you work in the oil-and-gas, agriculture, or even the snowsports industry, you'll have a relatively easy time securing a work residence visa.

On paper, the United Arab Emirates seems like a pretty attractive place to move. An astounding 84% of the country is foreign-born, according to the Migration Policy Institute's review of UN estimates, and its oil-and-gas riches have fueled the rise of gleaming cities, like Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Citizens and residents of the UAE also pay no income tax, as in 0%.

Dubai also has the best quality of life in the Middle East, according to Mercer's 2016 data.

But that's on paper. In reality, many of the UAE's immigrants, who come from impoverished countries countries like Nepal, are foreign laborers and suffer from repressive employment conditions and a lack of basic human rights.

And the UAE's economy is inextricably linked with the price of oil, so when the price of oil is low, the economy suffers. That's not to mention the UAE's regressive stances on gender equality.