From Armenia to Expath.ai: My Relocation Journey

Back in Armenia, I was working comfortably until a job offer landed on my desk: relocate to Europe. Being up for adventure and cultural exposure, I said yes. And from that very first minute, the burden started piling up. Even though I had the support of a wonderful relocation agent, I quickly realized relocation = paperwork olympics.

• I had to apply for my visa not in Armenia, but in Georgia.
• I was traveling with my dog, which meant paperwork for him too — including a 3-month process of sending blood samples abroad and waiting for a health certificate.

Life in the Netherlands

When I finally landed, I lived in temporary housing until I found a proper apartment where my dog and I could settle.

Here's what most people don't tell you (but should):

• Registering your address at the municipality is mandatory within the first 5 days of arrival. (official guide)
  Miss that deadline and you can run into issues opening a bank account, getting a tax ID, or even renewing your residence permit.
• Health insurance isn't optional — every resident must register and pay from day one. (official overview) If you miss it, you'll get fined €472 per month until you're covered.
• Residence card renewals, finding a GP, registering for social security… each step has its own hidden timer. Forget one, and you'll quickly get tangled in bureaucracy.

I had spreadsheets of spreadsheets just to keep everything under control.

That said — the Netherlands is still a gem: public transport works, healthcare is solid, and you'll never feel out of place because English is everywhere.

Everything is great except… the weather. Amsterdam is one of Europe's least sunny capitals — averaging only ~1662 sunshine hours a year (see stats). Compare that to Madrid's ~2769 and you'll understand why Vitamin D becomes a survival strategy.

From Amsterdam to Paris

After two years, another job offer pulled me to Paris. The reward? Culture, food, architecture — a feast for the senses. The challenge? French bureaucracy.

Even after a year, I kept discovering new forms to fill. A few gems:

• First-time tax filing? ~50 pages of paper documents.
• Social security registration? Endless loops.
• Newly arrived expats get tax benefits… but understanding them requires a law degree (and patience).

And of course, everything is in French. Google Translate became my second passport.

Why I started Expath.ai

France tipped me over the edge. After hours of untangling contradictory requests from agencies — often in a language I barely understood — I realized something: nobody else should have to go through this blindly.

I fought the endless bureaucracy, understood the pain, and built Expath.ai so that you can take an easier path to move.