StartAbroad (startabroad.com) has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 60 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Home Services and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 100% rating it 4 stars or higher; 48 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-10.
StartAbroad has been a lifesaver for me throughout this process. The team was knowledgeable, quick to respond to emails, provided relevant process information and clear steps to follow. Working with Anna and Marília (rental search) alleviated a good bit of stress and moments that I felt overwhelmed. StartAbroad is a great service/team to work with and the cost was also very reasonable. They did exactly what they promised!
From helping us a gather all the documents for our D7 application to helping us find a home, open a bank account, and finally move into our new place in Portugal, Anna and the StartAbroad team delivered truly five-star service. Their expertise gave us complete confidence that everything would work out smoothly—and it did. Thanks to their guidance, we’re now happily settled in Lisbon and enjoying this exciting new chapter of our lives.
Zach and Anna helped me to achieve my dream of obtaining a digital nomad visa for Portugal. Anna provided gentle guidance, detailed outline of the steps for applying, continuous support and responsiveness. The process was so much less stressful with their knowledge and support. They also connected me with a wonderful Portuguese tax lawyer and a lovely realtor. Soon I will be moving to Portugal, all thanks to Zach and Anna. I would not hesitate to use their services.
I had an amazing experience with StartAbroad while applying for permanent residency in Portugal. Anna was incredibly professional and supportive, always present throughout the process, answering all my questions, and guiding me step by step. My visa was approved very quickly, and their help made a huge difference. An international move involves so much to organize, and StartAbroad truly made everything easier. Definitely worth investing in their services!
I had an incredible experience with Start Abroad while applying for my Costa Rica digital nomad visa. The immigration site was having technical issues and wasn’t processing applications properly, but Zach and his team stepped in and guided me through every step of the process. They were professional, responsive, and truly went above and beyond. A special shoutout to Pablo, their amazing translator, who made the in-person visits seamless and stress-free. I can’t recommend Start Abroad enough — if you’re considering applying for a visa in Costa Rica, this is the team you want by your side!
Anna and the StartAbroad team are superb. I chose the Get-to-Portugal package and it was indeed a streamlined process as marketed. From the initial consultation with Zach to the first step into my Porto apartment, the StartAbroad team made my move to Portugal a wonderful experience. Anna was extremely professional and supportive throughout my D7 visa application process. She provided clear guidance and responded promptly to my numerous emails. When I encountered a minor hiccup along the way, Anna was quick with a solution. The team helped me to secure the D7 visa, NIF, bank account, and an apartment before I arrived in Porto. RE agent Declan Oecguera was very thoughtful and helpful in the rental search. The StartAbroad team has my utmost respect for their expertise, efficiency, and professionalism. Muito obrigada Anna and Declan!!!
We're giving a high rating because we're very happy with the home and neighborhood that Start Abroad helped us find. That said, the process didn't exactly work out how we expected, perhaps due to misunderstandings on both sides. We had hoped Start Abroad would help us find a home to rent *before* moving to Costa Rica, but walkability was one of our highest priorities, and we weren't given enough information about the location/surroundings of each listing to select a home. Since most expats plan to buy a car here, this probably won't be an issue for most people. When we mentioned our disappointment to the Start Abroad team, they offered to give us a full refund, which we appreciated. But we decided to stick it out with the Start Abroad team, and we are glad we did! Within a few days of us landing in Costa Rica, they showed us four or so houses, including one that was absolutely perfect for us. They also helped us with the contract, deposits, and coordinating with the homeowner. The team is very knowledgable and trustworthy, and we've already recommended them to other recent arrivals to CR. Thank you, Zach and Pablo!
From the first Teams chat to getting our D7 Visas approved, including helping us with documentation, setting up bank accounts, consulting with tax and insurance professionals and helping us find housing, Anna and the StartAbroad team have made our move to Portugal so much easier. While the steps to getting a D7 visa may not look difficult at first glance, we would have been overwhelmed without the expertise provided by Anna as well as Kylie Adamec, who guided our housing search. Working with skilled, friendly and encouraging people makes an enormous difference. StartAbroad rocks!
StartAbroad was an incredible help with my move to Costa Rica. They guided me through both getting a car and securing my digital nomad visa. I would have been completely lost without them, as neither process is straightforward for someone coming from the U.S. and unfamiliar with how things work in Costa Rica. They are friendly, professional, and completely trustworthy. I recommend them without hesitation.
We were very impressed with the Anna and the staff at StartAbroad. They were personable, knowledgeable and fun to work with. Anna expertly shepherded us through the D7 visa process utilizing that left us very prepared for VSF interview and follow-up discussions with the Portuguese Consulate. We appreciated that our questions and concerns where handled promptly and in a clear fashion. We especially appreciated the services of our rental agent Declan Oecguera. He found a furnished apartment that met our selection criteria within one week, helped greatly during the negotiation phase of the contract agreement process and offered expert coaching when I became frustrated with the pace of negotiation. The other members of the StartAbroad staff and partners where equally professional and a joy to work with. We would highly recommend their services to anyone else looking to relocated to Portugal.
We recently used Start Abroad’s Visa and Residence Permit services for our Portugal D7 Visa. Start Abroad obtained an appointment with the VFS office located in our jurisdiction. We were assigned to Anna to handle our visa application and were impressed by Anna’s responsiveness and professionalism. Anna advised on and reviewed our documentation and helped us prepare for the visa interview. She explained the visa process clearly and was always available to answer our questions. We felt confident and well prepared once we had our interview. A Start Abroad representative will be there to accompany us to our AIMA appointment in Portimao in January 2026. We had a very positive experience and highly recommend Start Abroad to anyone applying for a Portugal visa.
My husband and I recently moved to Costa Rica. We're fairly organized and had most of our affairs in order—but the visa process felt incredibly daunting, and we knew we needed help. StartAbroad truly saved us! Their service pays for itself 10x over. Without Zach and his team, we would have been stuck dealing with a range of frustrating immigration issues—spelling mistakes, appointment bookings, printing random forms, translation errors, even a country-wide system outage. The StartAbroad team handled everything smoothly and with real care, saving us an enormous amount of time and stress.
Anna is very knowledgeable, professional, warm, and efficient. We wouldn't have made it through the Visa application process without her help. I am very grateful. She is working to improve her system. Our case was really challenging as my mother doesn't have readable fingerprints. So we couldn't get the FBI Criminal Background Check. She told us about the FBI Formal Rejection Letter, which really helped. I highly recommend the Start Abroad service.
StartAboard was an amazing guide to a moving process that could have been a mess. Organized in a step-by-step process they covered EVERYTHING I needed to do, including requirements, rules, paperwork, deadlines…the works. They were also SO understanding when I asked the same question they had answered before over and over again! Their work gave me the time to think about questions very specific to my own situation so nothing was left to chance. I’ve been in Portugal for three weeks, I already have neighbors and shop keepers saying hello and talking on the street, but I think I might call StartAbroad once in a while just to say hi….they were amazing
My wife and I decided to retire in Costa Rica. StartAbroad guided us through every stage of the process. Our myriad questions were answered with detailed information. We were advised on what to bring with us, and what to leave behind. StartAbroad provided guidance on how to bring our pets to Costa Rica. We were provided broad options on purchasing a car in Costa Rica and renting a house. An interpreter accompanied us to various car dealerships to assist in making a purchase. In short, StartAbroad assisted us every step of the way. I cannot imagine how we could have made a successful transition to retirement in Central America without their help. I recommend StartAbroad without hesitation or reservation.
Although we ultimately have decided not to move to Portugal, the service we received from StartAbroad and Anna was the absolute best! We were well on our way toward moving. Unforeseen personal reasons came up which caused us to cancel these plans. We are continuing to recommend the courteous and professional treatment received from Anna and StartAbroad. This is definitely not a "numbers" company. Instead, StartAbroad is a very personalized relocation service. Take time to review the videos prepared and you immediately see the warmth and caring approach this company provides. Thank you again Anna. We feel a part of your family.
A really great experience with Anna. She made applying for the NLV a breeze. Highly recommended.
If we could give 10 stars we absolutely would. Anna and her team were amazing and helped us from start to finish with obtaining our D7 Visa's plus their service included finding an annual rental which we love and assisting us to put all of the necessary paperwork together for our interviews, which I might add, would have been quite intense if we had attempted this on our own. They laid it out in simple language and were always willing to take our calls at a moments notice. We think their services, considering what was involved, is very reasonable and we thoroughly recommend them to anyone looking to relocate abroad. Thank you Anna, we truly appreciate everything you have done for us.
StartAbroad has been the most incredible service for getting our family to Portugal on D7 visas. From advice, assistance with NIFs and bank accounts, arranging VFS appointments, overseeing our lease agreement and our regular zoom meetings (and so much more). Zach is so knowledgeable and we wouldn’t be here today without his help and support. The concierge package will save you so much time and cut down on unnecessary expenses. Worth every penny.
When I decided to relocate to Portugal, I engaged the services of Anna and Zach. They have been highly responsive and provided precise recommendations throughout the process. With their exceptional support, I have successfully obtained the D7 visa stamp on my passport and am now working on scheduling my residence card appointment. I must say, StartAbroad has been outstanding and is truly worth it. I highly recommend their services.
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