Around 9 million Americans are expats living in a foreign country, according to official State Department data. Technically, an expat must live outside the US for a full calendar year and cannot take the Bona Fide Resident Test until they have stayed in another country for at least a calendar year. Add to that a few more conditions – 1. You must have a home in that foreign country. 2. You must intend to stay in that country indefinitely.