You’re probably aware of the lengths to which Singapore’s laws go to maintain cleanliness and public order: Don’t chew gum (without a medical prescription) and don’t even think about spitting on the sidewalk. It’s illegal. Jaywalk or fail to flush a public toilet and you could face fines.
But did you also know residents can be fined for driving across the border with less than three-quarters of a tank of gas? Designed to deter fill-ups of less expensive gas in neighboring Malaysia, the Three-Quarter Tank Rule can mean fines of up to S$500 as well as prosecution in court.
Singapore also strictly regulates pet import and care, as do many countries — perhaps few in such detail as Sweden. Swedish authorities stipulate that dogs should be walked every six hours and therefore not left alone for longer than that.
This is just one example from Sweden’s 20-page Animal Welfare Regulations for Dogs, which covers everything from crates and electric fencing to tethering and access to natural light. The most serious offenders can face two years in prison.
The fact is that moving abroad often means exposing yourself and your family – and pets! – to entirely new societal norms and regulations. Often, a country’s laws tell us a lot about what is important to its people. Other laws are enacted to solve or prevent a problem. Still other measures are a result of political or economic forces. For example, sanctions against Russia have led to the inability to use foreign-issued credit cards.
Speaking of payment methods, Slovenia passed a constitutional amendment in late 2025 – spurred by a citizen-led initiative – protecting the right to cash payments. Hungary, Slovakia, and Ireland are among the other countries that also have legal safeguards around using cash. Newcomers to these countries can feel free to use cash if they wish.
Each of these examples represents an acclimation point along your journey to settle into a new location. Familiarizing yourself with the bits that pertain to your family and the way you like to move through your day can make life easier.
And sometimes the “laws” you encounter are a matter of local lore, even when they have been debunked, like this one in my own state of Connecticut: People sometimes make amused reference to a law stating that a pickle cannot be called a pickle unless it bounces. Luckily, reference librarians at the Connecticut State Library have gotten to the bottom of the bouncing pickle origin story. It just goes to show that good research can reveal the truth and keep you informed about your home state, city, or country.
Living Abroad keeps assignees and their families diligently informed about all of the above topics, and so many more, in our 240+ destination reports.
Written by Ellen Harris, GMS, Product Manager, Content Group
