FAQ
Common questions.
Which countries have a retirement visa?
39 countries in our list: Albania, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
Which retirement visa needs the lowest income?
In our list, at European Central Bank rates on 9 Oct 2026: the Philippines (USD 800 a month), Cyprus (EUR 9,568 a year, about USD 890 a month) and Costa Rica (USD 1,000 a month). Albania, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Fiji, Malta, Monaco, Switzerland and Uruguay set no income figure, so they are not in this ranking.
Which retirement visas have no minimum age?
In our list: Albania, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Panama, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Uruguay. 12 set a minimum age, from 35 to 66.
Which retirement visas lead to permanent residence?
Bahrain, Cyprus, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines and Uruguay give permanent residence from the start. In Nicaragua and South Africa you can apply for it straight away. Of the rest, the fastest: Ecuador, where you can apply after 21 months. Each country page shows the rule.
Which retirement visa needs the least time in the country?
The fewest: Belize (30 days a year). Each country page shows the rule.
Do EU citizens need a retirement visa in Europe?
No. Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland can live in each other's countries under free movement rules. They may need to register after 3 months. The EU and EEA permits here (11 in our list) are for everyone else.
Is this every retirement visa?
It is every scheme we could check on an official government page. If we cannot find the facts on an official page, we leave the country out. Rules and amounts change, so check the official page before you apply.
Sources
Every fact comes from the host country's official government page. Exchange rates come from the European Central Bank.
- Albania: Residence permit for pensioners (leje qëndrimi për pensionistë) (asp.gov.al)
- Argentina: Temporary residence for pensioners (residencia temporaria como pensionado) (argentina.gob.ar)
- Austria: Settlement permit, gainful employment excepted (Niederlassungsbewilligung, ausgenommen Erwerbstätigkeit) (oesterreich.gv.at)
- Bahrain: Golden Residency for Retired Nonresident Foreigners (npra.gov.bh)
- Belize: Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) (belizetourismboard.org)
- Brazil: Temporary visa and residence permit for retirees (visto temporário e autorização de residência para aposentado) (gov.br)
- Bulgaria: Long-term residence permit for people with a pension (продължително пребиваване) (iisda.government.bg)
- Cambodia: Retirement Visa (ER), an extension of stay on the ordinary E visa (recberlin.mfaic.gov.kh)
- Chile: Temporary residence for retirees and rentistas (residencia temporal, jubilados y rentistas) (serviciomigraciones.cl)
- Colombia: Migrant visa for pensioners (visa M pensionado) (cancilleria.gov.co)
- Costa Rica: Temporary residence for pensioners (Pensionado) (sinalevi.go.cr)
- Cyprus: Immigration Permit, Category F (permanent residence for people with a secured income from abroad) (gov.cy)
- Dominican Republic: Residence for pensioners and retirees under Law 171-07 (Visa de Residencia por Pensión o Jubilación) (servicios360.mirex.gob.do)
- Ecuador: Temporary residence visa for retirees (visa de residencia temporal jubilado) (gob.ec)
- Fiji: Residence Permit on Assured Income (immigration.gov.fj)
- France: Visitor residence card (carte de séjour temporaire visiteur) (service-public.gouv.fr)
- Greece: Residence permit for people with sufficient resources, financially independent persons (type I.8) (migration.gov.gr)
- Guatemala: Permanent residence for pensioners and people living on foreign income (Residencia permanente como rentista o pensionado) (extranjeria.igm.gob.gt)
- Honduras: Residence as a pensioner (Residencia en calidad de Pensionado) (tramitedigital.sgjd.gob.hn)
- Indonesia: Second home visa for older people, 1 year (Visa Rumah Kedua Lansia Untuk 1 Tahun, E33F) (imigrasi.go.id)
- Ireland: Stamp 0 permission to retire to Ireland as a person of independent means (irishimmigration.ie)
- Italy: Elective residence visa (visto per residenza elettiva) (ambtashkent.esteri.it)
- Kenya: Class K permit (ordinary residents) (immigration.go.ke)
- Malta: Economically self-sufficient residence permit under the Malta Retirement Programme (identita.gov.mt)
- Mauritius: Residence Permit for a Retired Non-Citizen (residency.mu)
- Mexico: Permanent resident visa for retirees and pensioners (Residente Permanente, jubilados o pensionados) (consulmex.sre.gob.mx)
- Monaco: Residence permit (carte de séjour) for people who live on a pension or savings (monservicepublic.gouv.mc)
- New Zealand: Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa (immigration.govt.nz)
- Nicaragua: Pensioner resident status under Law 694 (Residente Pensionado) (legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni)
- Panama: Permanent residence for retirees and pensioners (Jubilado o Pensionado) (migracion.gob.pa)
- Peru: Rentista residence (calidad migratoria rentista residente) (gob.pe)
- Philippines: Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) (pra.gov.ph)
- Portugal: Residence visa for retirement or for people living on passive income (vistos.mne.gov.pt)
- South Africa: Retired person visa (dha.gov.za)
- Spain: Non-working residence visa (residencia temporal no lucrativa) (exteriores.gob.es)
- Switzerland: Residence permit for retired people (Rentnerinnen und Rentner, Art. 28 AIG) (sem.admin.ch)
- Thailand: Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (long stay) (washingtondc.thaiembassy.org)
- United Arab Emirates: Residence visa for the retired (u.ae)
- Uruguay: Permanent legal residence with a pension or rent as your means of living (residencia legal permanente) (gub.uy)
General information, not legal advice. Last checked 11 Oct 2026.