Ready to retire abroad? These countries offer retirement visas

After decades of hard work, your retirement should be the time you can live with maximum freedom, enjoying life to its fullest. Are you considering relocating to a new country to live out your next chapter?

There are many places to choose from and many variables to consider. Between healthcare, quality of life, safety, and other factors, there’s one way to shorten your list for convenience purposes. How? By considering countries that offer retirement visas. Although there are some eligibility requirements relevant to each country, a retirement visa can make the process so much easier.

Curious to know which countries offer retirement visas? Click through the gallery.

What should you consider?

There are a number of factors to consider when planning your big move. Things like safety, quality of life, and culture should be on your list.

Retiring in Portugal

Portugal offers the passive income visa (also known as the D7 visa), a popular option for many retirees seeking to make the move abroad.

How is the minimum income calculated?

This minimum income can be calculated not just based on your pension, but any other type of passive income that you have, including rentals and investments.

Retiring in Spain

Portugal’s only neighbor, Spain, is another popular European destination for retirees through its Non-Lucrative Visa.

Citizenship challenges

If part of the appeal to move abroad is to acquire another citizenship, you’ll have to live in Spain for 10 years before applying and might have to give up your national passport.

Visa duration

The Republic of Indonesia offers senior citizen visas that have a duration of one year and are renewable for a total of six years. But don’t fret, if you want to stay after a few years, you can apply for permanent residency.

Retiring in Thailand

Thinking of another warm location? How about Thailand? The Kingdom of Thailand offers a Non-Immigrant “O-A” (Long Stay) Visa for retirees.

Retiring in Ecuador

Have you ever considered spending retirement exploring South America? Do the Andes mountains, the Amazon jungle, and the Galápagos Islands seem appealing to you?

Retiring in Argentina

Another South American choice is Argentina. Is Patagonia on your bucket list? This is the perfect time to explore one of nature’s wonderlands.

Argentina's rich culture

The influence of European architecture continues to captivate visitors, so even if nature isn’t your thing, there’s plenty to explore. Why not consider a few tango lessons to really get into the spirit of the country’s rich culture?

Retiring in Costa Rica

If you’re thinking of exploring Central America, why not start with Costa Rica? Live the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle in Central America’s safest country.

Extraordinary nature

Rainforests and dreamy beaches await your visit. The country’s beauty and safety has attracted a significant group of expats, so you’ll definitely have foreign company if you choose Costa Rica as your retirement destination.

Retiring in Panama

Another Central American option is Panama. Although the cost of living isn’t as low as Costa Rica, it’s still lower than most of the US and most European nations, meaning you can have a good quality of life.