Best Countries to Retire Abroad 2026 — 57 retirement visas compared
As of July 2026, 57 retirement visa routes are open across 43 countries. The lowest published income floor is €262/mo (Antigua And Barbuda); 25 routes lead to permanent residence.
Compiled from official government sources · last re-checked July 2026 · sources
This page is general information, not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice. Figures are compiled from official government sources and re-checked on a rolling basis; rules change without notice — always confirm on the official source linked from each country guide before making decisions.
All retirement routes, compared
Ordered by published monthly income floor (lowest first); routes without a published floor follow alphabetically. "Not published" means the official source does not state a figure — it does not mean zero.
| # | Country | Route | Min. income | Min. age | PR path | Processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antigua And Barbuda | Retiree Change of Status (24-Month Renewable) | €262/mo | 60+ | — | Not published |
| 2 | Tonga | Assured Income Visa (Tonga, retirement) | €305/mo | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 3 | Madagascar | Retraité | €500/mo | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 4 | Nicaragua | Residente Pensionado (Ley 694) | €523/mo | 45+ | Yes | Not published |
| 5 | Philippines | Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Classic) | €697/mo | 50+ | Yes | Not published |
| 6 | Panama | Rentista Retirado | €741/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 7 | Latvia | Residence permit for pensioners of visa-free countries | €784/mo | 65+ | Yes | Not published |
| 8 | Costa Rica | Pensionado — Lifetime Pension | €872/mo | 60+ | — | Not published |
| 9 | Panama | Jubilado Pensionado | €872/mo | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 10 | Peru | Rentista (Retiree / Pensioner) | €872/mo | 60+ | Yes | Not published |
| 11 | Portugal | Autorização de Residência para Rendimentos Próprios ou Reformados (D7, | €920/mo | None published | Yes | ~3 mo |
| 12 | Venezuela | Visa de Transeúnte Rentista (TR-RE) | €1,046/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 13 | Albania | Residence Permit for Pensioners (Retiree Residence) | €1,055/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 14 | Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit — Retired Foreigner | €1,160/mo | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 15 | Ecuador | Residencia Temporal de Rentista | €1,261/mo | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 16 | Ecuador | Residencia Temporal de Jubilado / Pensionista | €1,261/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 17 | Dominican Republic | Residencia Permanente Pensionado (Ley 171-07) | €1,308/mo | 45+ | Yes | ~4 mo |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | My Dream Home Visa Programme | €1,308/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 19 | Colombia | Visa M Pensionado | €1,322/mo | 55+ | Yes | Not published |
| 20 | Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" | €1,724/mo | 50+ | — | Not published |
| 21 | Brazil | Visto / Autorização de Residência para Aposentado (Retiree / Pension-B | €1,744/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 22 | Dominican Republic | Residencia Permanente Rentista (Ley 171-07) | €1,744/mo | None published | Yes | ~4 mo |
| 23 | Mauritius | Retired Non-Citizen Residence Permit | €1,744/mo | 50+ | Yes | Not published |
| 24 | Vanuatu | Self-Funded Residence Visa | €1,838/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 25 | South Africa | Retired - Section 27(e) | €1,961/mo | 65+ | Yes | Not published |
| 26 | Greece | Financially Independent Individuals - Article 20, Paragraph 1 (Law 425 | €2,000/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 27 | Costa Rica | Rentista — Stable Foreign Income | €2,180/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 28 | Spain | Non-Lucrative Residence Authorization (Residencia No Lucrativa, RD 115 | €2,400/mo | None published | — | ~1 mo |
| 29 | Italy | RESIDENZA ELETTIVA | €2,583/mo | None published | — | Not published |
| 30 | Indonesia | Visa Rumah Kedua Lansia Untuk 1 Tahun | €2,616/mo | 55+ | — | Not published |
| 31 | Indonesia | Visa Rumah Kedua Lansia Untuk 5 Tahun | €2,616/mo | 55+ | — | ~1 mo |
| 32 | Bahrain | Golden Residency Program | €4,638/mo | 60+ | Yes | Not published |
| 33 | Thailand | Wealthy Pensioners | €5,813/mo | 50+ | Yes | Not published |
| 34 | Bahrain | Golden Residency Program — Non-Resident Retiree (pension only) | €9,276/mo | 60+ | Yes | Not published |
| 35 | San Marino | Pensioners’ atypical residence | €10,000/mo | 60+ | Yes | Not published |
| 36 | Argentina | Residencia Temporaria como Rentista | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 37 | Argentina | Residencia Temporaria como Pensionado | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 38 | Bahamas | Permit to Reside (Annual Permit) | Not published — verify | None published | — | ~3 mo |
| 39 | Barbados | Immigrant Status — Retirement (Section 6(1)(d)) | Not published — verify | 60+ | Yes | Not published |
| 40 | Belize | Dependent Permit (Belize — retired 55+ or children <5) | Not published — verify | 55+ | — | Not published |
| 41 | Cambodia | Cambodia Retirement Visa (ER Extension) | Not published — verify | 55+ | — | Not published |
| 42 | Cape Verde | AR Permanente — Estrangeiro Reformado (Retiree) | Not published — verify | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 43 | Chile | Residencia Temporal — Jubilados y Rentistas (Retirees / Passive Income | Not published — verify | 55+ | Yes | Not published |
| 44 | Colombia | Visa V Rentista | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 45 | Cyprus | Permanent Residence — Category F (Self-Sufficient / Passive Income) | Not published — verify | None published | Yes | Not published |
| 46 | El Salvador | Residencia Temporal Pensionados | Not published — verify | None published | — | ~2 mo |
| 47 | El Salvador | Residencia Temporal por Rentista (ingreso pasivo) | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 48 | Fiji | Residence Permit on Assured Income | Not published — verify | 45+ | — | ~1 mo |
| 49 | France | Carte de séjour « retraité » (10 ans) | Not published — verify | None published | — | ~1 mo |
| 50 | Indonesia | Visa Rumah Kedua | Not published — verify | None published | — | ~1 mo |
| 51 | Jordan | Workless Residency with Bank Deposit | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 52 | Liechtenstein | Bewilligung B – Wohnsitznahme ohne Erwerbstätigkeit | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 53 | Malaysia | Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 54 | Malta | Economic Self-Sufficiency | Not published — verify | None published | — | Not published |
| 55 | Nigeria | Retirement Visa (Retired in Nigeria) | Not published — verify | 65+ | Yes | Not published |
| 56 | Nigeria | Retirement Visa (Retiree from Abroad) | Not published — verify | 65+ | — | Not published |
| 57 | South Africa | Financially Independent - Section 27(f) | Not published — verify | None published | Yes | Not published |
Lowest published income floors — in detail
Antigua And Barbuda — Retiree Change of Status (24-Month Renewable)
- Published income floor: €262/mo
- Minimum age: 60
Tonga — Assured Income Visa (Tonga, retirement)
- Published income floor: €305/mo
- Leads to permanent residence
Madagascar — Retraité
- Published income floor: €500/mo
- Leads to permanent residence
Which of these 57 routes fit your pension, savings and passport?
Get Your Free Verdict →Frequently asked questions
How much income do I need to retire abroad in 2026?
Published income floors across the 35 retirement routes that state one range from €262/mo to €10,000/mo. 22 further routes do not publish a floor — verify on the official source before planning.
Which retirement visas lead to permanent residence?
25 of the 57 retirement routes in our database are flagged as leading to permanent residence. The comparison table marks each one.
Do retirement visas have age minimums?
24 of 57 routes publish a minimum age (typically 55–65). Routes without a published minimum rely on proof of retirement income instead.
How long does a retirement visa take to process?
Published processing times (where the official source states one) range from ~1 to ~4 months. Many routes leave it unstated, so treat any single figure as indicative.