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
Written by Antonio Mira
Fact-checked against official government sources · Editorial standards
Founder · Tracks visa policy across 200+ countries
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. "To be confirmed" means we have not recorded that figure yet — confirm it on the official website of the route. 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+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 2 | Tonga | Assured Income Visa (Tonga, retirement) | €305/mo | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 3 | Madagascar | Retraité | €500/mo | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 4 | Nicaragua | Residente Pensionado (Ley 694) | €523/mo | 45+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 5 | Philippines | Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV Classic) | €697/mo | 50+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 6 | Panama | Rentista Retirado | €741/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 7 | Latvia | Residence permit for pensioners of visa-free countries | €784/mo | 65+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 8 | Costa Rica | Pensionado — Lifetime Pension | €872/mo | 60+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 9 | Panama | Jubilado Pensionado | €872/mo | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 10 | Peru | Rentista (Retiree / Pensioner) | €872/mo | 60+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 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 | — | To be confirmed |
| 13 | Albania | Residence Permit for Pensioners (Retiree Residence) | €1,055/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 14 | Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit — Retired Foreigner | €1,160/mo | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 15 | Ecuador | Residencia Temporal de Rentista | €1,261/mo | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 16 | Ecuador | Residencia Temporal de Jubilado / Pensionista | €1,261/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 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 | — | To be confirmed |
| 19 | Colombia | Visa M Pensionado | €1,322/mo | 55+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 20 | Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa "O-A" | €1,724/mo | 50+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 21 | Brazil | Visto / Autorização de Residência para Aposentado (Retiree / Pension-B | €1,744/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 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 | To be confirmed |
| 24 | Vanuatu | Self-Funded Residence Visa | €1,838/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 25 | South Africa | Retired - Section 27(e) | €1,961/mo | 65+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 26 | Greece | Financially Independent Individuals - Article 20, Paragraph 1 (Law 425 | €2,000/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 27 | Costa Rica | Rentista — Stable Foreign Income | €2,180/mo | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 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 | — | To be confirmed |
| 30 | Indonesia | Visa Rumah Kedua Lansia Untuk 1 Tahun | €2,616/mo | 55+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 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 | To be confirmed |
| 33 | Thailand | Wealthy Pensioners | €5,813/mo | 50+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 34 | Bahrain | Golden Residency Program — Non-Resident Retiree (pension only) | €9,276/mo | 60+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 35 | San Marino | Pensioners’ atypical residence | €10,000/mo | 60+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 36 | Argentina | Residencia Temporaria como Rentista | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 37 | Argentina | Residencia Temporaria como Pensionado | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 38 | Bahamas | Permit to Reside (Annual Permit) | To be confirmed | None published | — | ~3 mo |
| 39 | Barbados | Immigrant Status — Retirement (Section 6(1)(d)) | To be confirmed | 60+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 40 | Belize | Dependent Permit (Belize — retired 55+ or children <5) | To be confirmed | 55+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 41 | Cambodia | Cambodia Retirement Visa (ER Extension) | To be confirmed | 55+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 42 | Cape Verde | AR Permanente — Estrangeiro Reformado (Retiree) | To be confirmed | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 43 | Chile | Residencia Temporal — Jubilados y Rentistas (Retirees / Passive Income | To be confirmed | 55+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 44 | Colombia | Visa V Rentista | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 45 | Cyprus | Permanent Residence — Category F (Self-Sufficient / Passive Income) | To be confirmed | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 46 | El Salvador | Residencia Temporal Pensionados | To be confirmed | None published | — | ~2 mo |
| 47 | El Salvador | Residencia Temporal por Rentista (ingreso pasivo) | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 48 | Fiji | Residence Permit on Assured Income | To be confirmed | 45+ | — | ~1 mo |
| 49 | France | Carte de séjour « retraité » (10 ans) | To be confirmed | None published | — | ~1 mo |
| 50 | Indonesia | Visa Rumah Kedua | To be confirmed | None published | — | ~1 mo |
| 51 | Jordan | Workless Residency with Bank Deposit | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 52 | Liechtenstein | Bewilligung B – Wohnsitznahme ohne Erwerbstätigkeit | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 53 | Malaysia | Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 54 | Malta | Economic Self-Sufficiency | To be confirmed | None published | — | To be confirmed |
| 55 | Nigeria | Retirement Visa (Retired in Nigeria) | To be confirmed | 65+ | Yes | To be confirmed |
| 56 | Nigeria | Retirement Visa (Retiree from Abroad) | To be confirmed | 65+ | — | To be confirmed |
| 57 | South Africa | Financially Independent - Section 27(f) | To be confirmed | None published | Yes | To be confirmed |
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.