Which countries actually have a retirement visa? Here's how the real five compare.
"Retirement visa" gets used loosely. Only Costa Rica's Pensionado is actually named for retirees — Portugal's D7, Greece's FIP, and Italy's Elective Residence Visa are general passive-income residency permits that retirees happen to use, and Mexico doesn't have a dedicated retirement visa at all. What they share is the same underlying test: prove you can support yourself without working, and the country lets you stay.
The five below are the countries on this site with a fully sourced, standalone visa guide. Each row links to that guide for the application steps, required documents, and everything the table below can't fit.
Published
Every figure below comes from this site's dedicated visa guide for that country, sourced from official consulate and ministry pages where available. Income thresholds in particular are adjusted annually — confirm the current number with the relevant consulate or an immigration attorney before you apply.
Same question, five different answers
Every column is the same question asked five ways: how much income, what kind of income, whether you need insurance to apply, how many days you have to actually be there, and how each country taxes the income you're qualifying with. The income-type column is the one that trips people up most — Costa Rica requires a guaranteed lifetime pension and won't count a 401(k) or IRA balance on its own, while the other four accept any documented passive income.
| Country · Visa | Income threshold | Income must be | Health insurance | Days required | Permanent residency | How it's taxed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa | €920/month | Any passive source | No copays, no deductibles | 183+ / year | 5 years | Standard progressive rates (NHR closed 2024) |
| Greece FIP (Financially Independent Person) | €3,500/month (or €126,000 deposit) | Net passive income | Private, permanent — no public option | 183+ / year | 5 years | 7% flat, up to 15 yrs |
| Italy Elective Residence Visa | ~€2,600/month | Passive only — no work allowed | €30,000/yr, Schengen-wide | 183+ / year | 5 years (EU long-term) | 7% flat, qualifying towns |
| Mexico Temporary Resident Visa | ~$4,400/month (or ~$74,000 savings) | Documented — not required for life | None required | None required | 4 years | SS exempt by treaty; rest taxed if resident |
| Costa Rica Pensionado | $1,000/month | Guaranteed lifetime pension only | None to apply; Caja mandatory after | 4 months / year | 3 years (fastest of the five) | Territorial — foreign income exempt |
Figures reflect each country's 2026 requirements as documented on this site's visa guides. Mexico's income threshold rebased upward in July 2025 under a new index; Portugal's adjusts each January.
Mexico isn't really a "retirement visa"
Mexico has no dedicated retirement visa. What shows up in the table is the economic-solvency route of its Temporary Resident Visa — the path US retirees actually use, since it needs no insurance and no minimum days in-country. If you're searching for "Mexico retirement visa," this is the program you're looking for.
Sources
Every figure on this page is drawn from this site's dedicated visa guide for that country, each independently sourced. See each guide's own Sources section for the complete citation list.
- D7 Passive Income Visa — Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Official D7 income requirement (2026 threshold: €920/month).
- FIP Residence Permit Income Increase — siopi-law.gr: Law 5038/2023 FIP income threshold and €126,000 deposit alternative.
- Elective Residency Visa Italy — Global Citizen Solutions: ERV income threshold in practice and insurance requirement.
- Financial Criteria for Legal Residency in Mexico 2026 — Mexperience: Temporary Resident Visa income and savings thresholds.
- Costa Rica Retirement Visa Pensionado Residency Requirements — Fragomen: Pensionado income threshold and 4-month physical-presence rule.
- Portugal Individual Tax Summary — PwC: Standard progressive rates applied after NHR's 2024 closure.
- Costa Rica Individual Taxes on Personal Income — PwC Tax Summaries: Territorial tax system and exemption of foreign-source income.
Three of the five visas require private insurance before they'll approve you
Portugal's no-copay rule, Greece's permanent private-insurance requirement, and Italy's €30,000 Schengen minimum all need a policy in hand before you apply. Compare the international plans built for exactly this.
Compare International Insurance Plans