For several years now, my mother has been talking about moving to another country to retire. In particular, she has her heart set on Costa Rica, though at one point she had picked Portugal.
Back in 2024, my mother flew to Lisbon to visit her guru Mooji Baba. It was a wonderful experience for her, and that’s around the time talk of emigration grew stronger.
The reason Portugal was dropped from the list of potential destinations was the high cost of living in that country. This she came to understand from her trip to Lisbon.
Finances
We, as a family, have never really had much in the way of wealth. I grew up in poverty and will likely never escape it. I would, however, very much like to see my parents retire happily in security.
There are other considerations regarding immigration. Health chief among them, but also peace and prosperity.
Costa Rica has both public and private healthcare. My mother needs to get dental implants. She also has diabetes and will need access to medication wherever she decides to settle.
Honest Feelings
While it might turn away some folk, I feel it is important to be honest about how we are feeling, living in America.
The situation here in the United States has rapidly declined in the last few years. It feels like Conservative Christians are driving us to the brink of civil war. The nation is racing towards full police state status. Every seat in office, from the school boards, the mayor, to commissioners, all local political seats are filled with Neo Nazis and their ilk. The Republican Party is no longer even trying to hide its love for White Supremacy.
As a person of color, of mixed parentage, and a dual cultural identity, I am afraid for my safety in America. I am afraid for my family.
So, I am making it my goal to safely relocate my mother and the rest of my family outside of the United States.
Different Options
I’d like to say that I have done extensive research into immigration, but I’m not sure if watching YouTube videos counts.
I have written lots of notes, and I will try to put them all together here. Since cost is an important factor, I did suggest a couple of other countries besides Costa Rica, but my mother has a friend living there already, so she’d feel less cut off in Costa Rica.
There are a couple of different ways to get Residency or Citizenship in another country. Some places have what is called a golden visa, and others have citizenship by investment, where you either buy land or invest in a business. Neither option would really work for us since we have very little money to work with.
Several Latin nations have a Pensioner Visa program that includes a path to Residency or Citizenship. With this route, the country you are moving to just asks for proof of income from outside of the country, such as from a pension, rental income, or dividends. Some countries may not have a set income requirement and instead just ask for bank statements to show that you have enough funds in savings to take care of yourself while in the country.
I’ve read that there are six countries where proof of income is waived, and they only need proof of savings, health insurance, and accommodation. In these cases, the visa is just good for 1 year or shorter and is more of a vacation route in my opinion. It’s not a path to citizenship, but it is a way to go and experience the country before making a solid decision.
Health insurance is an absolute must since Medicaid/Medicare are not usable outside of the United States and its territories. Some places also want you to have proof of exit, that is, a round-trip plane ticket and a clear date on which you would plan on leaving.
Flag Theory
Income Requirements for a Visa
For the safe Latin countries that do offer a pensioner route, the income requirements (lowest to highest) are as follows:
- Panama (Pensionado Visa): Requires a lifetime pension of at least US$1,000 monthly, with perks including senior discounts. No age limits.
- Argentina (Rentista Visa): 5 times the minimum living and mobile wages in Argentina. That’s around about $1,290 per month.
- Ecuador (Pension Visa): wants you to have 3 times the unified basic salary (SBU). As of 2026, Ecuador’s basic salary is $482 per month, so we would need $1446 per month in provable income. This number would go up each year as average worker wages in the country improve.
- Uruguay (Independent Means Visa): a temporary two-year residency pathway for an income of 1,500/month.
- Brazil (Retirement Visa): Available to individuals over 60 or retirees, requiring proof of a stable monthly pension of at least
$2k. - Costa Rica (Rentista Visa): a two-year temporary residency for individuals with a guaranteed, non-employment income of at least $2,500/month. Renewable.
The Rentista Visa includes a path to permanent residency after 3 years of temporary residency. There is also an alternative path to get the visa, by showing proof of savings of $60k in a bank account. But this is out of our budget.
