Overheard yesterday (day one of this year’s Retire Overseas Conference) from a few of the hundreds of folks joining us here in Houston, Texas, this week…
“I’ve been reading you for years. I’m here because I’m hoping something that you’ll say over the coming four days will inspire me to get off my derrière and finally do something. It’s time for me to stop reading and take action. I came here for you to give me a push…”
We’re doing our best.
“Our situation is a little different than most people here, probably. We aren’t here to consider options for where to retire overseas someday. We need a place to move right now. Our house sold more quickly than we expected. Now we’re renting a small apartment. We have sold everything. We have no ties. We’re ready to go!…”
It can be great to have an imposed deadline for your move! We’ll do our best to help you make your plan…
“We’re thinking about Panama. Our plan is to go down there, rent a home for six months, and see what we think. If we like it, we’ll stay longer. If not, we’ll look for someplace else…”
Great plan. Love the flexible attitude…
“I’m so glad to hear the discussions from all these people who have made multiple moves. I think that’s what suits me. My husband and I have moved many times to many different countries. Now that we’re retiring, I think that’s what we need to continue doing… moving around. I think we’d be bored moving to just one place…”
That’s Lief’s and my plan, as well. We intend to continue moving around from Panama to Paris to Medellín to Belize and beyond…
“Which countries in Latin America are most dog-friendly?…”
Panama, Colombia, and Uruguay.
“Could you address the issues associated with deciding whether or not to bring your car with you?…”
Yes, we will. This question (along with dozens of other specific practical issues) will be addressed during one of our panel discussions this week.
The short answer is: In most cases, you’re better off leaving your car at home.
“Do you think that Paris is actually an option? Budget is not a concern for us, but I’m worried that it’s not really possible for a foreigner to live in France…”
It is possible; in fact, it can be relatively straightforward to organize residency in France as a retiree, depending on your situation. We’ll walk you through the options.
“What do we need to do to be able to live in Panama? We need a visa, right? How do we get that?”
Panama offers more than a dozen residency options, including one of the world’s best pensionado programs for retirees. To qualify for this, you need an FBI background check (this is required when applying for most any residency visa anywhere in the world) and proof of your monthly pension income.
This country offers another excellent option—known as the Friendly Nations visa—if you’re interested in starting a business or getting a job…
“I have to tell you something while my wife isn’t standing here to overhear. I just want you to know how happy I am that you’re holding this week’s conference in Houston. I’ve been trying to convince my wife to attend one of your events with me for three years. But I couldn’t get her on a plane. Then when I saw you were coming to Houston, I told her she no longer had an excuse. We live here. We didn’t even have to get on a plane; we just drove over.
“Still, I had to drag her here.
“But now? After this morning’s sessions? She’s as excited as I am about this whole retire overseas idea…”
Kathleen Peddicord
