“Kathleen, it is really nice to read about all the fantastic places you tell us about. But is there any possibility to find out about cheaper ways to live and get a permanent residency in some places?
“Belize, for example, is no good for retirees whose Social Security is US$1,200/month. In my case, that is the only income. So I’m afraid we are stuck. Belize won’t give us a residency visa being so poor!
“Any advice?”
–Marketta M., United States
In fact, you could move to Belize with only US$1,200 a month in income. This amount wouldn’t qualify you for the QRP program (for this, you need a minimum income of US$2,000 per month), but that is not the only option for retiring full-time to this country.
Your alternative, very realistic on the budget you have, would be to go to Belize as a tourist, then, once in the country, apply for a regular residency permit. This would mean living in the country for a year and renewing your permit monthly. In fact, this route is more straightforward than the QRP route; it just doesn’t provide for the import duty and other tax exemptions.
On a budget of US$1,200 a month, you could live comfortably in the Cayo District, but probably not on Ambergris Caye.
Continue Reading: A Capital Start-up Budget For Living Or Retiring Overseas
