# Money and Retirement Visa



## lbernal (Oct 6, 2011)

Hello -
My first question, just joined here and already have learned sooo much! Thank you who post and keep up here it is very helpful!!
I've read a couple of threads asking about this but I don't see anything that addresses this part of it.

The requirement, as I understand it, is that you make 10,000 + 1,700 for dependents (which I don't have), a year from a pension. 10,000 seems like a small amount of money to live on, even there? Am I understanding that correctly? That is less than E800.00 a month isn't it? After rent or mortgage, electricity, gas, etc. I know many Spanish make less than that but as a requirement for a foreigner to retire just seems low?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

lbernal said:


> Hello -
> My first question, just joined here and already have learned sooo much! Thank you who post and keep up here it is very helpful!!
> I've read a couple of threads asking about this but I don't see anything that addresses this part of it.
> 
> The requirement, as I understand it, is that you make 10,000 + 1,700 for dependents (which I don't have), a year from a pension. 10,000 seems like a small amount of money to live on, even there? Am I understanding that correctly? That is less than E800.00 a month isn't it? After rent or mortgage, electricity, gas, etc. I know many Spanish make less than that but as a requirement for a foreigner to retire just seems low?


There is no set income level laid down for a retirement visa, as decison will be made by the central government and provincial government in whose area you are looking to retire to, taking into account your personal circumstances. But you are correct that the level required is a lot more than the figures given - which look like a student income. Each consulate may put an indicative level, but the Miami Consulate, where you'll be applying for your visa, has nothing. Ther idea is your income should give you a reasonably comfortable standard of living without money worries, or tempted to seek employment or self-employment, which isn't allowed. I'd have thought more than 20,000 euro per year sounds more realistic., but even if you have the rqeuired income, it may not lead to a visa being granted, as they have a wide power of discretion.


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## lbernal (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks for that info, it is a little confusing there seems to be very few people who post anywhere (I've surfed the internet looking for this info for a few days now), about their experiences with this process. It does seem that what ever consulate website you look at, whether in the states (Miami, Chicago, etc) or South America, saw the link from someone on here about it, they all say 10,000 a year plus 1700 for each dependent. This won't be our problem at we will make about 4000 a month on retirement. I lived in spain for 7 years and was married to a local guy from Rota for 5 years and we had a son. Although we are now divorced my son spent every summer there for the last 15 years and I have stayed at least 3 weeks every year also. I am retired military and can use the base for all my medical and dental needs plus tricare I believe covers some emergency things that could happen. If not local insurance is not that much really. I hope my connections to Spain will help with thjs process but who knows?? Just wish more people who have obtained the visa would write about it!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

lbernal said:


> Thanks for that info, it is a little confusing there seems to be very few people who post anywhere (I've surfed the internet looking for this info for a few days now), about their experiences with this process. It does seem that what ever consulate website you look at, whether in the states (Miami, Chicago, etc) or South America, saw the link from someone on here about it, they all say 10,000 a year plus 1700 for each dependent. This won't be our problem at we will make about 4000 a month on retirement. I lived in spain for 7 years and was married to a local guy from Rota for 5 years and we had a son. Although we are now divorced my son spent every summer there for the last 15 years and I have stayed at least 3 weeks every year also. I am retired military and can use the base for all my medical and dental needs plus tricare I believe covers some emergency things that could happen. If not local insurance is not that much really. I hope my connections to Spain will help with thjs process but who knows?? Just wish more people who have obtained the visa would write about it!!


No, there are very few American expats posting here or other similar sites, presumably because of the difficulty of obtaining non-work retirement visa. Those who live in Spain on retirement usually have family connection like being married to a Spanish or other EU national or have lived and worked in Spain long enough to get permanent residency.
There is a different visa arrangement for those of South American origin, as they can get citizenship after living in Spain for only two years.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Joppa said:


> No, there are very few American expats posting here or other similar sites, presumably because of the difficulty of obtaining non-work retirement visa. Those who live in Spain on retirement usually have family connection like being married to a Spanish or other EU national or have lived and worked in Spain long enough to get permanent residency.
> There is a different visa arrangement for those of South American origin, as they can get citizenship after living in Spain for only two years.


you're right - these visas are notoriously hard to obtain

the most recent regular poster here who is USC & has applied for a retirement visa recently decided to not wait til it comes through, but to just come over on the 90 tourist visa & keep everything crossed that the retirement visa comes through OK



not to be recommended & I hope they are OK


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

lbernal said:


> I lived in spain for 7 years and was married to a local guy from Rota for 5 years and we had a son.


Sorry, I can't help you with your questions about the retirement visa, but another approach might be that your son is entitled to Spanish citizenship, if he doesn't have it already. As his mother you might have a "foot in the door" that way.

My husband brought up the point that a U.S. citizen can petition to bring a foreign parent to live in the United States, and Spain might have a similar immigration rule. I would imagine that your son would have to be living in Spain, however.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

Joppa said:


> There is a different visa arrangement for those of South American origin, as they can get citizenship after living in Spain for only two years.


Just wanted to point out that it's all of Latin America, not just South America. I heard this from my hubby, who's pretty good with the immigration info.

Also Filipinos are eligible, and other places where the Spanish dipped their big toes.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

If your son was born in Spain with a Spanish father then he is Spanish. My understanding is that your best route will be via him.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> the most recent regular poster here who is USC


A University of Southern California alum? 
Oh, U.S. citizen.



xabiachica said:


> & has applied for a retirement visa recently decided to not wait til it comes through, but to just come over on the 90 tourist visa & keep everything crossed that the retirement visa comes through OK
> 
> not to be recommended & I hope they are OK


You mean Folklore. Yes, he might be a good one for Ibernal to get in touch with regarding the financial requirements. 

Americans don't need a visa to come to Spain as a tourist. Folklore would be perfectly legal in Spain visiting relatives for up to 90 days, then heading back to Colombia, where he applied for his retirement visa.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Brangus said:


> Americans don't need a visa to come to Spain as a tourist. Folklore would be perfectly legal in Spain visiting relatives for up to 90 days, then heading back to Colombia, where he applied for his retirement visa.


Hmmmm .... why do I need a visa to go to the US on holiday?? And have to pay the US Government for it!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Brangus said:


> A University of Southern California alum?
> Oh, U.S. citizen.
> 
> 
> ...


yes, exactly - & this is his second this year, so he could run into hot water if the visa takes longer to come through than he expects - or even doesn't come through at all


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> Hmmmm .... why do I need a visa to go to the UK on holiday?? And have to pay the US Government for it!


you mean the US, surely 

it isn't much though is it, and lasts for 2 years for as many visits as you like as long as you don't overstay & clock up too many days? 

do US citizens not have to pay _anything_ for a holiday visa?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

My father was an American and I have five half brothers and sisters living in the west. If I chose, it would still be quite easy for me to get a green card via that route but instead I chose Spain and that's enough excitement for one lifetime. If I have any more I'll go to Florida. Incidentally, my father was an extremist Mormon and held some views of the world that were mindbogglingly stupid (such as women are not human, they are animals; they must serve their man properly and if they do well they may be granted the opportunity to return to earth as a man and then,l perhaps, ascend to heaven - I kid you not, it's what he told me in a very loud voice in a pub garden in deepest Surrey) and he brought his kids up to be the same. The three boys left the church soon after he died but the two girls are still committed to the cause. My father left the Mormon church once he was promoted to a level senior enough to allow him access to the 'secret' parts of the Tabernacle and when he discovered that all of the money he and other members had been pouring in to help poor Mormons had in fact been spent on gold and art collectikons, he quit. Takes all kinds. Sorry for the rather extreme diversion. BACK TO TOPIC!!!!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> you mean the US, surely
> 
> it isn't much though is it, and lasts for 2 years for as many visits as you like as long as you don't overstay & clock up too many days?
> 
> do US citizens not have to pay _anything_ for a holiday visa?


Oops, yes I did mean the US ... I changed it now


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> Oops, yes I did mean the US ... I changed it now


cheat!!

too late anyway - I quoted you


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## lbernal (Oct 6, 2011)

Good Information, My son is at college now, pre-med, I am very proud of him and also very sure he doesn't, at this time, want to move back to Spain. He loves it there so I could see him making this decision sometime in his future. I will be interested in Folklore's experience with this. Hopefully there will be some posts soon about it!


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