Retirement visas are the most predictable immigration route in South America: most countries publish a fixed monthly income threshold and grant multi-year residency against documented pension income. The complications are healthcare and currency, not paperwork.
Income proof
- Expect to show a pension award letter or equivalent, apostilled and translated.
- Thresholds commonly sit between $1,000 and $2,000 per month per applicant.
- Some countries accept annuity or investment income; others require a state or employer pension specifically.
- Dependants usually add a percentage to the required income.
Healthcare after 60
Private plans price by age band and frequently decline new applicants above a cut-off age or exclude pre-existing conditions. Enrolling in a public system where residency permits it — IESS in Ecuador, FONASA in Chile, a mutualista in Uruguay — is often the more durable foundation, with private cover layered on for speed.
Currency and social security
A pension paid in one currency and spent in another introduces exchange-rate risk into your baseline cost of living. Dollarised Ecuador removes it entirely; elsewhere, keeping a buffer of several months' expenses in the spending currency smooths the swings.
Retirement visa data by country
Every country profile lists retirement visa cost, income threshold, processing time, and whether it leads to permanent residency.
Open country profiles →Estimates for planning purposes — confirm with an official source before you act.