Retiring abroad: retirement visas for Brits

Retiring to the sun is still very doable. Since Brexit, though, it starts with a visa application rather than a one-way ticket.

The short version

Brits who weren't living in the EU by 31 December 2020 now need a visa to retire there, and the 90/180-day rule limits visa-free stays.
Most retirement visas ask for a steady income that isn't from work, private health insurance, a clean criminal record and somewhere to live.
Spain wants 400% of its IPREM index [1]. Portugal bases its test on the minimum wage of EUR 920 (about £770) a month in 2026 [2]. Italy asks for at least EUR 31,000 (about £25,800) per applicant [3].
Thailand and Turkey have no reciprocal health agreement with the UK, so you'll rely on insurance [4][5].
Your State Pension rises each year in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Cyprus and Turkey, but is frozen in Thailand [6].

First: do you need a visa at all?

If you were legally living in an EU country by the end of 2020, you're covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and keep your residence rights there. Our guide to Brits in the EU after Brexit explains what that means.

Everyone else is treated like any other non-EU national. You can spend up to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area without a visa. That suits the swallows who winter in the Canaries, but anything longer needs a national long-stay visa. Apply from the UK, through the country's embassy, consulate or visa centre, before you go.

The main retirement visas compared

Country	Route	Money test	Health cover
Spain	Non-lucrative residence visa	400% of IPREM, plus 100% per dependant [1]	Private cover matching the public system, or a registered S1 [1]
Portugal	D7 residence visa (retirees and passive income)	Based on the minimum monthly wage, EUR 920 in 2026; +50% second adult, +30% per child [2]	Travel insurance with medical cover at visa stage [7]
Italy	Elective residence visa	At least EUR 31,000 per applicant, not from work [3]	Ask the consulate; private cover expected
France	Long-stay visitor visa	Enough to live on without working (in words below)	Private cover, or an S1 if eligible
Cyprus	Category F immigration permit	A secure income from abroad (in words below)	Private cover
Thailand	Non-Immigrant O / O-A (retirement)	THB 800,000 in the bank or THB 65,000 a month, aged 50+ [9]	Insurance; no UK health agreement [5]
Turkey	Residence permit	Enough to support yourself (in words below)	Insurance; no UK health agreement [4]

Thresholds change, so always check the official page for the consulate you'll apply to. Pound conversions in this guide use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.20).

Spain: the non-lucrative visa

The non-lucrative visa is the classic route for Brits retiring to the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca or the islands. You can't work in Spain on it. The Spanish Consulate in London sets out the requirements [1]:

Money: 400% of Spain's IPREM index for the first year, plus 100% of IPREM for each dependant. IPREM is set each year in Spain, so check the current figure before you apply. Bank statements must show balances at 31 December of the previous year and the average balance over that year.
Health insurance: a policy from an insurer authorised in Spain covering everything the Spanish public system covers. A registered S1 is also accepted, which helps if you already get your UK State Pension.
Criminal record: an ACRO certificate covering the last five years, no older than six months, with an apostille and sworn Spanish translation.
Medical certificate: issued within three months of applying, from a doctor in the UK or Spain, with an apostille if from the UK.
Passport: valid for at least a year, issued within the last ten years, with two blank pages.

The visa lasts a year. Once in Spain you have one month to apply for your TIE residence card. Decisions take about two months.

Portugal: the D7

Portugal's D7 is the residence visa for retirees and people living on passive income such as pensions, rent or dividends. The means test is based on the Portuguese minimum monthly wage, which is EUR 920 (about £770) a month in 2026, net of social security [2]:

first adult: 100%
second adult: 50%
each child or dependent child: 30%

The visa application also asks for a criminal record certificate (apostilled) and valid travel insurance covering medical costs, including urgent care [7]. The consulate can ask for more documents, such as proof of where you'll live. Once there, you apply to AIMA, the migration agency, for your residence permit.

Italy: the elective residence visa

Italy's elective residence visa is for people with a stable, regular income that doesn't come from work: pensions, rental income or investments. Italian embassy checklists in 2026 ask for at least EUR 31,000 (about £25,800) per applicant, which consulates treat as a yearly figure [3]. You also need suitable accommodation, shown by a lease or deed registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate [3]. Requirements vary a little between consulates, so check with the one covering where you live.

France: the long-stay visitor visa

France's long-stay visitor visa is for people who'll live on their own means and won't work. You must show you have enough money to support yourself and private health insurance. Consulates assess the income case by case, so we've kept it in words. Once you arrive, you validate the long-stay visa or apply for a residence permit [8]. If you get your UK State Pension and qualify for an S1, the NHS can fund your French healthcare.

Cyprus: the Category F permit

Cyprus is popular with Brits around Paphos and Larnaca. The Category F immigration permit is the long-term route for people with a secure income from abroad who won't work. The Civil Registry and Migration Department sets a minimum yearly income, plus extra for each dependant, and wants proof of health insurance and a clean criminal record. We couldn't confirm the current figure on an official page, so check with the department before you apply.

Further afield: Thailand and Turkey

Thailand. The usual retirement routes are the Non-Immigrant O and O-A visas. Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets the age at 50 and over on the day you apply, and asks for a bank deposit of at least THB 800,000 (about £17,700), a monthly income of at least THB 65,000 (about £1,440), or a mix of the two totalling THB 800,000 [9]. The O-A also needs a year's health insurance with cover of at least THB 3,000,000 or USD 100,000, as Thai embassies list it [10]. Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = THB 45.11). Apply through the Thai e-visa website or the Royal Thai Embassy in London [5]. Thailand has no healthcare agreement with the UK [5], and your State Pension will be frozen there [6].

Turkey. You apply for a residence permit online through the Directorate General of Migration Management [4]. Turkey has no reciprocal health agreement with the UK, so you'll need insurance. After a year on a valid residence permit you can join the Turkish Universal Health Insurance System; if you get a UK State Pension, you join as a policyholder in your own right [4]. Turkey is one of the countries where your State Pension keeps rising [6].

Practical tips before you apply

Start early. Gathering apostilled documents and translations can take a couple of months.
Work out your income in euros. If the pound falls, a pension that cleared the bar last year might not this year.
Sort health cover first. See our guide to the NHS when you live abroad and the S1.
Think about tax. Becoming resident usually makes you taxable there on your worldwide income. A tax adviser who knows both countries can check your case.
Read the FCDO "Living in" guide for your country.

Fancy comparing notes with people who've done it? Our community groups for Brits abroad are a good place to start. Join us here.

Retiring abroad: the main retirement visas for Brits after Brexit