International Living Community

Hi @KELLYDUNNAWAY We’ve checked in with Glenda Cole, our expert in Portugal, to get an answer to your question. You are welcome to email Glenda about your trip to the Algarve, glendafcole@yahoo.com

Hi there! Ted Baumann here. I've actually stayed at the Garden Route Game Lodge myself, it's really nice. Lovely big fireplaces for the evening meals. The quickest way to get there from Aghulas would be to take the R319 provincial road north Until you intersect with the N2 highway, Which runs east west. You would make a right turn onto the N2 then go through Swellendam, Heidelberg, and Riversdale, and then you'll pick up the game lodge a bit further on on the left.

I haven't been there but perhaps one of the other ILers will comment. I'll just add that, while I can't tell you when or if International Living will ever cover Paraguay, I can tell you that the countries covered here generally check the majority of the following boxes: Home to expat communities Welcoming to foreigners Straightforward access to legal residence Safe for families, retirees, single women Excellent infrastructure (roads, telecommunications, power, water) Politically stable Strong/stable economy Straightfoward access to bank accounts You can move your money in and out with reasonable ease A good range of property available for sale and rent Excellent value (cost of living vs what you get for your money) Easy to travel to/in-country And more (for a full list of categories see International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index: https://magazine.internationalliving.com/internationalliving/library/item/january_2024/4158110/ ) To sum up there typically needs to be great value and a high enough standard of living to entice expats to go, especially when much longer flights are involved. (For example, even though it takes 8+ hours to fly to Uruguay from the States, we do cover it from time to time because it offers so much. You can read our latest coverage in the June issue of IL magazine https://magazine.internationalliving.com/internationalliving/library/item/may_2024/4189974/ ) Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

You may want to reach out to Ronan McMahon's team of experts at Pangea as they have done a lot of scouting in Spain (albeit much of it on the coast... still, they may have a broker to recommend who does long-term rentals in the San Sebastian/Donostia area and if so, that'll be info worth having): Email: info@pangearesearchgroup.com Website: https://pangearesearchgroup.com Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

I'm not doing any traveling in Costa Rica this time around but but thought I'd chime in just to say that on a previous year I did rent a car and tour on my own after a conference and it was great! I felt perfectly safe (even when I got a flat tire on the highway at dusk) and had a lovely time. I went to Grecia, Atenas, and San Ramon (stopped in Sarchí), there was a ton of info on Facebook expat groups, makes it easy to ask/find out about expat gatherings/hangouts. Prior to that I'd been to and enjoyed beaches around Manuel Antonio and Ojochal. Went to Limon on the Caribbean side many, many years ago as well (there's a nice little expat community there now). No matter what part of the country you choose, it's hard to go wrong. The number one thing I personally do to ensure a good trip is to make some connections via facebook ahead of time and number two book stays at places with great recent reviews. Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

You may have trouble getting into a private insurance plan but depending on the country (and sometimes depending on the community) you choose and depending on the type of residence/visa you utilize, you may find you have other great options such as getting into the public system or a hospital membership plan. True, most do make the move before the age of 80, and at any age there are a lot of factors to consider, including health, personality type, community ties, finances... but there are some wonderful 80+ success stories! Here's some inspiration: https://members.internationalliving.com/articles/finding-adventure-in-retirement/ Plus you might enjoy this video of 81-year-old world travelers on the International Living YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/JSpt-xjkxFU?si=cs7RF78dCJ4BgkwE Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

The much-awaited Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa has been relaunched with new terms and conditions. We've just posted an update on our website: https://internationalliving.com/malaysias-mm2h-relaunch-what-expats-need-to-know/

Welcome John, it’s great to have you! In this forum you’ll find helpful posts on different countries. Our Portugal section is a place dedicated to navigating life in Portugal with valuable insight, tips, and shared experiences which you may find useful for your journey! Again, welcome to the Community!

Thanks for the interest and for a great idea. I have a few suggestions that may help. with the third and fourth week. First take a look at the type of climate you want to live in, Italy is mostly a mediterranean climate but parts of Italy are considered sub-arctic and some parts are very hot and very dry. .... Second look at the type of topography you want to live in! Mountains, seashore, valley, it is all here. Tuscany is rolling hills but Italy has a lot more and many places that are a lot less expensive. Umbria, Abruzzo and Le Marche come to mind immediatly for the small village, that very homey feeling with fresh local food and a sense of community,. But much of |Italy has that in its small towns. That is why I stressed finding the topography and the climate you want first. Finally for your last two weeks, I would rent a car and travel. and try to get lost. Italy has so much to offer that traveling might open your eyes to new things. Book BnBs or hotels on the fly and I have found that not using the standard BnB website can save you as much as 30% a night. You are definately in for a lot of fun... enjoy and I hope this helps make your journey even more successful. Chip Stites, Italy Correspondent, International Living Magazine.

Hi @MARKASHIRAZI Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g

Hi @DAVIDOSTON Thanks for your question! We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response, As with most countries, Portuguese immigration bureaucracy can be difficult to decipher. It's not uncommon to hear of Wildly different timelines for approval of visa applications. There are many variables, including the embassy or consulate where you made your application, the nature of the supporting documentation and evidence that you provided, whether you used a service provider to help with the application and even the temperament of individual bureaucrats. In general, the best approach is always to go with an experienced immigration consultant. Not only can they ensure that your application is done right the first time, they often know individuals within the bureaucracy who they can contact to expedite matters. In my experience, the charges they levy for these services are more than worth it.

Hi, I'm Bel the Mexico Correspondent and I was in San Miguel de Allende a couple of months ago. Is this the San Miguel you are referring to? I live in San Miguel de Cozumel, and there are other San Miguel's throughout the country so I just want to check I give you the correct information. Assuming it's this San Miguel, allow me to put your mind at ease. I went out to the popular expat neighbourhoods outside of the city and they were full of beautiful modern homes and good infrastructure for driving around, close to major shopping malls and quiet. But if mountains aren't your thing, then on both east and west coasts you'll fine lively, fun beach towns and cities with plenty to do and beautiful natural scenery. I would recommend checking out (scroll to the bottom of) our Mexico page which has 43 places listed an there are plenty to choose from depending on the area you'd like to live. You can find that here - https://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/ Warmest regards, Bel - Mexico Correspondent.

Hi @SDKRANZ1 Thanks for your question! The Portugal page on our website and our Portugal Guide have plenty of information you might find helpful on everything you need to know about moving to and living in Portugal. Here are the links: https://internationalliving.com/countries/portugal/ https://www.ilbookstore.com/portugal-itinerary Best of luck!

Hi Don, Thanks for your question! We've checked in with Margaret Summerfield, Real Estate Trend Alert, to get an answer to your question. Here is her response, The cost would depend on a number of factors – where the property is located, if the seller is tax resident in Spain, etc. The typical costs are: 1, real estate agent fees (vary from 3% to 10%) 2, capital gains tax – which can be up to 24% of the gain for a non-resident, non EU/EEA seller. Deductions are allowed, and the tax can be lower if the seller is tax resident/selling a primary residence/using the proceeds to buy a primary residence 3, plusvalia (like a municipal land tax) – this is based on the rise in value of the land the property sits on from the time of purchase to the time of sale - and is on a sliding scale based on how long the seller has owned the property. If say you have held it for up to 5 years, it’s around 3.7% 4, legal costs (around 1%) 5, You also need to pay for certificates (including an energy performance certificate), cancelling a mortgage if there is one, etc.

Welcome Brian, it’s great to have you! Remember you can access and search the International Living Magazine Archive and reach out to IL Customer Service about your membership benefits. You’ll find information on books and other products and upcoming events. In this forum you’ll find helpful posts on different countries (and we invite you to post questions you don’t find the answers for). Again, welcome to the Community… you’re an ILer now. Here’s to thinking… and living… internationally

Hi @KAKIFRY_DP Thanks for your question! We’ve checked in with Glenda Cole to get an answer to your question, here is her response, Like much of the world, temps have indeed increased in Portugal over the last few years. This kind of heat is unusual, but we had a similar heat wave across central Portugal and Spain two summers ago. I live in the beautiful Algarve on the southern coast, where the sea breezes offset this heat.

In both countries, the only way to get a passport is by acquiring citizenship, which requires living in those countries for a continuous period. Thr spouse can't get citizenship ifhe/she isn't living there. In Lithuania, if the spouse of a citizen lives in the country for seven years as a permanent resident they are eligible to apply for a passport.Getting permanent residency is more or less the same as it is in the US, with registering your foreign marriage with the Lithuanian government, having a place to live, sufficient funds, and so on. In Poland, the foreign spouse must first live in the country with a temporary residence permit based on marriage. After that, the spouse can apply for permanent residence. The spouse must remain on that status for another year. As long as you haven't been absent for more than 10 months in total over that five year period, the spouse can then apply for citizenship. One thing that can cause complications in both cases is whether the Lithuanian or Polish citizen was recognized as such at the time of marriage. Lithuanian law doesn't require that a couple be married for any particular period before they apply for citizenship, but Poland says that you have to be married to a citizen for at least three years. Some Polish officials interpret that as meaning that you have to wait for three years after your spouse became a citizen, whilst others counted from the date of your marriage. But under Polish law, once you're recognized as a citizen by right of blood, your citizenship is backdated to the time of your birth. The problem is that not all Polish bureaucrats know that!

Hi Kathleen, thanks for reaching out. For all customer service inquiries please go to the Contact Us page on the International Living website https://internationalliving.com/contact-us/ and use the form to submit your question. You can also check out our FAQs here https://internationalliving.com/page/faq/ From Team IL. Millie, IL Community Moderator

Hi Robert, Here is the link to access 'The Best Ways to Find Rentals Overseas' report: https://bit.ly/3SAzr5I Millie, IL Community Moderator

Welcome Deb, it’s great to have you! Remember you can access and search the International Living Magazine Archive and reach out to IL Customer Service about your membership benefits. You’ll find information on books and other products and upcoming events. In this forum you’ll find helpful posts on different countries (and we invite you to post questions you don’t find the answers for). Again, welcome to the Community… you’re an ILer now. Here’s to thinking… and living… internationally