International Living Community

Hello there. Sorry about the technical difficulties.

Let's start with the golden visa issue. The type of programs you are referring to have mainly abandoned real estate as an option. But there are plenty of other visa types that will work for you as well. There's no need for you to start investing little bits into foreign stock markets to get residency abroad.

Of course, if you have money in an IRA, you can convert some of it to a self directed IRA, and to use that to invest in qualifying assets in whatever country you want to live in. As you note, it's quite difficult to get banking and brokerage facilities in a foreign country unless you have a close connection there, or until you've got a residency visa.

If your goal is to retire overseas, then your best bet is to focus on getting a financially independent person's visa, sometimes called a non-lucrative visa. In all countries, this requires that you demonstrate a regular flow of passive income from pension or investments. As long as you have enough coming in, and you have all the other paperwork in order, that allows you to live in the country indefinitely. And it doesn't require that you open up a bank account ahead of time.

It is nice to meet you! I just got back from a trip to the Central Valley last month. I use Facebook Groups to answer my questions and give advice when I am visiting a new place. I find them very helpful and my top resource.

On my recent editorial trip to Grecia, Costa Rica, I wandered into Los Jardines Vivero y Café. A kaleidoscope of colors welcomed me—flowers in every shade, vintage VWs adding charm, captivating art, and a Koi Pond. The Nuevos Amigos Group in Grecia weekly gathering was in full swing. Although expats started the group, it's a place where anyone interested in building new relationships can join on Wednesdays at noon.

And in Atenas, a weekly women's group gets together on Thursdays from 10 am - 12 pm. Every month they choose a new restaurant to visit. Their Facebook Group is informative: https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1144736216560449

Additionally, there was so much interest in Atenas that another group started meeting on Tuesday mornings, too.

I met a wonderful woman in Grecia, who specializes in real estate in these areas. I suggest contacting her on WhatsApp: Brooke Bishop +506 8311 5336

In the Central Valley, you will find the country's biggest cities and many bigger towns. That doesn't mean it's all urban. There are plenty of quiet countryside locations, little mountain villages, bustling market towns — you can also get away from it all in the Central Valley.

I suggest checking out some other areas, maybe Escazu, Alajuela, Santa Ana, Pavas, Tres Rios, and Cartago. If you stay in San Jose, you might want to stay at the Grano de Oro or the Gran Hilton Hotel. And we hold our yearly conference at the InterContinental Escazu.

Let me know if other questions come up.

Bekah Bottone, IL's Costa Rica Correspondent

Tuula, merci for your reply and for the link to your video. I'm sure I'll be contacting you again :-).

For a two week rental, your best option in Placencia will be AirBnb or VRBO. You could locate a few places on those sites and then contact them direct and see if they will offer a multi-week discount. However, February is busy season here so most places may not be willing to offer a discount. Here are a few places the come to mind that you could take a look at:

Alaska Reprieve Bella Sway Bella Vita Casitas Casa Valencia The Flying Toucan Lazy Palm Suites Sea Glass Inn Seabird Villas Serenity by the Sea Silver Leaf Villa White House Placencia

When you are here, be sure to swing by and say "hi" at Placencia Beach Club.

Shane Kenny IL Belize Correspondent

Hi Patrick,

Congrats on joining the IL community, it's great to have you! Remember in addition to the wealth of articles being posted on the main website www.InternationalLiving.com and running in the magazine https://members.internationalliving.com/magazine-issues/2024/ there's also the IL YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@internationalliving/featured, great videos to watch while working out, commuting, unwinding, etc.

Explore & discover - happy trails!

Best,

IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch