Passive Income Visa Countries: Income Requirements Compared (2026)

More than twenty countries will grant you residency if you can show a steady income that does not come from working. That income can be a pension, investment returns, rental property, dividends, or an annuity. The defining feature is that it keeps arriving without you holding a job.

The arrangement suits both sides. You support yourself from outside earnings, and the country gains a resident who spends in the local economy without taking a local job. That is why the income thresholds are often lower than people expect, and why a country’s cost of living, rather than one fixed global figure, usually sets the bar.

These programs go by different names depending on where you look: passive income visa, retirement visa, person of independent means visa, non-lucrative visa, or rentista visa. The requirements vary widely, so treat the figures below as a starting point, not a substitute for checking the current rules for the country you have in mind.

Passive Income Visa Countries

More than twenty countries run some version of this visa, and the programs vary widely in cost and complexity. Because the rules and figures change often, it is worth getting advice from an immigration lawyer before you commit to one. Countries that currently offer a passive income, person of independent means, non-lucrative, retirement, or rentista visa include:

• Argentina
• Austria
• Costa Rica
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Philippines
• Portugal
• Spain
• Thailand
• Vanuatu

How Much Income Do You Need to Qualify?

The amount you need to prove is often smaller than people expect. A country’s cost of living usually drives the figure, so lower-cost countries tend to ask for less. What the government wants to see is straightforward: that you can support yourself without local help. Here is what each country currently asks for.

Country		Monthly income (approx.)	Key conditions
Argentina		~$2,000	Official minimum is tied to 5x the minimum wage and is far lower in practice; lawyers advise showing at least $2,000/mo passive income.
Aruba		Income threshold applies	Requires proof of income, with a lower threshold once you are over 55. Confirm current figures with Aruba’s immigration authority (DIMAS).
Austria		~€2,600 (~$2,850)	Settlement permit excluding employment: roughly double the single ASVG rate. A1 German, health insurance, accommodation, and a limited annual quota apply.
Costa Rica		$1,000	Pensionado: lifetime pension of at least $1,000/mo. (Rentista route is $2,500/mo.)
France		~€1,450 (~$1,600)	Long-stay visitor visa, benchmarked to net SMIC. Needs accommodation and private health insurance; assessed case by case.
Greece		€3,500 (~$3,800)	FIP visa: €3,500/mo, +20% for a spouse and 15% per child. Savings alternative is roughly €84,000–126,000 for the permit term.
Honduras		$1,500	Pensionado: guaranteed pension of at least $1,500/mo. (Rentista route is $2,500/mo.)
Ireland		€50,000/yr (~$4,500/mo)	Stamp 0: €50,000/yr plus an accessible lump sum equal to the price of a home. Private health insurance; no work.
Italy		~€2,600 (~$2,800)	Elective residence: ~€31,000/yr passive income. No work, including remote. Accommodation and health insurance required.
Malaysia		Tiered, see note	MM2H is now Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers with fixed deposits from RM150,000 up to RM1,000,000, plus a property purchase on most tiers. No single monthly-income figure applies.
Mauritius		$1,500	Over 50; $1,500/mo or $18,000 in a local account. 10-year permit, renewable.
Nicaragua		Pension required	Pensionado, age 45+. Long one of the region’s lowest thresholds, but sources disagree on the current minimum; confirm with Nicaraguan immigration.
Panama		$1,000	Pensionado: lifetime pension of at least $1,000/mo ($750 if you buy property). Grants permanent residency.
Portugal		€920 (~$1,000)	D7: tied to the 2026 minimum wage (€920/mo, €11,040/yr). External passive income, plus one year of income held in a Portuguese account.
Spain		€2,400 (~$2,600)	NLV: €28,800/yr (400% of IPREM), +€7,200/yr per dependent. Ongoing passive income, private Spanish health insurance, no work.
Thailand		~$1,900	Retirement (Non-O/O-A), age 50+: 65,000 baht/mo income or 800,000 baht (~$23,000) on deposit. No work; no path to PR or citizenship.
Vanuatu		~$2,100	Self-funded resident: VT 250,000/mo deposited into a Vanuatu bank account (VT 500,000 with a spouse).

Note: USD figures are approximate and move with exchange rates; rates current as of June 2026.

Passive Income vs Active Income

These visas turn on the type of income you have. For immigration purposes, income falls into two camps: passive and active.

Passive income is money that arrives without you actively working for it. Common examples are rent from a property, dividends from a company you are not involved in running, a pension, an annuity, a silent partnership, investment income, and royalties. The common thread is that little current effort is needed on your part to receive it.

Active income is money you are paid for work. That includes freelancing, running your own company, and being employed.

Internal vs External Income

Countries also care where your income comes from. Money earned outside their borders, called external income, is more attractive because it brings new spending into the local economy without competing with local earners. If part of your income is generated inside the country, say from a rental property you own there, you may be asked to show additional outside sources.

A Closer Look at Some Passive Income Visa Programs

Here are several of the better-known programs in more detail.

Spain Non-Lucrative visa

The Non-Lucrative Visa allows only passive income, so you cannot work in Spain while holding it. You can include dependent family members, and it suits retirees and people living on passive income.

You will need to show €28,800 a year, plus €7,200 for each dependent, and hold comprehensive Spanish health insurance for everyone on the application. We cover the details in our article on the Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain.

You can also book a planning session with our immigration partner in Spain, who will review your situation and walk you through the steps.

Mauritius Retirement Visa

The Mauritius retired permit is open to people over 50. If you can show a steady transfer of at least $1,500 a month, or $18,000 held in a local account, you qualify. The permit runs for ten years and is renewable. You can read more in our Mauritius visa article.

France Visitor residence permit “Carte de séjour visiteur“

France offers a 12-month renewable visitor permit. You generally need to show income around the level of the French minimum wage, roughly €1,450 a month in 2026, with the exact bar depending partly on your rent. You will also need somewhere to live and private health insurance. See more in our long-term French visa guide.

German Freelancer Visa “Freiberufler”

Germany’s freelance residence permit, the Aufenthaltserlaubnis für freiberufliche Tätigkeit, is aimed at people in the liberal professions such as IT, design, writing, consulting, and the arts. It is worth flagging that this is a self-employment route rather than a pure passive income visa: you are expected to work as a freelancer and show viable clients. Germany does not publish a single fixed income floor. Instead, you must show you can support yourself, and applicants over 45 are usually asked to show adequate retirement provision. The permit is typically issued for up to three years. Because the assessment is made case by case, confirm the current requirements with an immigration lawyer before applying.

Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa

The D7 requires proof of a steady passive income. The benchmark tracks Portugal’s minimum wage, which in 2026 means about €11,040 a year (€920 a month) for a single applicant, with more for dependents. You will also need savings equal to roughly a year’s income held in a Portuguese bank account. To keep the permit, you must not spend extended periods outside Portugal, broadly no more than six consecutive months away, so it works best if you genuinely live there. Read more about the Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa requirements here.

Austria Settlement Permit (Independent Means)

Austria’s settlement permit for people not working locally comes with several conditions. You will need passive income of roughly €2,600 a month for a single applicant. The figure is benchmarked to social-insurance reference rates and is higher than the headline single rate because you will not be earning in Austria. You will also need basic German at A1 level, health insurance, and somewhere to live. Family members can be included, with additional income required for each. One catch worth knowing: these permits are capped by an annual quota, so the timing of your application matters.

Ireland Stamp 0 (Person of Independent Means)

Ireland’s Stamp 0 has no age limit. You will need to prove an individual income of at least €50,000 a year, plus access to a lump sum large enough to cover major one-off costs, roughly the price of a home. Private health insurance is required, and you cannot work.

Aruba Passive Income Permit

Aruba grants a residence permit to applicants who can show sufficient passive income, with a lower threshold once you are over 55. The exact figures shift, so confirm the current requirement with Aruba’s immigration authority (DIMAS) before applying.

Indonesia Retirement KITAS

Indonesia’s retirement KITAS is open to people aged 55 and over. You will need to show income of around $1,500 a month from a pension or similar source, hold health insurance, and have accommodation in Indonesia. Applications are made through a licensed local sponsor. Requirements have changed in recent years, so check the current rules before applying.

Nicaragua Pensionado Residency

Nicaragua has a sizable expat population drawn by its low cost of living. Its pensionado residency is open to people over 45 who can show a steady pension. The income threshold has long been among the lowest in the region, but recent sources disagree on the current minimum, so confirm it with Nicaraguan immigration before relying on a figure.

How to Apply for a Passive Income Visa

Requirements differ from country to country, but most applications follow the same broad path.

1. Check the requirements. Confirm the minimum income, whether it must come from outside the country, any age limits, and whether the visa can lead to permanent residency or citizenship. These vary widely, so check the specific country rather than assuming.

2. Gather your documents. Most applications ask for proof of income (bank statements, pension records, investment returns), proof of accommodation, health insurance, a criminal background check, and the application forms and fees.

3. Submit and attend any interview. Some countries let you apply online; others require an appointment at an embassy or consulate. You may be asked to explain your finances and your plans in the country.

4. Receive and renew. Passive income visas are usually granted for one to two years and renewed as long as you still meet the conditions. After several years, many countries let you apply for permanent residency, and some for citizenship.

A practical tip: the paperwork is where these applications go wrong. Some consulates want original documents, others want copies certified in a particular way, and the rules on translations and how recent a document must be differ by country. A local immigration lawyer who handles these applications regularly is usually worth the cost.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Thin proof of income. Governments want clear, documented evidence that your income is stable and ongoing.
• Overlooking health insurance. Many programs require private cover that meets a set standard.
• Assuming the visa leads to citizenship. Some do not lead anywhere permanent. Thailand’s retirement visa, for example, has no path to permanent residency or citizenship.
• Missing the residency requirement. Some visas require you to spend a minimum amount of time in the country each year. Spain’s Non-Lucrative Visa, for instance, expects you to be present for most of the year and not absent more than six months at a stretch.
• Ignoring tax. Some countries tax your worldwide income once you become a resident, so understand the tax position before you move.

Retirement Visas

The right program depends on your income type, your age, and where you want to live, and the requirements shift often, as the figures above show. Before you settle on a country, confirm the current rules and have your financial documents reviewed by an immigration lawyer who works in that jurisdiction. A short consultation early on costs far less than a refused application.

Choosing the Right Passive Income Visa

The right program depends on your income type, your age, and where you want to live, and the requirements shift often, as the figures above show. Before you settle on a country, confirm the current rules and have your financial documents reviewed by an immigration lawyer who works in that jurisdiction. A short consultation early on costs far less than a refused application.

Passive Income Visa Countries – FAQ