Retirement and passive income visas: how much income 7 programmes ask for

Published October 9, 2026

🇵🇹 Portugal 🇪🇸 Spain 🇮🇹 Italy 🇫🇷 France 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇹🇭 Thailand Visas and immigration

France asks for €1,477.93 a month for its visitor card, Brazil for a pension of at least USD 2,000 a month, and Italy for more than €31,000 a year per applicant. Several programmes set the bar as a multiple of a national wage or index instead of a fixed figure. Here are seven programmes checked on official pages on 9 October 2026.

Photo: Timur Seyfelmlyukov · Unsplash

Some countries offer a residence route for people who will live on a pension, rent or investments and will not work locally.

This is not a complete list. It covers seven programmes we checked on official pages on 9 October 2026. Where a page carries its own date, we say so. Remote work visas are a different category, covered in our article on digital nomad visas.

The table

Country and programme	Minimum income or means	Family	Work allowed	Initial length
Portugal, residence visa for retirees and people living on their own income (D7)	Means for at least 12 months, measured against the minimum monthly wage: €920 in 2026, net of social security contributions	Second adult 50% more, each child 30% more	Not stated on the pages we read	Not stated on the pages we read
Spain, non-working residence visa	400% of the IPREM index	100% of the IPREM more per family member	No	Visa valid for 1 year
Italy, elective residence visa	More than €31,000 a year per applicant	Dependent spouse and children, if the funds cover them	No	Not stated on the page we read
France, "visitor" temporary residence card	€1,477.93 net a month, over 1 year	Resources of a family member can count	No	Card valid for up to 1 year, renewable
Brazil, VITEM XIV retirement visa	Pension or retirement income of at least USD 2,000 a month	Not stated on the page we read	Not stated on the page we read	Not stated on the page we read
Colombia, Visa M Pensionado	Lifetime pension of at least 3 legal monthly minimum wages	Beneficiary visas for spouse, partner and children under 25	No	Up to 3 years
Thailand, Long-Term Resident visa, Wealthy Pensioners	Passive income of at least USD 80,000 a year, or USD 40,000 plus a USD 250,000 investment in Thailand	Spouse and children can apply for dependants' visas	Not stated for this category	5 years, extendable by 5

Fixed amounts

France sets the clearest figure. The service-public page on the visitor card, verified on 1 June 2026, asks for €1,477.93 net a month over one year. Pensions and real estate income count, and so can the resources of a family member. The card does not allow work in any form.

Italy asks for more than €31,000 a year per applicant, according to the Italian consulate in Boston. Income from employment does not count; pensions, annuities, property and investment income do. The visa can cover a dependent spouse and children if the applicant shows enough funds for them, and it does not allow work.

Brazil asks retirees and pensioners to show a monthly income of at least USD 2,000 that they can transfer to Brazil, according to the Brazilian consulate in New York.

Thailand has the highest bar in the table. The Wealthy Pensioners route of the Long-Term Resident visa asks for passive income of at least USD 80,000 a year. Applicants with at least USD 40,000 a year can qualify by also investing USD 250,000 in Thailand, for example in Thai government bonds or a Thai company. The first stay is five years, extendable by five more, according to the Board of Investment, whose document list for this category is dated 30 June 2025.

Amounts tied to an index or a wage

Portugal does not set a separate figure for the D7. Applicants show means of subsistence for at least 12 months, and the visa portal measures them against the national minimum monthly wage, which it gives as €920 in 2026, taken net of social security contributions. A second adult adds 50% and each child adds 30%. The amount can be halved if accommodation is secured.

Spain sets the bar at 400% of the IPREM, the Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator, plus 100% of the IPREM for each family member. The consulate page we read gives the rule, not a euro amount. The visa does not constitute a work permit.

Colombia asks for a lifetime pension of at least three legal monthly minimum wages, under Resolution 5477 of 2022. The visa lasts up to three years, does not allow work, and lets the holder apply for beneficiary visas for a spouse, a permanent partner and children under 25.

What to compare

Monthly or yearly. France and Brazil state a monthly figure; Italy and Thailand state a yearly one. Divide by 12 before comparing: Italy's bar works out at more than €2,580 a month, Thailand's at about USD 6,670.
Per person or per household. Italy counts per applicant. Portugal, Spain and Colombia add amounts or visas for family members.
What counts as income. Thailand and Italy say explicitly that salaries do not count.

What the table does not show

Health insurance. Several programmes ask for it, including Brazil, Colombia and Thailand, with different conditions.
Consulate differences. Italy, Brazil and Portugal publish requirements through each consulate, and figures and documents can vary between them.

How to use this list

Find the page of the consulate that covers you. Requirements are applied by the consulate where you apply.
Convert index-based amounts yourself. For Spain and Colombia, check the current IPREM or minimum wage on the official page before you plan.
Check the work rule. If you might take any paid work, note that Spain, Italy, France and Colombia do not allow it on these routes.

Country profiles: Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Brazil, Colombia and Thailand.

This article describes the rules as published on official pages on 9 October 2026 and is not legal or financial advice. Check the current rule with the country's immigration authority or consulate before you apply or move money.