When it’s time to begin thinking about the retirement years, it’s wise to consider places where money can be stretched far and life can be comfortable from one day to the next.
Peru, while often overlooked by gringos on the prowl for a new home, is an ideal country for retirees who want to live comfortably and make sure their pensions stretch as far as possible each month.
Have you been thinking about making a move to Peru? If so, there are quite a few things you need to consider and take care of before hopping on a plane and flying over. Peru is filled with beautiful scenery and has many opportunities for people to simply relax and enjoy life. This is appealing to retirees as well as tourists and families looking for a home away from home outside of the U.S. Best of all, the Peruvian citizens are some of the warmest people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
Visa
To make a permanent move to Peru, you’re going to need to obtain a visa. This is called a rentista visa in Peru and while it will let you live in the country, it will not immediately let you earn a wage. To be able to work, even if you are retired and just want to work to earn a little cash every once in a while, you will need to apply for citizenship. Once you’ve been in Peru for two years, you can apply and obtain citizenship and can not only live in the country, but you will also be able to legally hold an employment position.
While most retirees have no desire to work and earn money, there are quite a few who even after retirement find they want to do something constructive and working tends to fill that constructive need. It’s also a great way to get to know the locals and earn a little extra money to save for something big.
To get your retirement, or rentista visa, you will need to follow these steps:
• Have a copy of your passport and tourist visa.
• Fill out Form F004.
• Have a letter from social security or from your pension fund that has been notarized in your home country.
• All copies must be translated into Spanish.
• A letter, a Declaracion Jurada, must be written to the government to assure them you have no criminal history.
• Turn your paperwork in along with your passport and tourist visa.
The rentista visa can take 3-4 months for processing and when it is ready, you will be able to stay in Peru permanently.
Moving Over
You can bring some personal items when you have a tourist visa, but you must wait until you have your retirement visa to bring household goods and large items to fill your new home. Once you have the retirement visa, you will be allowed to have one large shipment of personal items, furniture and other household goods imported without having to pay import taxes on your shipment.
Cars can be imported but you will need to pay taxes and import duties.
Housing Options
Most retirees opt to find an apartment in one of the larger cities like Lima. You will find that there are numerous options for suitable housing ranging from small apartments to large, luxury villas, single-family homes and even nice homes outside of the city. If you have a stable income, you will find housing to be very affordable and simple to find if you work with a good real estate agent to do so.
Lifestyle
Living with the Andes mountain ranges as a backdrop for life is an ideal way to spend hours relaxing and just enjoying peaceful serenity day after day. Many people, however, love the fact that Peru offers not only quietness and beautiful scenery, but there are so many amazing things to see and do throughout the country. For instance, you can spend a day exploring historical monasteries, museums, ancient ruins and even some spectacular rock formations.
There is also a lot of other more adventurous activities, including: swimming or sailing around the Palomino Islands, Circuito Magico del Agua where you can splash in the fountains, jungle adventures through Machu Picchu where you can white water raft, take long jungle hiking trips or even camping wild on the outskirts of the jungle for a night or two. The fun never ends in Peru and you’ll never run out of exciting things to do.
Final Thoughts
Peru can seem a little frightening if you have never been to the country before. The best advice you can heed is to plan a vacation and take some time exploring Peru before making the big move. Check out the local scenery in several different areas to determine whether you prefer the coastal area or you want to be inland. You also need to see the local shops, pricing on items you use most or check to see the expense of having products imported if they are must-have items in your home.