LittleGreyCat

Sound plan.
One minor issue - how do I explain it to my spouse?

LittleGreyCat

We still hope to move to NZ but in 2016 they cut back on Parental Visas, then stopped them entirely for a while.
They were going to open up again, and with our EOI being in the queue since 2016 we should have been fairly near the front.
However, Covid!
So we have no idea when (or even if) NZ are going to restart issuing Parental Visas and if so, what the new rules will be.

We are not happy in the UK with the restrictions on European movement and the increasingly corrupt and authoritarian Government.
This may, of course, change with the next GE but this is not looking likely.
So we are looking at a backup option for if we can't get to NZ.
There is no guarantee that anywhere else is going to be better but an ability to tour Europe whilst we are still reasonably fit and mobile would be very attractive compared to major travel restrictions (90 days in 180).
The UK is fine as a group of countries, with many lovely places and very friendly people.
We also speak the language!
Just not happy at the prospect of spending the next 8-10 years here, if we take a pessimistic view of how the country will be governed.
If you consider that Ireland might unify and Scotland become independent over the next 5 years then the horizons will be shrinking every year and I doubt that England will be a comfortable place to live.
I grew up travelling to Ireland, Wales, Scotland and if they are suddenly foreign countries with visa requirements then I would find this very hard.

Could all turn out fine, of course, but it is always nice to have an alternative plan scoped out if things go to Hades in a hand cart.

okonumiyaki

eh - minor issue. Just tell them you feel like a new spouse and a new passport

Red Eric

Someone mentioned Portugal above, so I'll expand a little on the requirements here.

Assuming you weren't looking to find work (which would be a tall order), then passive income amounting to the minimum wage for a single person, plus 50% for a couple satisfies the means requirement. Currently the minimum wage stands at 665€ so call it 1k per month for a couple. You could live OK on that provided you didn't have to fork out for rent.

5 years' residence gives the right to apply for citizenship, for which you'd need to pass a language proficiency test. Nothing too daunting and perfectly doable. Citizenship applications are currently taking well in excess of a year to process.

I can thoroughly recommend it should you be in such a position. Bags of choice location wise, public health service available to all residents, sensible government, good climate, reasonable property prices (provided you're not looking at Algarve seafront or central Lisbon / Porto), great food, plenty of culture, country making great progress after a troubled past. Added bonus for new arrivals of a favourable tax regime for a period of 10 years.

What more can I say?

Moses2013

In many ways Ireland can be a great alternative to NZ and especially for those who might know Dunedin and parts of Otago. Away from Dublin there are some nice places that offer that kind of life and one benefit is that you can live remote but without really being that remote. Rental market is tough but those who can afford to buy and want a bit of land still have options. Biggest benefit is that you can continue to live in an English speaking country with decent job opportunities and can explore Europe. We have a place in Spain and usually drive down via Cherbourg/Roscoff and while I love Spain, I don't even know if I'd want to live there permanently (once retired). It's great to have more winter sun but then again we love spring and summer here and can avoid the crowds. Probably just trying to get the best of both worlds.

not2old

anyone looked at the Latvia & Lithuania options.... check all of the possible options for each country, such as buying into a 1/3 of a business to get a residence permit & don't have to live in the country.

https://www.immigration-residency.co...50%20000%20EUR.

https://www.second-citizenship.org/p...dency-program/

other info

https://www.immigration-residency.com/

not2old

^^^on that, lets say you managed to get an EU/EEA country residency permit.

where would you live annually, how would you split spend your time living globally?

would you stay in one EU country as a base?

would you maintain 2 residence, say UK & a European country?

have you factored in the accommodation expenses, healthcare, travel costs?

if you are in limbo as far as the NZ family Visa (lets say you parked it) would you travel to NZ every other year with the NZ family traveling to you in the in between years.

as time marches on the factors/considerations are - its either Health or finances or both

LittleGreyCat

If we chose to seek EU residency then we would move to and live in the country, and almost certainly sell up in the UK to fund a purchase in our new home.
Then we would carry on as we did before the end of free movement, sometimes going to NZ and Australia over the UK winter and coming back for the UK summer.
Touring Europe part of the time.
Living at home part of the time.

There are so many places in continental Europe that we have yet to see.
So many places, so little time.

BritInParis

Spain’s Golden Visa requires a €500,000 investment in property. Given the relatively high cost of living in Ireland moving there for five to six years because you can’t ‘afford’ to move to Spain seems to be a false economy.

Moses2013

Why false economy? If someone planned to retire there in 10 years time and know they will not meet the non-lucrative visa income requirements, it's another way to keep that door open. The person might even own a small apartment in Spain, so might as well live in Ireland if they can get a job and aren't attached to where they live now. High cost of living is relative and if I work at a fast food restaurant in Brighton and end up at a fast food restaurant in Killarney, I don't see it being a false economy.

LittleGreyCat

Noting that we are retired.
Also noting that we don'y have £500k tucked down the back of a mattress.
Nor a house with that much equity.

Moses2013

Do you have a certain place in mind? If for example you plan to retire to Spain and don't have enough income to qualify for a non-lucrative visa but at least some equity, you could sell and might qualify that way?
For those retired with a lower income Portugal remains attractive with a D7 visa.

tdrinker

If you have sufficient income, the Portugal D7 visa as mentioned by a couple of posters is a good option. Red Eric outlined the income requirements.

LittleGreyCat

Portugal and Ireland leading at the moment.

Ireland because of language and free travel.

Portugal because of nice weather and relative affordability.

Moses2013

You could split time between Ireland and Portugal. I'm still far from retired and the more I think about it the better it sounds. We have a place in Spain and do love it there when the sun shines, although when it's dark it's dark (might sound funny). Hard to explain but I kind of get the feeling that when the sun goes down and you don't really speak the language, it feels like a more lonely place. Apart from the fact that it's only a holiday home now, I do enjoy the simple things in Ireland . Especially during spring and summer you can avoid the heat and busy beaches over there and the longer evenings compared to Spain or Portugal are a benefit, so we usually just go to Spain after September. We also looked at buying a place in Portugal but the places we liked were too expensive and it's easier to drive to Spain for us. Of course it's not for everyone to split time between two places and also a question of money. I might change my mind again but to know you can always come back to a place that feels like home (warts and all) is not bad either. Alternative as long as you can would be campervan.