Best Places In The World To Retire

It isn’t difficult to become a citizen of Mexico. We are a very warm people. We like having more Mexicans. We open the doors for you. It’s a simple process if you have everything in order.

 

You’ll need your birth certificate apostolized and translated. You’ll need to prove to the Mexican government you lived in Mexico for the correct amount of time. If you’re from Canada or the United States, it’s 5 consecutive...

It isn’t difficult to become a citizen of Mexico. We are a very warm people. We like having more Mexicans. We open the doors for you. It’s a simple process if you have everything in order.

 

You’ll need your birth certificate apostolized and translated. You’ll need to prove to the Mexican government you lived in Mexico for the correct amount of time. If you’re from Canada or the United States, it’s 5 consecutive years.  You’ll need your criminal records from the state where you’re living. If you live in Chapala, it’s the state of Jalisco.  You’ll also need your federal criminal record, for which you would have to go to Mexico City.

 

You take a small test if you’re under 65; six questions, but they’re very generic in Spanish, and you’ll have an interview, and you pay roughly 5,000 pesos (roughly US $270) to the Mexican government.  The process is between 3 to 6 months.

 

This is if you go through it without having any ties to Mexico. What do I mean with having ties to Mexico? If you did not marry a Mexican citizen, if your children are not Mexican, if your grandfather isn’t Mexican, those are the ties. If there is a family member who is Mexican and if you’re going through the naturalization process through them, it’s less expensive and much easier. It’s the same steps, however, there are no tests, and the cost is roughly 2,000 pesos (roughly $110).

 

( Beach on the Riviera Maya, Mexico, pictured. )

There are a lot of expats in Clayton. Most of them are Americans and they are all nice people. Everybody gets along in Clayton. They also have a pretty tight community over there. There is a lot of community identity amongst expats; they know each other and they help each other out.

 

A group of universities and organizations called The City of Knowledge or Ciudad del Saber is in Clayton. There are a lot of North American university campuses...

There are a lot of expats in Clayton. Most of them are Americans and they are all nice people. Everybody gets along in Clayton. They also have a pretty tight community over there. There is a lot of community identity amongst expats; they know each other and they help each other out.

 

A group of universities and organizations called The City of Knowledge or Ciudad del Saber is in Clayton. There are a lot of North American university campuses in Ciudad del Saber, including the University of Louisville and Florida State University.

Comparing the homes in Belize to an American or Canadian home will really depend on where in the US or Canada you live.

 

One of the major differences is you’re not going to find any furnaces in a home in Belize, because there is no need to heat a home in Belize. It cools down in the winter months but not enough to require a wood burning fireplace or a gas furnace or an electric furnace—something to heat that home. 

 

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Comparing the homes in Belize to an American or Canadian home will really depend on where in the US or Canada you live.

 

One of the major differences is you’re not going to find any furnaces in a home in Belize, because there is no need to heat a home in Belize. It cools down in the winter months but not enough to require a wood burning fireplace or a gas furnace or an electric furnace—something to heat that home. 

 

The majority of structures in Belize are manufactured or constructed out of concrete, because this type of construction holds up better in a humid tropical environment, and also one in which there are tropical storms and hurricanes.  This may not be the case in the US or Canada where there are a lot of wooden homes, log homes, and a lot of different building materials used. 

 

Some of the newer buildings, especially if they were constructed by or for expats, use ductwork or forced air whole house systems. However, the vast majority of air-conditioning systems that you see in Belize are “split units.” Split units are utilized for individual rooms rather than an entire house. So, for example, if you own a 3-bedroom house, the chances are that each bedroom would have its own air conditioning unit. This would be similar to the old style window unit air conditioners except they’re usually installed at a higher level in the room and they’re not affixed in the window so you still have your window use. The condenser is outside and the blower and the fan are inside.

 

(Bedroom in San Ignacio, Cayo District, Belize, pictured.)

The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.

 

Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well.  People are investing in “buy to rent”...

The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.

 

Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well.  People are investing in “buy to rent” because you get close to nothing on your deposits at the bank.

 

But as far as making deposits into a Portuguese bank, it is very secure because of the insurance that you will not lose your deposit. These banks are now subject to stress tests, which are conducted by the European Banking Authority, so if they do not have enough capital then they have to find it and raise it.

 

(Bank of Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)