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I also have citizenship in the Rep of San Marino (Europe). It has everything I would ever want in retirement but the cost is huge. The entire country only has about 37,000 citizens last time I checked.
We travel to Spain once or twice a year and considered it for full-time living. While expensive, we are lucky to be able to afford it. Mostly it's the distance for us and Spain's and other EU countries' treatment of non-EU retirees as far as healthcare costs. We are happy here in Mexico and continue to travel to Spain from here (non stops MEX to MAD).
Yep, Canada's a bit picky, but that contributes to their healthy vibrant population. I don't fault it. It's not cheap to get your papers, either, but then it's not cheap to get papers in the UK, either. Probably not cheap to get papers in the US, I don't know. That's one of the costs that need to be figured in. Also, when all these countries say free healthcare, they don't really mean free. You have to pay for this, whether it be in separate monthly payments or in your yearly taxes. After that, of course, it's free to use. But it's not free. I reckon nothing in this world is free.
I left the US in 1996, never to return, except as a tourist. It was much easier to get into EU countries, then, but not now.
I orginally received temporay residence and work permission for a job in a Danish research institution. Subsequently in 1998, I married a Danish woman and applied for permenant residence under the family reunification provision of the Danish immigration law. In 2001, I became a permanent residence.
Today, it is virtually impossible for a non-EU state citizen to be "family reunified", unless they have stronger ties to Denmark than the country outside the EU from whence they came.
Most European countries have excellent healthcare for less than $200 per month, per person regardless of age. Health costs in the USA are close to $1,000 per person. And your social security, Medicaid, and Medicare are all on the chopping block. Public transportation is excellent.
A bunch of those countries have 'Golden Visas', meaning by purchasing a residence (no wreck!) you gain resident rights. Which enables you to move freely within the EU. So if you consider yourself middle class American and got some savings, you better get moving because things over here are stacked against you. Especially when getting older.
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