Nicaragua
Residencia Temporal Pensionado
The Residencia Temporal Pensionado allows foreign nationals who receive a pension or retirement income from governments or institutions outside Nicaragua to reside in the country on a temporary basis. Originally established under Ley No. 694 (2009) as a permanent residence with significant fiscal benefits, the program was substantially reformed in November 2024 when Ley No. 1228 repealed Law 694 entirely. The category is now governed by Ley No. 761, as amended by Law 1228, and is administered by the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME).
- Minimum age of 45 years
- Pension or retirement income of at least US$600 per month (may have increased to US$1,000/month under the reformed framework)
- Income must be demonstrable for at least five years
- Additional US$150 per month per dependant
- Valid passport with minimum 6 months validity
- Birth certificate (apostilled or authenticated)
- Criminal record certificate from country of origin (apostilled)
- Health certificate from a licensed physician confirming absence of contagious diseases
- Certification of pension income showing stability for at least 5 years
- All documents must be legally translated to Spanish and authenticated
Applications are submitted in person at the DGME main office in Managua. Prior to the November 2024 reform, applications were processed through the Instituto Nicaraguense de Turismo (INTUR), but this pathway was eliminated. Applicants are typically required to attend a brief interview with an immigration official. Processing takes approximately 2 to 8 months. Government fees are approximately US$200 plus US$500 per person.
Pensionado residents are prohibited from industrial, commercial, or public-sector employment. Exceptions are allowed for self-owned businesses (with minimum US$75,000 in registered property), authorized professional services, and teaching or scientific research at qualified institutions.
Under the previous Law 694, residents were required to reside in Nicaragua for a minimum of 6 months annually, either consecutively or alternating. Extended absences exceeding 6 months required written permission. Absence exceeding 1 year without justification could result in loss of residency status. Whether these same rules apply under the reformed framework has not been confirmed.
The residence is issued for 1 year and must be renewed annually. Renewal requires a renewal form, passport copy, residency card copy, health certificate, police record, and supporting documentation.
Spouse (including common-law partners with official certification of stable union), dependent children, and parents may be included. Each dependant adds US$150 per month to the income requirement and must provide the same core documentation.
Ley No. 1228 (November 2024) introduced major changes: Law 694 was repealed entirely, eliminating all fiscal benefits including customs exemptions on household goods, vehicles, and construction materials. Pensionado residence was reclassified from permanent to temporary. The former pathway from three consecutive years of temporary residence to permanent residence was eliminated. Requirements for Nicaraguan nationality were increased from 4 years to 7 years of permanent residence. These changes significantly reduced the program's competitiveness compared to similar programs in Costa Rica and Panama.
Following the repeal of Law 694, standard Nicaraguan tax rules apply. Nicaragua uses a territorial tax system where only Nicaraguan-source income is taxed. Foreign pension income is not subject to Nicaraguan tax. Tax residents (180+ days per year) must file annual returns even if all income is foreign-sourced.
Links
Other Digital Nomad Visas in North America
Country↑ | Program↕ | Income↕ | Investment↕ | Capital Required↕ | Duration↕ | Dependants↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇦🇮 Anguilla | Residence by Investment | — | — | ||||
🇦🇮 Anguilla | Work from Anguilla Certificate | — | — | ||||
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda | Citizenship by Investment Programme | — | — | ||||
🇦🇼 Aruba | Investor/Shareholder Residence Permit | — | — | ||||
🇦🇼 Aruba | One Happy Workation | — | — | ||||
🇦🇼 Aruba | Retiree / Interest Rate Earner Residence Permit | — | — | ||||
🇧🇸 Bahamas | Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS) | — | — | ||||
🇧🇸 Bahamas | Economic Permanent Residence Certificate | — | — | ||||
🇧🇸 Bahamas | Permit to Reside (Independent Economic Resident) | — | — | ||||
🇧🇧 Barbados | Special Entry and Reside Permit (Category 1: High Net Worth Investor) | — | — | ||||
🇧🇧 Barbados | Special Entry and Reside Permit (Category 2: Retired Property Owner) | — | — | ||||
🇧🇧 Barbados | Welcome Stamp | — | — | ||||
🇧🇿 Belize | Long Stay Visitor Permit | — | — | ||||
🇧🇿 Belize | Qualified Retired Persons Incentive Program | — | — | ||||
🇧🇿 Belize | Temporary Residence Permit (Investment) | — | — | ||||
🇧🇲 Bermuda | Economic Investment Residential Certificate | — | — | ||||
🇧🇲 Bermuda | Global Entrepreneur Work Permit | — | — | ||||
🇧🇲 Bermuda | Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis | — | — | ||||
🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands | Right to Reside Permit | — | — | ||||
🇨🇦 Canada | Digital Nomad Policy | — | — | ||||
🇨🇦 Canada | Quebec Immigrant Investor Program | — | — | ||||
🇨🇦 Canada | Self-Employed Persons Program | — | — | — | |||
🇨🇦 Canada | Start-Up Visa Program | — | — | ||||
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Certificate of Direct Investment | — | — | ||||
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means | — | — | ||||
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means | — | — | ||||
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | Zone Employment Certificate | — | — | ||||
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Digital Nomad Visa | — | — | ||||
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Residencia Temporal Inversionista | — | — | ||||
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Residencia Temporal Pensionado | — | — | ||||
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Residencia Temporal Rentista | — | — | ||||
🇨🇺 Cuba | Real Estate Resident Visa | — | — | ||||
🇩🇲 Dominica | Work In Nature Extended Stay Visa | — | — | ||||
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | Residencia Permanente en Calidad de Inversionista | — | — | ||||
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | Residencia Permanente en Calidad de Jubilado o Pensionado | — | — | ||||
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | Residencia Permanente en Calidad de Rentista | — | — | ||||
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Definitive Residency for Investors | — | — | ||||
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Freedom Visa | — | — | ||||
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Temporary Residency for Pensioners | — | — | ||||
🇸🇻 El Salvador | Temporary Residency for Rentistas | — | — | ||||
🇬🇩 Grenada | Citizenship by Investment Programme | — | — | ||||
🇬🇩 Grenada | Remote Work Permit | — | — | ||||
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Permanent Residence for Rentistas or Pensioners | — | — | ||||
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Temporary Residence for Intellectuals, Researchers, and Scientists | — | — | — | |||
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Temporary Residence for Investors | — | — | ||||
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Temporary Residence for Self-Employed Workers | — | — | ||||
🇬🇹 Guatemala | Temporary Residence for Workers with Foreign Employer | — | — | ||||
🇭🇳 Honduras | Investor Residency | — | — | ||||
🇭🇳 Honduras | Pensionado Residency | — | — | ||||
🇭🇳 Honduras | Rentista Residency | — | — | ||||
🇯🇲 Jamaica | Permanent Residence (Retirement) | — | — | ||||
🇲🇶 Martinique | Talent Porteur de Projet — Business Creation | — | — | ||||
🇲🇶 Martinique | Talent Porteur de Projet — Innovative Economic Project (French Tech Visa) | — | — | ||||
🇲🇽 Mexico | Permanent Resident Visa for Retirees and Pensioners | — | — | ||||
🇲🇽 Mexico | Temporary Resident Visa by Economic Solvency | — | — | ||||
🇲🇽 Mexico | Temporary Resident Visa for Investors | — | — | ||||
🇲🇸 Montserrat | Permit of Economic Residence | — | — | ||||
🇲🇸 Montserrat | Remote Employment Stamp | — | — | ||||
🇨🇼 Netherlands Antilles | @Home in Curacao | — | — | ||||
🇨🇼 Netherlands Antilles | Investor Permit | — | — | ||||
🇨🇼 Netherlands Antilles | Rentier or Retired Residence Permit | — | — | ||||
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | Investor Permanent Residence | — | — | ||||
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | Residencia Temporal Pensionado | — | — | ||||
🇳🇮 Nicaragua | Residencia Temporal Rentista | — | — | ||||
🇵🇦 Panama | Permanent Residence Permit for Retirees and Pensioners | — | — | ||||
🇵🇦 Panama | Professional Foreign Residence Permit | — | — | — | |||
🇵🇦 Panama | Qualified Investor Permanent Residence | — | — | ||||
🇵🇦 Panama | Short Stay Visa for Remote Workers | — | — | ||||
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Citizenship by Investment Programme | — | — | ||||
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Temporary Residence Permit | — | — | ||||
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Citizenship by Investment Programme | — | — | ||||
🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Live It Extended Stay Program | — | — | ||||
🇵🇲 Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Visitor Temporary Residence Card | — | — | ||||
🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands | Independent Means Residence Permit | — | — | ||||
🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands | Permanent Residence Certificate (Investment) | — | — | ||||
🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands | Self-Employed Work Permit | — | — | ||||
🇺🇸 United States | EB-1A Extraordinary Ability | — | — | — | |||
🇺🇸 United States | EB-2 National Interest Waiver | — | — | — | |||
🇺🇸 United States | EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | — | — | ||||
🇺🇸 United States | International Entrepreneur Parole | — | — |