Living abroad on VA disability:
the honest numbers
Everything on this page is the standing policy of the VA and Colombian migration — the facts that make this life possible.
Your VA disability follows you — in full
VA disability compensation is payable no matter where in the world you live. Move to Colombia and your rating pays the same as it would in Ohio — there is no overseas reduction. A veteran rated 100% Permanent & Total receives roughly $3,900–4,300+ per month, tax-free (the exact figure depends on dependents and annual adjustments).
Payment is simple: the VA supports international direct deposit, so compensation lands monthly. Many residents also keep a US bank account and draw from it here — Colombia has modern banking and ATMs everywhere that matters.
Six months a year — no visa at all
US citizens receive 90 days visa-free on arrival in Colombia, extendable by another 90 days — 180 days per calendar year without ever touching a visa application. That is exactly why our standard stay is six months.
Want to stay year-round? Visa M
Colombia's Visa M (pensioner) is one of the most accessible retirement visas anywhere: the income bar is roughly $1,000/month of stable income — VA disability income qualifies easily. Residents going year-round get hand-holding through the whole application as part of living here.
Healthcare: what's covered and what isn't
- The VA Foreign Medical Program (FMP) covers treatment of your service-connected conditions in Colombia. You register with FMP, see local providers, and covered care is paid for.
- Medicare does NOT cover you outside the United States. Plan around FMP, local private care (excellent and inexpensive by US standards in Antioquia), or private insurance.
- Medellín's hospitals — among the best in Latin America — are about 2 hours from the house.
What living actually costs here
Our rates are all-inclusive — room, meals, utilities, cleaning, community — so the usual expat budgeting exercise mostly disappears. Outside the gate, pueblo prices are a fraction of US prices; Medellín day trips and weekend travel are cheap by any US measure — the bus pickup is a 5-minute walk from the gate, so you don't need a car.
Can I live here on my VA disability?
That's the model. A 100% P&T rating pays roughly $3,900–4,300+ per month, tax-free, and the VA pays it in full no matter where in the world you live — set up international direct deposit and it lands every month. Our all-inclusive rates are set so a 100% rating covers everything with room to spare.
Do I lose my VA disability if I move abroad?
No. VA disability compensation is payable wherever you live, at the same rate. You keep your full benefit in Colombia, paid by international direct deposit.
How long can I stay without a visa?
US citizens get 90 days visa-free on arrival, extendable by another 90 — six months per calendar year with no visa at all. That matches our six-month stays exactly. Want to stay year-round? Colombia's Visa M pensioner visa requires roughly $1,000/month of income — VA disability income qualifies easily, and we walk you through the application.
What about healthcare?
The VA Foreign Medical Program covers care for your service-connected conditions in Colombia — you register, see local providers, and FMP pays for covered care. Medellín's hospitals — some of the best in Latin America — are about 2 hours away. Note: Medicare does not cover you outside the US, which is one reason FMP matters.
Run your own numbers, then come run them with us
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