Retiring in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as a French Citizen: Stay, Taxation and Healthcare

France Diplomatie (the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs travel advice service) indicates that French nationals are not subject to a visa requirement for a stay of less than six months, with a passport valid for at least six months after the planned return date and a return ticket. A 30-day visitor permit is issued on arrival and is renewable up to six months; beyond that, a residence permit must be applied for, from the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines representation nearest the place of residence. The country’s immigration authorities handle these procedures. No official source read publishes a retiree status or a pension amount to be shown: before selling a property in France, ask these authorities in writing and gather proof of income, proof of accommodation, health insurance and a valid passport.

A trial stay of a few weeks lets you compare the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, access to care and the pace of life. The French embassy in Saint Lucia (+1 758 455 60 60 during working hours) and the French consular agency in Kingstown register French nationals who are on the register of French nationals living abroad. The guide to living in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines details entry, safety and housing.

The Assurance retraite (the French pension insurance) pays the French pension in more than 180 countries, into an account in France or abroad; a change of address and bank details is reported to the regional fund. Each year, a life certificate must be completed by an authorised local authority and returned in time to keep the payment. The ASPA (solidarity allowance for older people) and the supplementary disability allowance require residence in France: they stop on departure and can be applied for again on return. See the guide to receiving your pension abroad.

A retiree whose tax residence is outside France bears neither CSG, nor CRDS, nor CASA on their pension. A health contribution is however withheld when they remain attached to a French scheme: a contribution of 3.20% may be deducted (Assurance retraite). The guide to quarters worked abroad explains the principle.

The Inland Revenue Department administers personal income tax, which targets income from local or foreign sources; its withholding tax tables in force apply a flat deduction of 25,000 dollars a year and show marginal rates of 10%, 20% then 28%. No tax treaty between France and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines could be confirmed in the sources read. Without a treaty, the domestic rules of each state apply: a French-source pension remains in principle subject to French tax under the non-resident regime, with withholding tax of 0%, 12% or 20% by band (thresholds revised each year), after a 10% allowance (impots.gouv.fr). The 0% and 12% bands are final, and the 20% withholding is set against income tax.

The risk of double taxation therefore deserves examination before settling: ask the Inland Revenue Department how a foreign pension is treated for a resident, and the tax office for non-resident individuals about fixing tax residence. The risk concerns in particular a French pension received by a local resident, which both administrations could each regard as taxable.

The form S1 and the European health insurance card are valid only in the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines does not appear in the CLEISS (the French centre for international social security links) list of social security agreements: according to the Assurance Maladie (the French public health insurance), healthcare costs are no longer covered by France after departure. Three routes are open:

• Local public sector: 45 facilities in nine districts, including the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown; the access conditions for a foreign resident should be confirmed with the Ministry of Health, and some hospitals require payment in advance (France Diplomatie).
• CFE, retirees’ offer: quarterly contribution published on cfe.fr, for holders of a pension from the French basic scheme, with no medical questionnaire; the waiting period is nil if membership takes place before departure or within three months of settling. It covers care received abroad only: care in France comes under the French basic scheme (CPAM, the local health insurance fund, of Seine-et-Marne). The family policy covers abroad minor children and a retired spouse; an adult spouse meets the same pension and no-professional-activity conditions as the main member. Reimbursement depends on the country of care and the type of care, as a rate or flat fee applied to the actual expense.
• International insurance: direct access to the private sector and evacuation; age, medical history and limits are decisive, especially as the country has no decompression chamber and serious cases call for an evacuation that the embassy does not fund.

For stays in France, a general scheme pensioner who can show at least 15 years of contributions to a French scheme may be covered after registering with the Cnarefe; their spouse is covered only if an agreement provides for it, otherwise they join the CFE and take out a private policy (Assurance Maladie). See the guide to a retiree’s health insurance abroad, the page on healthcare reimbursement in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the comparison of the CFE and private insurance.

No local administration consulted publishes a typical retiree budget. VAT is 16% (Inland Revenue Department). The pension is received in euros: the “Economic indicators” block gives the day’s rate. Build a prudent budget from quotes for rent, energy, food and health insurance. In the Grenadines as on the island of Saint Vincent, visit the accommodation before renting.

France Diplomatie describes good general safety, with a rise in petty crime and heightened vigilance for the whole country. The wet season runs from June to the end of November, with hurricanes possible; the La Soufrière volcano, whose last major eruption was on 09/04/2021, is monitored every day. Solid housing outside a flood zone, and a policy covering the home, are common-sense choices, as is easy access to a health centre.

Before leaving, tell your health insurance fund and your pension fund of your change of residence: a residence transfer form is available on ameli.fr. Check access to care and the likely out-of-pocket cost, then choose cover that includes medical costs and medical repatriation. Gather the documents useful for the residence permit, appoint a contact in France for administrative procedures and open an ameli account, which can be used from abroad. Also plan a digital copy of the passport, prescriptions, insurance certificates and pension statements, as well as the annual return date of the life certificate. Think about what comes next: a return to France is prepared by keeping your rights, and the CFE applies no waiting period on return for the retirees’ offer. A retiree who wishes to compare their options can use Expavy’s online diagnostic.

Several hubs concentrate services and care. Kingstown brings together the administration, the French consular agency and the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. The district of Calliaqua has a polyclinic at Stubs, and that of Georgetown a medical and diagnostic centre. In the Grenadines, Bequia and Union Island each have a public hospital, while Canouan and Mayreau have health centres. For a retiree, proximity to a health facility, easy access to transport in case of evacuation and the presence of services count for more than the view: visit several areas outside the wet season, rent for a few months first and check the safety level of the neighbourhood. See also the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines country page.