Does Nicaragua Really Want ME? 🇳🇮

Does #Nicaragua purely tolerate visitors and long term residents or does it actually welcome them? Do I, as a long term #expat living here feel that I am welcome here? How does the nation view tourists and expats, especially those coming from North America like the United States or Canada or even Europe. And what are the opinions of the populace? #residency #tourism #tourist #visitnicaragua
18 May 2024
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🇳🇮

[@jillianfreyman6325]

I couldn't agree more. Having lived in 5 countries myself, I find my new friends in Nicaragua have become close very quickly. They have shown me countless acts of kindness, call me "corazon", invite me out and are eager to help me discover their culture and integrate into their society. I speak Spanish so I'm sure that helps but I have only been here 4 months and I have not felt alone in a strange place. Not once. 😊

[@schoolnyc]

Try Dominican Republic.

[@Kitiwake]

Who is picking up the check?

[@pablomanz1138]

All are welcome in Nicaragua. Just help us protect our customs and traditions. We are very proud country of our customs and traditions. Also, leave your political view at the airport.

[@Kitiwake]

Telling you what to do already.

[@schoolnyc]

Well run political Country. With no first amendment it is in your best interest to forget politics once your plane takes off.

[@danielrosales1448]

If you see this and have moved already or are planning, make yourself home. Welcome to Nicaragua! 🇳🇮🤗

[@jillianfreyman6325]

Excellent video, Scott. As usual. Brava!

[@marnelson9528]

Government is making residency really hard. Must update Cedulas every six months, used to be every five years. They have substantially lowered car import benefits for pesionados. I've lived here 20 years an no-one ever came up to me to say, "wow we're really glad you chose Nicaragua to retire."

[@patriciaflaherty]

I'm in the USA and I've never said that to anyone in my area 🤷‍♀️.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

the cédula thing is just a new printing. not like the old five year process. that's still in place additionally

[@JerryGorman-t5u]

My wife is Nicaraguan and we have been visiting for almost 30 years. There have been many improvements to infrastructure over these years. We have been retired here now for almost 4 months. Once my paperwork was submitted, I was approved for permanent residency in less than 3 weeks. Time will tell how difficult that 6 month renewal will be. My wife is importing the truck under her name. It is still a work in progress and time will tell how that comes out. However, we drove here with that truck full of our things. We had our German Shepherd, two complete solar systems, many of my home tools, truck tools, Arb portable refridge, ect and had no problem importing those items without taxes. I have felt welcome.

[@baronteddyvonforsthoffer2567]

​@ScottAlanMillerVlog just a big inconvenience. Having to drive almost 2 hours to Managua and waiting. Now they ask tons of questions. Came to my house to ask me the same questions and called the following week to ask the same exact questions again. Feels kinda creepy.

[@robertsteinberger5667]

Its like in any country; to get to know new people you need to develop skin, you need to be vulnerable and accept even if you are your nicest self not everyone is waiting for that. What is specific about nicaragua is that on one hand people are more open and warmer if you meet likeminded people. But also there is a lot of politness i dont know what to call it. You have contact over whatsapp but it somehow comes never to meeting again even though intentions of meeting again have been said.

[@xorurai123]

that looks like a really nice back yard!

[@oscarcampos7160]

Fantastic Show!1

[@marvinlara564]

Any information on economics and politics?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

We have a whole channel of thousands of videos. SO many, we cover everything imaginable.

[@adalbertopavon3343]

Tourists is more the feeling

[@StevenCarris]

Another great video I receive $930.00 a month can you tell me how much money would be needed for government program costs to stay in Nicaragua permanently?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Technically it is a little more than that. But there is flexibility. Do you have any investments to add to that? You can survive on $930, but it's a struggle. But I know Americans on $850 that are doing okay. Frugal living, but doing okay. Safe, comfortable and in nice villages. I think that the technical number is $1K on pension and $1250 on non-pension. But you can mix, and the best thing to do is come, talk to migracion, talk to a lawyer (a real one, not the English speaking ones advertising online) and see if they can put together a package for you. Nicaragua wants good people and they do not make an effort to kick you out, quite the opposite. You don't even necessarily ever even need that, that's for residencia. Which maybe you will end up wanting that's totally possible, but also possible that you won't want it and then there is no limit on your income at all. It's very individualized and custom. If I were you, I'd come on the tourist visa program (always recommended to start) and figure out what your living situation would be like, what you want, if you like it. Then figure out if your lifestyle pattern allows for, warrants and/or requires an eventual residencia. And then tackle that if and when the time comes. If you are a good resident with a good track record, they're going to work with you and try to find a way to make it happen. Nicaragua really does want you and traditionally goes to great lengths to find some way to make you able to stay. I know of no one that wasn't committing crimes that ever had to leave.

[@marnelson9528]

On the other hand I've always been treated respectfully by all.

[@robertsteinberger5667]

Nicaragua is a rough society and people will be rude or indifferent sometimes. Any discussion and they will say go back to your own country.

[@nadinehope230]

can you do a video on how you move your possessions. Thank you just found you today. Canada is turning into Little India in the cities family is making a backup plan according to how the next election goes. Plus, last kid in grade 12 next year than where good to leave.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

One month ago! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gam0mIhmnd17eqs

[@nadinehope230]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog thank you will watch that 🙂

[@chrisdekeyser549]

Scott can you explain why Guatemala is not as easy as Nicaragua,as far as settling down there permanently?

[@patriciaflaherty]

Have you checked out the channel "There has to be Something Moore"? Scott Moore lived in Nicaragua for a while and is now living in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He's considering residency there, so it's interesting to follow along with the process 😊.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Is he really looking to change their retirement plans away from checking out many countries to just sticking to the two I recommend first and not going further? lol. Guatemala is amazing. But their original goal (two years ago) was to travel all over South America before making a final decision.

[@jonathanLToronto]

Does Nicaragua have beautiful scenery like Costa Rica? Also how is their healthcare?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

For sure. all of Central America, from Panama to the southern tip of Mexico, is highly similar with two amazing, but very different coasts, and mountains in the middle that are partially volcanos. So literally all four of the CA4, Costa Rica and Panama will be super similar in what they look like as far as beautiful scenary from mountains, to coasts, to jungle, etc. In reality, Nicaragua has the big lakes and Costa Rica doesn't. So it's really more Costa Rica playing catchup rather than Nicaragua. Lago Nicaragua and Lago Managua are two of the top four lakes in all of Central America (Atitlan in Guatemala is the other big attraction lake and Peten Itza.) Atitlan and Nicaragua compete head to head, Managua trails but is still nice. Costa Rica lacks the amazing lake options that Nicaragua and Guatemala has. But Nicaragua lacks the big cities that Costa Rica and Guatemala have. But for natural beauty, Nicaragua has more variety and just physically about twice the space. Costa Rica prioritizes tourism, though, so lots of its wild areas are touristy and easily accessible for casual tourists. Nicaragua takes more effort to get around, but has way better roads.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Healthcare is excellent and Nicaragua already ranks well in the region BEFORE the two giant new medical facilities at Leon and Nueva Segovia come online, both are nearly completed. Once open, Nicaragua will easily lead all of Central America in healthcare. The high quality and low cost of healthcare are major draws to Nicaragua.

[@smb931]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog The Bosawás Reserve is the second-largest rainforest in the Americas

[@jonathanLToronto]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Thank you very much!

[@dallasbarkman1261]

I guess if your there to.just party & have fun one may fit in well. My experieonce has been mixed as i'm married to a Nica & hsve in laws there Though through trying to help the area, one example , through Mennonite central committee is a program to help build wells w/ solar This program would habe been great for where my in laws live as many dont have their own wells nor their own electricity My father in law spearheaded the potential project, as he was the "defacto al.calde" The process was for the habitants in the community to vote on it The majority voted against the project By this time i had been married 8 years, so its not like i was an outsider . My spanish is beyond fluent & therefore able to connect on a deeper level, not just an "expat" or tourist I have felt when im w/ the hardcore government supporters ( too proud to want any help ) that they rsally dont like americans at the core I cant blame them, but i was heartbroken over the situation.😢

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Religious groups, especially foreign ones, are viewed with a lot of suspicion here. Being associated has led to lots of people getting in trouble as it is common to use American backed religious groups as fronts for things, often attempts to sow political discord or just money laundering (same as in the US, of course.) And of course locals can't gauge which is which, or how they vary. So the concept is painted with a common brush. I don't get any "don't like Americans" feeling, even from super hard core groups. But there's likely going to be a big difference from wanting to work with a family that's just an American family, and working with a religious group that appears as an organization. Those are two very different things, visually. And in a great number of cases, those religious groups have had affiliations with a church in the US, which is organized as a non-profit which, by many definitions and certainly behavior, requires that it be a de facto arm of the government. So even when well intentioned, that kind of thing looks and feels scary to locals in many cases.

[@dallasbarkman1261]

@ScottAlanMillerVlog that makes sense ..thanks.for expanding . & the local individuals involved were just that , locals, not govt officials ( kind of like in the Midwest a few neighbors with half acre parcels who loosely form a group) Maybe had I gone direct to the government & proposed the idea ( learned from your show ) they may have been open to it Well , at any rate I definitely got my father in law set up with a nice system., I juat did it with our own funds versus using the church program

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Yeah, if the gov't had come out and said "let's all do this", there's a definitely chance that engagement would have been good. Or not. Hard to say. But it's an option :)

[@dubNoFunkinSoul]

As an English citizen living in Poland I am already a resident in another country. For my wife & I to attempt Residency in Nicaragua it would be difficult due to the requirements of Police & Medical docs from our current country Poland. We could get them sorted before we leave, however they would be likely out of date by the time we attempt residency.....IF we attempt residency. Making trips back to Poland to acquire documents when/if the time comes would be expensive and time consuming, and for me as a Polish resident would expire if I am out of the country for 6+ months. Watching your videos about the subject has helped bring clarity. We are committed to going to Nicaragua and investing in a business or property long term and feel a little more comfortable with knowing that we can achieve our goals from a tourist perspective instead of chasing residency, which, if I comprehend everything isn't really a problem to not have.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Out of date? How would they go out of date? They are "forever". Your birth certificate doesn't expire in Poland right? Like, you don't have to get one every few months? How do people function there? You know I definitely don't push residency as it doesn't often make sense. But your specific concern about out of date documents doesn't sound reasonable. Residency is fast, weeks if you need to, and normally documents are good for a lifetime.

[@dubNoFunkinSoul]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Birth certificate I get, that is a forever document, but Police report & health report would be time critical surely? If I were to acquire these reports today, then attempt residency in say 3 years time, those police/health reports would be 3 years old. I can't see them being accepted for a residency application in 2027. I mean, there's no harm in acquiring them before we leave sure, I just can't see them being valid in 3 years time for example?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Police and health reports come from Nicaragua not your home country. So they DO time out, but you literally get those as your final step to submitting paperwork.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Those reports are good for 90 days only. But police report comes from InterPol in Managua. And health report comes from MINSA in the town you are living in.

[@dubNoFunkinSoul]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Awesome! Thanks for clarifying

[@Kitiwake]

No of course. The longer you are there the more you realize they only want to remind you youre a foreigner. I lived there for 14 months.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

did you live in San Juan del Sur or Granada? By 14 months no one ever reminded us we were foreign. anything but. but we don't make a point of being apart either.

[@joebloe4374]

Dude The people are nice Country has some beautiful places But its expensive The philippines which isnt cheap is still less expensive than nicaragua A whole chicken is 280 The same in philippines is about 160 Gasoline is 10% higher in nicaragua than philippines They speak english in philippines Although im fluent in Spanish I went to walmart yesterday much better than any supermarket in philippines But its very expensive Shaving cream 350 to 430 nio I bought a hair cutter for 900 Same in miami maybe 15 or 20 dollars Plus philippines is more stable Nicaragua too many political problems They can do anything they want without repercussions And in philippines those over 60 can get senior id 32% discount on farmacy cinema restaurants taxis hotels 😊

[@arosalesmusic]

It´s cheaper than the US and Costa Rica, safer also. What is the homicide rate in the Philippines? It is 6.2/100,000 for 2023 in Nicaragua.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Walmart is the super premium brand here. Even within the Walmart system, if you go into Wamart there is only one location in the country and it's in the "Beverly Hills" of Nicaragua. Walmart is over La Union which is over Maxi Pali, which is over Pali. Those are all Walmart properties, with Walmart being the luxury expensive location (I've never even been in it here.) You'll find prices at Walmart super high for Nicaragua because it's like shopping just for the rich people. I don't know anyone, even expats, that goes there. Nicaragua costs a little more than the Philippines on some shopping items, but far less in logistics for Americans, and has better infrastructure, and isn't a scary US aligned state with arbitrary laws. Philippines has a different balance of things than Nicaragua. But Nicaragua is super cheap, but Asian countries tend to create a more "shop like an American" experience and Nicaragua definitely doesn't cater to expats wanting to keep up their patterns, The value comes from adapting. That Walmart exists to fleece the SJDS and other enclave crowds primarily.

[@joebloe4374]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog thanks reply But I went to pali too I did not see any bargains And la colonia is beautiful better than any supermarket in philippines But again very much more expensive Philippines is very basic Rice is cheaper Again I really like Nicaragua people Zero problems but in my opinion Thailand is best for retirement Next Philippines But philippines is a magnet for oddballs drunks s3xpats I do like the 2 hour flight from miami for 100 bucks and 90 day visa free Philippines 600 dollars long flight and only 30 days 10 years ago you only had 21 days I think they are allowing 59 now

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Pali has some bargains, but again, you are STILL in the american Walmart system. Not how most Nicaraguans shop. It's definitely meant for expensive barrio shopping. But it's not a great comparison as that is still a premium for many things. Thailand scares me. Their laws are so draconian and arbitrary. 180 days visa free in Nicaragua, not 90. The second 90 is inside the country, not at the border.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Philippines is around 4.3 / 100K. Don't use a % sign when stating those numbers, that like 1000x higher than it really is, lol. That's a common typo. But the US is 6.3/100K (or .0063%) and Nicaragua is 6.2 and Philippines is 4.3.

[@justin19888]

Not seeing a single bad comment on that video. What am i missing 😂😂

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

YpuTube might be deleting personal attacks over time. Or people might have decided it wasn't effective.

[@Natsolllc]

It's funny a nicaragua going to USA or Europe is call immigrant in the other hand any one trying to live in Nicaragua is call Expat... that funny... thanks for the videos I enjoy them.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

I try to call them expats too when using a similar context. Expats the same as me. Except i chose to move to a better country. jaja

[@screamlab]

Immigrants move out of necessity, or for opportunities not available in their home country. Expats move because they have the ability, and they always have the ability (and right) to return. That's my take.

[@schoolnyc]

Hi Scott - As always you have a very interesting prospective, and after this video I put on my thinking cap. IMHO you maybe giving Nica to much credit. After all they do have the third lowest IQ in the world, as well as; the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, after Haiti. I would call the people indifferent, which I like. Unlike some Countries were Americans are treated like gold in some and iron in others - Nicaragua people became a bit friendlier after each encounter. There kindness is earned. I always thought Panama was the Country who most aggressively sought retirement expats, which most are. They offer a lot of goodies, such as your car and all your household items duty free Discounts on utility bills, airline tickets, transportation, loans, home mortgages, doctor's bills, hospital services, dental and eye exams, medicines, professional services, movie theaters, cultural and sporting events, and hotels...

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

So I have videos explaining 1) why GDP is fake specifically to promote western countries to people who don't understand economics and 2) how exactly do you determine a national IQ level? That's obviously not feasible, since there is no standardized testing for such a thing. But let's also ask... why would you mention two factors that don't make any sense and/or matter to expats in this context? And you make MY point about Panama. All those things either aren't free (so that they can give discounts) or are more expensive than in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is SO FAR ahead of Panama in those areas that yes, Panama has to give discounts, but Nicaragua remains ahead even after discounts. But discounting healthcare when in Nicaragua it is free... obviously you can't consider Panama more inviting. It's not even in the same league. But what expats get all those discounts? Remember I lived in Panama and know that that isn't true. And Nicaragua gives the duty free import of cars and housegoods to residents. You mention it as if Panama does it differently. Nicaragua offers more on every single thing you listed than Panama. Why do you mention how good Nicaragua is, in the "tone" of Panama is better?

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

If feels like you are desperately trying to make Nicaragua sound less desirable by repeating nonsensical American propaganda, then making unsubstantiatable personal attacks, and then listing ways Nicaragua is better but using a tone of disapproval to make people who aren't paying close attention not notice that you didn't say a single thing that makes it better than Nicaragua, actually worse (in this specific context.) It sounds to me like you know and truly believe Nicaragua is amazing and outclasses everyone in the region for how inviting they are, but are paid or pushed to say negative things but are grasping as you can't figure out what isn't great about it.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Discounts on things that already cost more is a "sale", something to make it sound better than it is. And it's NOT good for a country to give discounts to the rich, but not the poor. That's horrible. But using "a country is poor by GDP" as a guide for anything is..... nonsensical. It's not a meaningful measurement. And, if anything, lower GDP means you get more for your money in most cases. Panama is lovely, but it's for expats that aren't checking, aren't exploring and can't handle not having lots of enclaves and hand holding.

[@schoolnyc]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Lot good a lot bad. Mostly good.

[@attentioncestpaslegal7847]

Yet, Nicargua wants its permanent residents vaccinated. Not many countries actually require this.

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Wanting people healthy is not in opposition to also wanting people. Again... read the priorities. Good people who don't want to be an unnecessary drain and aren't going to intentionally cause health problems in a nation where they are guests. I wish more countries cared as much. Just because most countries don't do it, doesn't make it a bad thing. Lots of countries don't do good things that Nicaragua does.

[@destinationmax]

Forcing vaccines like Covid and such is never good. 😮

[@ScottAlanMillerVlog]

Actually, historically it's shown that it IS good. All evidence points to that. Small pox, polio, COVID. They aren't forcing, that's propaganda. They are requiring it for certain option things. That's the very definition of "not forced." Anyone saying forcing to you is trying to trick you.

[@destinationmax]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog Polio and smallpox yes but putting Covid vax there is not the same. Give me a break man!

[@attentioncestpaslegal7847]

@@ScottAlanMillerVlog The US even require the flu vaccine* * Unless you have religious exemption.

[@1stLukecifer]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fprZqXl4d51qY7ssi=VckzC6uJgOo4rleV A song to dedicated to trolls