I don't think there is an attitude towards Americans in Belgium. Integrating is also all about wanting to or not. For example: You have lived in Netherlands (like me, but I AM dutch) and if you know the language it will be easier for you, also in (dutch speaking part of) Belgium. I myself live just over the border in the north of Limburg and have my work in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Oh, I'm dutch with an english wife living in Belgium.

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retirement immigration is not evident in belgium; yet not impossible. immigration in principle is based on family relations or employment. simply retirement creates at times eyebrows, and some may suspect you simply trying to flee shoddy us healthcare. i m not an american, yet i think you will have a good life here. belgium consists of two different cultures , so i can only talk about the one i m living in, the flemish part.

individual liberty is quite extreme here, yet most flemish are more reserved than the average american.

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Some may think I am trying to "flee shoddy US health care. I think you would have a good point there--it truly is a big fat mess and highly overrated-- except that I wasn't planning to buy into the Belgian retirement and benefits system, since I have Social Security and also US military retirement benefits for medical care. Did I miss something in my reading of the requirements for a resident aka retirement visa in Belgium...ie, would I be forced to roll my US pension into the Belgian pension system?

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I do not think that you can just move to Belgium and live there happily during your retirement years without a proper visa like people from Belgium can not move to the States to live there. I know that you could get relatively easy a pensioners visa for example in Ecuador. All EU countries have different emigration requirements. France for instance would require a proof of medical insurance and proof of income before issuing permanent residency papers. I do not know specific requirements in Belgium. You are probably aware that Medicare is only good in the USA with exception of some emergencies providing that you have a good supplementary plan.
Belgium is not the most stable country now. They did not have government for more than one year I think. Separatist’s movement is very much alive, cost of living high, climate is awful, but nevertheless I love Belgium and have a lot of fond memories from the distant past. Please call the nearest Belgian consulate and ask some questions for the most up date information. Good luck (I rather go to Ecuador)…

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