Obtaining a residence permit in Europe, Latin America, or Asia allows you to discover new countries and experience a new way of life, legally reduce tax burdens, expand your opportunities, and have a plan B in case of changing circumstances, which has become especially relevant in recent years. For freelancers, it's an ideal way to lead a nomadic lifestyle.
Today, many countries offer the best opportunities for relocation through programs like residence permits, citizenship by investment, tax residency, or temporary visas for digital nomads. This trend is embraced annually by new states, providing more opportunities for relocation.
However, obtaining residency in many countries requires effort. Most states have stringent conditions for immigration. Fortunately, not all countries have such requirements. In this article, we will share a list of countries that offer the best conditions for obtaining residency.
Where is It Easier to Get a Residence Permit in 2024?
There are a number of factors to consider before packing your bags. Here are just some of them - quality of life, tax implications, remote work opportunities. Each of these factors can seriously affect the impressions of the move and the ease of obtaining a residence permit. Now let's look at the list of countries that make it easy to get a residence permit.
Europe
You can obtain the right in several ways: through investments, by starting a business, through a family reunification/marriage program, through employment, or as a student. Each method has its own nuances of processing and document requirements.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card and tax resident certificate.
Residence permit status valid for: 1 year with the possibility of extension.
Provides residence permits through the following programs: investment, business visas, Digital Nomad Visa, employment, education, and refugee status. To maintain the status, it is enough to stay in the country for at least one week per year.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
The permit must be renewed every 2 years.
Offers an easy way to obtain a residence permit through long-term employment in a local company, remote employment, for family reunification/marriage, ownership, training. After obtaining a residence permit, the foreigner must reside in the country for at least one year.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Residence permit status valid for: 1 year with the possibility of extension.
You can get the right of residence permit in one of the following ways: by invitation of the employer, for investment, in case of education, family reunification, under the Digital Nomad Visa program, through the purchase/lease of real estate.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Residence permit status valid for: 5 years with the possibility of extension.
You can get one through employment with a local company, by enrolling in school, through marriage to a citizen, by reuniting with family, or by starting a business or investment.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Gives the right to legally stay in the kingdom from 6 months to 5 years.
Latin America
Available to anyone who plans to stay in the country from 6 months to 4 years. It is issued for 1 year with the possibility of extension up to 3 years. There is no need to spend a certain amount of time in the country to maintain the residence permit.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
You can stay without a visa for up to 90 days, after which you can apply for a residence permit. The program applies to students, investors, retirees wishing to reunite with family, digital nomad.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Residence permit status valid for: 2 years with the possibility of extension.
There are 3 types of residence permits available to foreigners - transit (up to 1 year), temporary (up to 3 years), permanent.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Residence permit status valid for: 1 year with the possibility of extension.
Provides a simple process for obtaining a residence permit. Immediately after arrival in the country you can apply for a residence permit for 1-2 years with the right to extend. Suitable for employment (including remote work), students, investors, religious leaders.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Obtaining a residence permit allows legal stay in the country for at least 3 months. Students, investors, employed in local companies, those seeking to reunite with family, refugees can obtain a permit.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card.
Residence permit status valid for: up to 2 years.
Asia
There is no legislative concept of a residence permit. The right to long-term residence can be exercised based on a non-immigrant visa, a smart visa for specialists, and an LTR resident visa.
Form of the residence document: a visa of the appropriate type.
Residence permit status valid for: up to 5 years with the right to apply for citizenship.
Non-immigrant visas with long-term validity are also offered as alternatives to residence permits. These include temporary resident visas, student visas, work visas, and special visas (including those for investors).
Form of the residence document: a visa of the appropriate type.
Residence permit status valid for: up to 3 years with the possibility of extension from 1 to 3 years.
You can obtain a residence permit through investments, marriage, a job offer, or studying.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card or a visa of the appropriate type.
Residence permit status valid for: 5 years with the possibility of extension for the similar period.
A foreigner can obtain a one-year residence permit if they have signed an employment contract with a local company, are a digital nomad, a student, an investor, or have Korean heritage.
Form of the residence document: E-7 visa.
A temporary residence permit can be obtained by a relocated person who has permission to work for a local company. In this case, the validity period is determined by the employment or other contract. It is also lawful to apply if investing in the country, starting a business, or marrying a citizen.
Form of the residence document: residence permit card or a visa of the appropriate type.
Residence permit status valid for: 3 years.
Reserve "Airfield"
Obtaining a residence permit in another country is becoming more and more accessible and popular. In addition to the main advantage - the right to long-term residence in another country - in the current unstable economic and political environment, obtaining a residence permit becomes a "reserve airfield" that allows you to quickly change your place of residence without fear for the stability of life and security.
The events of recent years have clearly demonstrated that the need to change location may be required at any time. At the same time, with the right to a residence permit in the chosen country can live with family members - spouses, children, parents, which makes the choice in favor of obtaining a residence permit more and more justified.
Travel without visas becomes yet another advantage of obtaining a residence permit. In this context, a residence permit in one of the European countries, allowing for free movement within the Eurozone, becomes particularly attractive.
Obtaining a residence permit in Europe, Latin America, or Asia allows for tax optimization. In this case, the relocant is not limited to the tax legislation of a single country. Initially, one can choose the most attractive country with no income tax or change the place of work or business activities when tax conditions change.
A residence permit provides access to quality education in the best educational institutions in the world. This opens up new opportunities for children to gain knowledge and develop. Moreover, living in another country allows one to apply for citizenship in the future, significantly broadening horizons and opportunities.