Get EU Residency – 18 interesting ways you may not know

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Get EU Residency – 18 interesting ways you may not know about

| Alison Johnson

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EU Residency, Live In Europe, Work in Europe, Europe Residency.

Europe is a place of wonder. The incredible diversity and endless opportunities have attracted people for centuries. Today, the EU is uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of the coming century. But, they’ll need people, ideas, and investment to thrive.

This need means there are more ways than ever to share the experience. Professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, students, retirees, and many more are welcomed by the 26 European Union members. Having something to contribute is much more important than where you come from.

For millions, EU residency is achievable. And, a European residence permit is often a pathway to full citizenship and an EU passport.

Table Of Contents
Loving living life in Europe.

The obvious ways

The simplest way to move to the EU is through your family.

Many EU countries offer a direct and simple ancestry path to residency and citizenship stretching back many generations. Check out the Easiest countries in Europe to get Citizenship in our detailed article.

You may also be eligible for permanent residency if your spouse or partner is an EU resident. Children and other relatives (including parents and parents-in-law) can also use family ties to get residence in many EU countries.

Don’t despair if your family doesn’t open the door for you. Here are 18 other ways that you might use to move to the EU.

EU Income-Based Visas

Does your business allow you to work from anywhere? Do you have a steady income from existing investments or a pension? You may qualify for a Person of Independent Means residence permit. Below are some examples of EU countries that offer these visas.

Spain Non-Lucrative Visa

Prove you can afford to cover your expenses, and Spain will welcome you in.

To qualify for the non-lucrative visa for Spain, you must prove that you can support your self.

The income you show should come from passive income sources such as investments, rental income, or pensions.

You must show an income that is four times the IPREM, Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples for this residence permit. In 2020, this is approximately €30,000 for the applicant and around another €6,000 for each dependant.

We’ve written a detailed article on Spain’s Non-lucrative Visa with all the information you’ll need to know.

As we’ve said, you can’t use this residence program if you declare an income from working. However, some digital nomads and freelancers do use this visa to live in Spain.

If the Spain non-lucrative visa looks like a pathway for you to live in Europe, what are your next steps? We suggest a consultation with our Spain Immigration Partner here. They’ll be able to look at your specific circumstances to ensure a successful application.

Portugal Passive Income Visa

The Portugal passive income visa (D7) has main two requirements.

  1. You must be based in Portugal for at least eight months per year.
  2. You can show enough income to support yourself. The income needs to be passive, that is, from sources such as rental income, dividends, investment income or a pension.

Our partner believes that €20,000 of annual income should be sufficient to prove that you can support yourself.

There are some great benefits to this visa. You have full rights to work in Portugal. So, you could:

  • freelance for clients inside and outside of Portugal.
  • run a location-independent business as a digital nomad.
  • be a remote worker for a company outside of Portugal.
  • get a job in Portugal.
  • open your own business in Portugal.

You can work in Portugal and could be eligible for some pretty great taxation rates. If you apply for NHR (non-habitual residency) you don’t pay tax on income from outside Portugal for ten years.

Our partner in Portugal has been able to help many of our clients in getting the Portugal passive income visa. You can speak to them about your situation and to get advice on your next steps towards setting up a life in Portugal. Please click here to book a planning session with them.

A family on a beach in Cyprus where you can get residency

Cyprus Income-Based Visa

Like all income visas, the Cyprus Income-Based Visa is easy to get for those who can show a steady income.

At present, the amount is around €9,500 (CY£5,600) for a single applicant and €4,500 (CY£2,700) for each dependent.

Here is the official website on the Cyprus residency visa for further details

Austria Residency by Independent Means

Austria also has an income visa that does not allow you to work. This income should be regular and must continue for the length of the visa.

Income sources can include:

  • Austrian or foreign pensions.
  • Profits from enterprises abroad.
  • Income from assets, savings or company shares.

At the moment, the monthly income is least twice the amount of the standard rates of the General Social Insurance Act (ASVG). This would be:

  • €1,993 for a single person.
  • €2,994 for married couples or partnerships.
  • An additional €298 for each child.

You’ll need a certificate of good character from your local police station, and health insurance.

Finally, you must be able to speak German to A1 level or have at least a three-year tertiary education.

Here is the official website for further information of the application process and documentation required.

A square in Europe

Ireland Person of Independent Means

Irelands income visa has a higher income requirement than some mainland Europe visas.

The threshold income for the Stamp 0 visa is €50,000 per year. And, you’ll also need a lump sum in savings to cover emergencies. This amount varies depending on where you are in Ireland, but bank on needing to show €100,000 in savings during the application process.

You can’t work in Ireland on a Stamp 0 visa.

Read more about other Income-Based Visas around the world and how to qualify.

EU Residency by Investment

Are you looking for a way to invest some of your hard-earned money in the strong economies of Europe? You could get an impressive return on your investment, as well as residency or citizenship. European countries offer different opportunities which means you can choose an investment area you are comfortable with.

Here are some of the most popular European investment visa programs.

Portugal Residency by investment

Invest between €350,000 and €500,000 in real estate (depending on the age of the building and area). This visa is a part of Portugal’s famous Golden Visa program.

Have a read of our Portugal Residency by Investment Page for more information

BOOK A CALL WITH OUR EXPERT IN PORTUGAL

Spain Golden Visa

Invest more than €500,000 in real estate, and you’ll be eligible for a Spanish residence permit. There are no restrictions on the location of the property, and you can use the investment to generate rental income.

Please visit our Spain Residency by Investment Page for more information

BOOK A CALL WITH OUR SPAIN IMMIGRATION EXPERT

Bulgaria Investor Program

This investment visa has two tiers of investment into a Bulgaria Government Bond program for five years. At the end of the five years, you can withdraw the entire amount from the fund.

  • €512,000 will get you a permanent residence status and a five-year path to citizenship.
  • €1.024,000 reduces your time to EU citizenship and passport to just two years.

The administrative process for the Bulgaria Investor Program requires using a registered agent.

Latvia Residency by Investment Programme

Latvia’s residency by investment program has a €50,000 minimum investment requirement. There are three main investment options:

  1. Invest at least €50,000 in a small company of fewer than 50 employees and with a company turnover of less than €10 million.
  2. Buy €250,000 or more of Latvian government bonds.
  3. Purchase a property worth at least €250,000.

Any of these options allow you to apply for Latvian residency. And, the visa is a pathway to Latvia permanent residency and citizenship.

Please read our Latvia investment visa page for more information.

Malta Residency by Investment

Malta’s residency by investment program is one of the oldest in Europe.

Invest a minimum of €220,000 in real estate, and you can get a residency visa. For some investment areas and developments, the minimum is a €275,000 purchase.

There are additional conditions and fees associated with this visa.

Please read our Malta Investment Visa page for more information

A man looking over Santorini in Greece where you can get residency.

Greece Residency by Investment

Invest more than €250,000 in real estate. You can rent out this property after the purchase is complete. Your spouse and all dependant children are also eligible for residency under this visa.

Have a read of our Greece Residency by Investment Page for more information

Cyprus Residency by investment

Invest more than €300,000 in approved real estate. This program targets new build properties, and you can rent out your purchase if that suits you. The Cyprus application process is usually very efficient.

Please read our Cyprus Residency by Investment Page for more information

Italy Investment Visa

There are several options for investment residence in Italy. But, the business options for the Investor Visa for Italy are often overlooked. And, the Italian government recently lowered the investment amounts.

You can invest €500,000 into a private limited company. Or, for innovative Italian start-ups, the amount drops to €250,000.

After five years, you can get permanent residency, and after ten years, EU citizenship is yours.

For information on other investment visas, please have a look at our Investment Visa Page. The article also has additional information on the best Citizenship by Investment programs in Europe and around the world.

Woman under an EU flag getting her residency visa

EU Start-up residency visas

Are you on fire with an entrepreneurial spirit? Do you have an amazing idea for a business? EU countries are looking for you to make a difference in their economies. They’ll offer you residency to bring your ideas to life in their country. Here are some examples.

Sweden

Sweden offers residency to those who are planning to run or invest in a business. You must be able to show you have the required skills and experience to run the company. Additionally, you must show sufficient funds to support yourself and your family.

Austria

Austria offers a Red-White-Red residency card to qualifying start-up founders. The program has a sliding points scale with several factors assessed. Funding, capital, innovation, and membership of accelerators or incubators are all considered in the assessment.

France

A French Tech Visa is available to people with an economically viable innovative start-up project. The “Passeport Talent” (“Talent Passport”) is targeted at start-up founders, investors, and employees. You’ll also need to show you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependents. France also has Business Investor and Selected Companies programs that offer accelerated residency.

For more information, see our article on Startup Visas around the world.

Estonia Digital Nomad Visa

Estonia has a residence permit targeted at Digital Nomads. You’ll need to show that you have a location-independent income of at least €3,500 per month before tax.

This visa is perfect for:

  • Digital nomads.
  • Freelancers.
  • Remote workers employed by non-Estonian companies.

The visa is valid for a year, and costs €100 to apply online. Estonia’s digital nation program means you can apply online for many Estonia residence permits and visas.4

Student Visas

Many countries in Europe offer excellent student visa programs. Some of the world’s finest educational institutions welcome international students. And, many EU countries provide a post-study work visa that allows you to stay on after your studies to find work. These visas are an excellent pathway to permanent residency and EU citizenship.

Top EU and EEA Student Visa programs

  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • The Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Sweden

Please see our article on Student Visas here for all the details you need to choose.

Are you excited about EU Residence?

The European Union is home to 450 million people and has a GDP of around €20 trillion. Happily, an EU ancestor or a lucky birth are not the only ways to be a part of this unique project. We hope this article gives you what you need to come and join us.

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Do you dream of living in Europe? Well here is 14 visas that you might not know about to make that dream come true. #europe #visas #expat #moveabroad #liveabroad via @wherecanilive

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Shane Peut says

      Hi great article my wife is a Dutch citizen I am Australian I have a 5 year visa from the Netherlands with 31/2 yrs remaining we have just spent a year living and work in Rotterdam but we had to return to Australia due to financial reasons with corona hitting hard I am now worried that I will loose my visa is there a way of obtaining permanent residency or dual citizenship in an Eu country that would then allow me to live back in the Netherlands with my wife of 28yrs

      Reply

      • Alastair Johnson says

        Hi Shane. You likely can live and work in the EU as long as you are with your wife. As a spouse, you have that right. Once you’re in the EU, there are numerous pathways to PR, citizenship and a passport. Checkout or article on Living in Europe for more details.

        Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      Hi Peter. These are some great options. Have a look at our individual European Union country pages for even more options for EU visas, permits, residency, and citizenships.

      Reply

  4. Mike says

    very interesting. Does Ireland residency permit require to reside in the country for a certain period of time every year? Please contact me.

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      Hi Mike. Generally to get Ireland permanent residency you will need to legally live in Ireland for 5 years. Time outside of Ireland will not count towards your residence requirement. There are different visa classes that have shortened or waived residence requirements. Please contact us here if you have additional questions.

      https://wherecani.live/about/contact/

      Reply

  5. Suhanul says

    Its been long time i m living in france and last 2 years i m working ,i have 1 year work permit wich is renewable.i m married and i fulfill all the requirements to bring my wife but still they r making problems for nothing. Is there anyway i can bring my wife another European country or can i move another European country and get the visa for my wife same time?

    Reply

  6. Samith says

    Other than investment do PhD holders have a pathway?
    I have a PhD in forest sciences from the University of Melbourne.

    Reply

  8. hash residency says

    All the steps are just amazing. I am much impressed by it. Thanks for sharing such a nice content. Impressive ….

    Reply

  9. faraidon says

    as a non EU citizenship, which best way to get permanent residency in Europe county and which country easiest specially for IRAQI nationality, is it possible open company in Belgium and have brother working Doctor in Belgium can help to get residency permit for me and my family?

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      HI Faridon – check out our Europe Visa options page and our Belgium immigration country page. THere will be some ideas there that you can explore. These include the option of opening a business in Belgium, although there is a minimum investment required.

      Reply

  10. Jennifer says

    Thank you for this interesting article! As a fiercely anti-Brexit UK/US citizen who previously planned to move to Italy, I now wonder how it’s possible to move to Italy (or another EU country) for residency but ultimately for citizenship? I do freelance work on development projects in lower-income countries, so I travel often. I fear that would be a problem for a ‘time spent in country’ requirement, and also that although residency might be possible, citizenship is a far different matter….

    Reply

  11. Sameer says

    He im Sameer from Iraq, i have compay for travel tourism and i thinking to open branch at UK what offer can i get it there? and can i get resident at uk when i open my branch there ?

    Reply

  12. Ikenna Alagbaoso says

    I am a Nigerian and currently living and working in UAE for 2 yrs. I am married and expecting a child. I am a medical laboratory technologist.

    I would like to move to any EU country or Australia or even America on either visit or residency.

    What are my options.

    Reply

  13. Mansoor says

    Hello
    thanks for your information.
    do you know any legal and formal lawyer to do the Cyprus income-based visa?
    i am iranian.
    best

    Reply

  16. Anonymous says

    I am really impressed together with your writing abilities and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid subject matter or did you modify it yourself? Anyway stay up the excellent high quality writing, it’s uncommon to peer a nice weblog like this one nowadays.

    Reply

  17. Charibert says

    I’ve always been fascinated with passive income visa. I’m interested with Portugal , but I’ve always wondered do passive income be associated with accumulating interest from local banks back in home country.

    So for example, to prove your income, you simply show your local bank statement , the interest accrued through the fixed deposit programme.

    Example:
    Let’s base on the €20000 per year requirement. Bank’s interest rate at 0.4% per year.

    Monies in bank= €53,000
    Monthly interest = €1,666

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      HI Charibert. The passive income visa just relies on you being able to show a steady income that will continue into the future. Fixed-deposit Interest paid by a bank is indeed a form of investment income that would be acceptable. Unfortunately, you’ll need a larger principal sum or a higher interest rate. 0.4% x €53,000 is €212, so this is short of the required amount.

      Passive Income Visas are a great opportunity for many. The idea is that you can generate enough money to cover your daily cost-of-living in your new country and are unlikely to become a burden to the state.

      Reply

  18. Marwan says

    I work in a reputable company and I think my status meets some programs need like Spain Non Lucrative Visa, Portugal and Austria passive income visas. there is only one concern since i am working in my country I can’t leave the work for too long time so do i need to live there a specific amount of days/year? if the question then what is the need for the residency ? i need the residency for visa free access to Europe and it is also good for my CV and career enhancement.
    what would be the best program to suit my request which might not be one of the above mentioned programs.

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      The residency requirement for a non-lucrative visa in Spain requires you to stay a minimum of 183 days a year.

      Portugal’s Passive Income Visa requirement is that you are not outside Portugal for more than 6 consecutive months or 8 non-consecutive months during the validity of the passive income visa.

      Some of the Residency by Investement programs in Europe have no residency requirements, please feel free to explore those from the link.

      Reply

  19. JASMINA says

    can you advice me, Im from Slovenia, my fionce is from Puerto Rico. What to do, to both have EU and USA passport and to be able to work on both sides?
    I read about Spain passport for him, but what if he have a wife from EU, will that help too?

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      Being married to an EU citizen gives you the right to live and work with your spouse in any EU country. If you want an EU citizenship for your partner, it needs to be the same citizenship as yours (so, you’d need to both live in Slovenia for at least one year, and be legally married for two years).

      Otherwise, with your EU passport, there are many pathways to EU residency and a passport. Check out some ideas in our Live in Europe article.

      Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      Hi Tasnim. Yes, Poland does have a visa that would work for retirees from non-EU countries. The D class visa lets you stay for one year, and is renewable. You’ll need to show you can support yourself without working in Poland.

      Reply

  22. Kobi Smith says

    My daughter has a German passport but lives here in the States. Can I use her passport to gain residency in Germany even though she has no intention of living in Germany? She is a minor, and her mother and I just got divorced.

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      HI Kobi. In general for family reunification, the applicant must be living in the country of citizenship. This means that you would not be able to access residency unless your daughter was resident in Germany. Here’s guidance from a German Government website: “reunification of families is limited to the spouse (or registered partner) and joint minor children or for minors living in Germany, their parents.”

      Reply

  23. Don says

    My wife and I are US citizens and are interested in non-lucrative or passive income visas in Spain, Portugal or Ireland. I am retired and have a pension that would meet the monthly income requirements as specified in these programs. My wife is still employed, but works remotely and can do so anywhere. Will her employment be an issue in applying for these visas? Also, she has employer-provided health insurance that covers us abroad – would that suffice for the required health insurance?

    Reply

    • Alastair Johnson says

      Hi Don. Portugal’s passive income visa (D7) is the most flexible of these three options. You wife can indeed work remotely under the visa conditions. Spain’s non-lucrative visa is a little more tricky. As long as you can clearly meet the income requirements without your wife’s salary you’d be in a more secure position. But, application results for remote workers have been mixed, and the legislation does not specify the eligibility of remote work. If you have a strong case that your income covers all expenses that would help. Ireland’s stamp 0 visa is clearer. You’re not allowed to carry out any work.

      The healthcare question is one that you’d need to speak directly to an immigration lawyer about. They’ll be able to assess the individual policy suitability for your application. All the best with your journey.

      Reply

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