Fortunately, there is a wide choice of countries in the world with high standards of technological development, education and healthcare. If you are considering one of them for immigration, this article is for you.
Start by checking immigration laws of the chosen country, because not all of them are welcoming foreigners as eagerly as others and impose restrictions on immigration. You will find it challenging to relocate to such countries and regions as Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden), France and Netherlands, as well as Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Besides, to become a full member of the society, you would need to target permanent residence status and not just a residence permit.
Permanent residence status in some countries is subject to extension, in others is given without expiry date. Permanent residence is one step away from naturalisation and second passport. However, some migrants choose never to make that step, especially id by doing so they would lose their first nationality. You can learn more about temporary residence permit, permanent residence and dual citizenship in this article.
Going back to the main question in the heading. Which country to choose for immigration? Where is the safest and most stable? Which country offers best business environment? Where can you invest to get permanent residence easier and faster?
The choice of where you are going to relocate to and live permanently depends on your needs and ambitions. You might be seeking to do business without pressure from authorities or give your children an excellent education in world-class universities, or to live in a safe and stable environment with beneficial taxation.
An important factor to keep in mind is how easy it is to relocate to a new place. For this, you might want to consider one of the countries that operate government residence by investment (Golden Visa) and citizenship by investment programs.
Each country offers different terms and requirements, but there are two investment options that are common across all programs.
You must invest money into a real business by buying shares of an existing company or opening your own firm and creating jobs for permanent residents.
You must purchase residential or commercial property or properties or invest in approved development projects.
There are several jurisdictions in Europe that have relaxed requirements to foreign investors by law. They include Malta, Portugal, Spain, Latvia, Greece and Cyprus.
You will find it harder to get permanent residence in Austria, United Kingdom, but pluses of these jurisdictions overweigh the hardship of immigrating there.
If you are not put off by larger distances, have a look at Canada or former British colonies in the Caribbean, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, where governments welcome foreign investors.
Global rankings were developed in order to score countries against a number of attributes such as quality of life, entrepreneurship and safety. It does not mean you should rely on them blindly, but they can help you get a general idea of a situation in a country. Here is one example.
One of the country ratings is Global Peace Index that determines most peaceful countries in the world. Though this index is often criticised by scientists, it does reflect true state of things; top countries demonstrate low crime rate, good neighbour relationships and political stability.
Iceland has been at the very top since 2008. In 2019 ranking, it is followed by New Zealand and Portugal. Canada came 6th.
Portugal has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. You can get a residence permit there by investing at least €250,000. Portugal Golden Visa gives the right to live, work and study in the country. You can apply for permanent residence in 5 years of living in Portugal.
World Happiness Report is done by American scientists from the Columbia University under the UN auspices. Happiness is a subjective thing; therefore, they evaluate countries against more objective factors such as well-being, life expectancy, confidence in the government, corruption, etc. In 2020, Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world three times in a row. The United Kingdom holds the 13th place leaving Germany and USA behind.
First identify what type of activities you are going to do and where. If it is an international company operating outside of its incorporation country, consider one of the tax havens. In Europe, it is Malta and Cyprus. There is no corporation tax for profits received outside these jurisdictions. Similar benefits are offered by some Caribbean island states.
If you are after a large market, transparent business environment, tax benefits and government support for small and medium businesses, then ideally you would be looking into opening a company in the United Kingdom.
It is not easy to get a UK business visa. We highly recommend getting in touch with a qualified immigration lawyer. However, it is one of the shortest and most interesting routes to permanent residence, you can apply in 5 years and sometimes even earlier, in 3 years.
If you value comfort and high living standards you should consider Latvia as your new home. It is a stable country with low living costs, natural beauty and mild climate. It is compact, peaceful and welcoming.
Latvian government launched Latvia Golden Visa program offering a residence permit for a whole family in return for investment of €250,000. You can apply for permanent residence in Latvia 5 years after receiving your permit provided you have lived there for at least 4 years and passed a language test and know Latvian history and traditions.
We are limited as to how much information we can give you in a small article. Each one of us has their needs, requirements and budget.
For your convenience we have made a table of countries where you can move to with advantages of each one of them.
Residence by investment after 6 months.
Permanent residence after 5 years of residence.
Advanced economy, high standards of education and healthcare.
Favourablebusiness environment.
Residence by investment within 1 year.
Visa-free travel to over 160 countries incl. EU.
Tax benefits for international companies.
Residence by investment in 3 weeks after applying.
EU passport for an investor in 1 year.
Full EU member state.
Favourable taxation for businesses.
Family-oriented country.
Minimum investment of €250,000 and possibility to return the money.
Golden Visa by investment in 4 months.
Permanent residence after 5 years (4 years you must live in Latvia).
Investment attractiveness, economic stability, favourable taxation.
Pro-business government.
Permanent residence in 2 to 5 years.
UK passport in 5 to 6 years.
Low-cost investment options.
Visa-free travel to EU, UK; special arrangements with the USA.
Tax haven for international business and individuals.
Get in touch with our experts for a more detailed consultation and discuss your immigration and business requirements with them. Qualified lawyers at Imperial & Legal offer a comprehensive approach to all your matters from obtaining a visa to opening a company, tax planning, purchasing real estate and managing your business. Many questions – one answer.
Japan tops the passport index published in the first half of 2021. This top chartestimates immigration opportunities that citizens of various countries have. For example, the Japanese can travel to 193 countries without any additional paperwork. Ironically, Japan is also among the countries where it is especially challenging to get a permanent residence permit.
If you look at the top seven countries in this index, you will see that Spain with a score of 190 countries is the fourth in the list, Austria with a score of 189 is the fifth and Portugal with a score of 188 is the sixth. These are the countries that are rather open to immigrants and are even ready to offer favourable conditions to foreign investors.
The main differences are given in the table below:
A contribution to a national economy is necessary to get Golden Visa
A small government fee is required to obtain permanent residence
Golden Visa is issued to foreign investors
Permanent residence is granted to holders of various visa types, including investors
An applicant is not expected to know the language, history and culture of the country
The status of a resident implies a high degree of the applicant’s integration in the society, good command of the language, as well as knowledge of culture and traditions
Your application will be processed within several months
You can apply for permanent residence after living in the country permanently for 5 years
A Golden Visa holder is often restricted in terms of work and business opportunities
A permanent resident has almost the same rights as citizens of the country
After living several years in the country, a Golden Visa holder can apply for permanent residence
As a rule, you can apply for citizenship a year after getting a permanent resident status
Golden Visa is to be regularly extended
Permanent residence is issued for an indefinite period of time or is extended after long periods of time
Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Saint Lucia – former British colonies and currently independent states in the Caribbean, are tax havens with corporate and tax legislation that is very favourable for establishing an off-shore business. International companies do not have to pay taxes on foreign income.
Additional advantages of these countries include citizenship by investment programmes that give wealthy investors a chance to get a second passport for a reasonable price.
It depends on your immigration status. On average, holders of business or work visas must stay in the UK for at least 5 years before they can apply for permanent residence.
There are two exceptions:
To find out more about getting a permanent resident status in Great Britain, you can browse through other articles on our website or talk to our immigration advisers.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
Visas to the UK
Residence by investment
Start a business in UK
Tax solutions
Purchasing UK property | Purchasing property in London
Citizenship by Investment