Which is the best country to immigrate to?
In the current world climate, many people are forced to leave their countries running away from wars and conflicts. This is a completely different scenario and we are not going to focus on that in our article. We are going to talk about immigration by choice when you are lucky to have been born in a peaceful country but choose to emigrate because of personal reasons.
Why people decide to move abroad
We all prefer living in a politically and economically stable environment, we want to enjoy high standards of living, we want to give our children good education and opportunities in life, we all want to do business on high-potential markets. Here are just a few opportunities that relocation to another country can give you and reasons why people choose to do it this big step.
- Visa-free travel around the world.
- Tax optimisation.
- World class education.
- Growing business at an international level.
- Access to highest standards of healthcare.
- Career opportunities in large multinational corporation.
- Living the life you want.
Which countries are hard to move to
Some governments are less welcoming to immigrants than others. If you think about it, it is usually due to the fact that they have too many migrants already or their economies are strong enough to do without them. Good examples of such countries are the USA, Germany or France. You will struggle to get a residence permit unless you are a highly qualified specialist, scientist, artist or someone the market demands.
Which countries are easier to relocate to
There are many jurisdictions that do not turn their back to migrants and some that are even fighting for them. We have summarised the most attractive of the countries that are worth considering for your immigration purposes.
How to get residence permit
You can apply for a residence permit, permanent residence or second passport under residence by investment or citizenship by investment programs that are offered to foreign investors in return for their contribution to local economies. In Europe, such programs operate in Malta, Cyprus, Montenegro, Latvia, Portugal, Spain, UK, Austria. Other popular jurisdictions are Canada and several Caribbean states, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis.
Our recommendations where to immigrate in Europe
If you are not prepared to spend millions of Euro for a Maltese or Cypriot passport, you might want to look for cheaper options. Latvia is one of the most affordable residence programs in the world. Besides, it is part of the EU, has a stable economy, low cost of living and beautiful nature.
How to get Latvia residence permit
All you need to do is to invest at least €250,000 in real estate under the Latvia Golden Visa program and you will get your residence permit in 1-3 months. You will be able to travel visa-free to Schengen states and live in Latvia with your family. In 5 years, if you pass a language test and comply with other requirements, you can apply for Latvia permanent residence and in 10 years, you might be eligible for a European passport. As an EU national you will have the right to live, work and study anywhere in Europe.
Montenegro citizenship
This is the fastest and cheapest way to a European passport – after 6 months of applying for Montenegro citizenship by investment you can become citizen without even speaking the language. You will be required to invest not less than €350,000 a big part of which can be later returned. Montenegro is not part of the EU yet, but they use euro and you can travel without a visa around Europe with a Montenegro passport.
Multi-purpose low-cost citizenship
What if your first passport has a low passport index rating and it is not many countries that you can visit visa-free. What if you love travelling or have a business that you want to grow internationally? If you need to go to Europe, UK, Singapore, USA and other business hubs quite often, visa applications can become a headache. We have a perfect solution.
Get a Caribbean passport
Former British colonies on the tropical islands are hungry for foreign investments and ready to offer their citizenship to wealthy investors on special terms. It takes 3 to 6 months to obtain a Caribbean passport or, if you use fast-track option that is offered by St. Kitts & Nevis, you will get citizenship for the whole family in 45-60 days!
Let’s have a look at all advantages and benefits that Caribbean jurisdictions can offer to you. The five main ones are Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
| Minimum investment | Processing time | |
| Dominica | $100,000 | 4 Months |
| Grenada | $150,000 | 3–4 Months |
| Saint Lucia | $100,000 | 3–4 Months |
| St. Kitts & Nevis | $150,000 | 45 – 60 Days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | $100,000 | 3–6 Months |
Advantages of Caribbean citizenship
- Low-risk application through a licensed agent
- No visit or residency requirement
- Visa-free travel to EU and UK
- Beneficial taxation for individuals and corporations
Where to immigrate for business?
If you are looking for simple and transparent conditions in which to grow business, tax benefits, huge markets and trust from partners and suppliers, the United Kingdom is your best destination.
How to move to the UK
UK Immigration Rules have no special fast-track programs for citizenship; however, they do have a few visa categories that would suit wealthy people and entrepreneurs. You can get a UK residence permit by investing at least £50,000 (Innovator visa) or £2,000,000 (Investor visa) in UK-registered companies. Maximum in 5 years and minimum in 2-3 tears of living in the UK, you can apply for permanent residence (also called settlement or ILR). In 5-6 years of living in the country you can get naturalised and apply for a British passport.
Spain also offer good schemes for entrepreneurs. Malta and Cyprus are well-known tax havens that could work for companies trading outside the country of incorporation. All jurisdictions offer residence by investment in return for your contribution to a local economy.
Conclusions
- There is a wide choice of countries for those who are looking to immigrate for personal or business reasons.
- Many countries in Europe and worldwide offer they residence by investment and citizenship by investment programs.
- The easiest and cheapest option to move to Europe is Latvia Golden visa.
- The cheapest and fastest route to European citizenship is Montenegro.
- Caribbean passport is an ideal solution for worldwide mobility.
- Businessmen should choose between UK, Spain. For tax optimisation, consider Malta or Cyprus.
We have a more detailed article about immigration destinations here.
Immigration lawyers at Imperial & Legal will be happy to help you choose a country for relocation based on your needs, support you in your visa application, obtaining permanent residence and citizenship of that country.
