Several countries in Europe that are easiest to get residency now offer residence permits quickly in return for investment. This article highlights the easiest European countries to move to and answers the question: “Which country has the easiest residency?”.
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Permanent Residency in Cyprus
The Permanent Residency Program in Cyprus is aimed at anyone wishing to move and live in the country through real estate investment in one of the following pathways:
- Fast Track
Investment in this track starts from 300,000 EUR, with processing times ranging between 6-9 months. It is a requirement to maintain property ownership throughout life for the permanent residency to remain valid.
- Regular Track
Investment in this track is less than 300,000 EUR, but processing times are longer compared to the Fast Track (conditions apply).
Some of the advantages provided by the Permanent Residency Program in Cyprus include:
- Permanent European residency for all eligible family members.
- Ease of obtaining Schengen visas after obtaining Cypriot permanent residency.
- Enjoying tax exemptions and privileges.
- The possibility of obtaining citizenship after fulfilling certain residency conditions.
- Achieving good financial returns from real estate investment.
Permanent residency in Cyprus may qualify you for citizenship and a Cypriot passport after seven years of actual residency, subject to specific conditions. Holders of Cypriot passports have visa-free access to 179 destinations worldwide, ranking 13th according to the Reach Immigration Passport Index.
Cyprus, strategically located between Europe, Asia, and Africa, has become an attractive investment option due to its rapid real estate market growth, and low-tax benefits, with a corporate tax rate of 12.5%.
Speaking of the real estate market in Cyprus, it is considered one of the best markets globally, particularly in Europe. The country has facilitated the buying and selling of properties, making it easy for investors from outside Cyprus.
Real estate sales in Cyprus reached 1.7 billion euros in the first quarter of 2023, with a total of 6,188 properties sold, according to official reports. This figure reflects the flexibility of the real estate market in Cyprus and the high level of confidence in the sector among property owners and foreign investors.
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Residency in Greece
The Golden Visa program in Greece is gaining popularity day by day among those seeking residency in Europe. The Greek government launched the Golden Visa program in 2013 to boost the country’s economy. The program offers the opportunity for investors and their eligible family members to obtain permanent residency.
According to the law, the minimum investment amount is 500,000 EUR, but there are exceptional areas where investment can start from 250,000 EUR. Investors are required to maintain ownership of the purchased property throughout their lives.
Some of the features provided by this program include:
- Freedom to travel within all Schengen Area countries without the need for a visa.
- The option to add a spouse, children under 21, and parents.
- Access to social benefits and educational rights.
- Achieving a good financial return from real estate investment.
This program qualifies individuals for Greek citizenship and a passport after seven years of residency. The Greek passport ranks 5th according to the Reach Immigration Passport Index, allowing visa-free entry to 189 destinations worldwide.
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Permanent Residency in Malta
Malta offers numerous investment opportunities through what is known as the Permanent Residency Program in Malta. This program is tailored for foreign investors seeking to invest and reside in Malta, allowing them to obtain permanent residency through investment starting from 182,000 EUR (conditions apply).
This program provides a wide range of benefits, including:
- Enjoying permanent residency rights in Malta for all family members.
- Freedom to travel within all Schengen Area countries without the need for a visa.
- Expedited application processing, typically taking 6 months.
- Access to special tax incentives for individuals and companies.
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Residency in Portugal
At Reach, we offer you more than one residency program in Portugal, which are as follows:
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- Golden Residency Program in Portugal through investment funds
The Golden Residency Program in Portugal is one of the most attractive programs for investors and businessmen, as it is an opportunity for those wishing to obtain Portuguese residency and enjoy many benefits, as they can invest in investment funds with an amount of no less than 500,000 EUR, with the maintain the investment for a minimum of 5 years until the client obtains permanent residency or citizenship if the minimum residency requirements are met.
The Portugal Residency Program – Golden Visa by investing in investment funds provides many advantages, which are as follows:
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- The option to add a spouse and all dependents, regardless of age (conditions apply).
- Freedom of movement and visa-free entry to all Schengen countries after obtaining residency.
- The possibility of obtaining permanent residency or citizenship after 5 years of legal residence, with a requirement of 7 days per year.
- Enjoying full benefits within Portugal, such as health insurance and free education.
- The right to work and reside anywhere in Portugal.
- Guaranteed return on investment with exemption from income tax.
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- Portugal D7 Residency Visa Program
The D7 Residency Visa, also known as the Passive Income Visa, provides the opportunity to move to and settle in Portugal, by providing a stable and regular income, such as pension, rent, dividends, or certain types of investment income, provided that it is sufficient to cover living expenses in Portugal, and is at least equal to the country’s minimum wage.
The program also offers the following benefits:
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- The ability to add a spouse, all dependents regardless of age (conditions apply), and the parents of the main applicant or spouse.
- Enjoy freedom of movement between all Schengen countries without a visa.
- The possibility of benefiting from services within Portugal, including the public education and health system.
- The possibility of qualifying for permanent residency or citizenship after 5 years of actual residence.
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- Portugal D8 Residency Visa Program
If you work remotely for a company outside Portugal, the country offers the opportunity to move there through the D8 Portugal Residency Program by proving a monthly income and the financial ability to cover living expenses there. This program is one of the easiest programs to obtain residency ending with Portuguese citizenship after 5 years (conditions apply).
The costs required to obtain this type of residency depend on the following:
- Proof of a monthly income of at least 4 times the minimum wage in Portugal, as the minimum in the country is (870 EUR) and changes from time to time, so 4 times the minimum wage is equivalent to 3,480 EUR per month.
- Proof of bank savings to cover living expenses in Portugal.
In order to maintain residency in Portugal, the residency card must be renewed before the end of the second year, after which a three-year residency card is issued; Given that the renewal condition has been met, the requirements are: residency for more than 6 consecutive months, with the requirement to prove a monthly income and the financial ability to cover living expenses there.
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Residency in Spain
Spain offers attractive investment opportunities for investors through the Spain Golden Visa Program. This program opens new horizons for those wishing to invest and reside in Spain, one of the best options within the European Union countries. The type of investment in this program is real estate investment, where investors can purchase a property or a group of properties worth no less than 500,000 EUR to obtain a golden visa.
The program also offers the following benefits:
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- Obtaining permanent residency after legal residency.
- The ability of the main applicant and his family members to benefit from services within Spain, including health insurance and free education.
- Freedom of movement between all Schengen countries.
- Enjoy a safe investment in the Spanish real estate market.
If you are interested in European residency through investment, you can contact us to book a free consultation by clicking on the link here.
