Countries with the easiest residency routes

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Ranked on ease of access, the number of visa routes and the path to permanent residency.

Last updated: October 26, 2026

This ranking measures how hard it is to get in and stay in. It combines the country record for ease of access, the number of visa types it offers, whether there is a clear path to permanent residency and, separately, to citizenship, and the lowest income threshold across its retirement and nomad routes.

Countries are not rewarded for a single generous programme if the rest of the system is closed. Where a path is described as complex or difficult, that is reflected rather than flattened.

Ease is not the same as suitability: a low barrier may come with weak long-term rights. Read the residency and citizenship conditions for the specific route you would use, and check them against the official source.

Countries at travel advisory level 3 or 4 are not ranked here.

Read the full method

Easiest residency ranking

1

Portugal

9.9out of 10

Ease 8/10 · 4 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
2

Panama

9.9out of 10

Ease 8/10 · 5 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
3

Ecuador

9.7out of 10

Ease 8/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
4

Paraguay

9.6out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
5

Argentina

9.6out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
6

Costa Rica

9.6out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
7

Bulgaria

9.3out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
8

Montenegro

9.3out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
9

Dominican Republic

9.2out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
10

Belize

9.1out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
11

Spain

9.0out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
12

Mexico

9.0out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
13

Grenada

9.0out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • English widely spoken
14

Romania

8.9out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
15

Mauritius

8.9out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 4 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
16

Antigua and Barbuda

8.8out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • English widely spoken
17

Uruguay

8.8out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 1 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Retirement visa
18

Malta

8.8out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
19

Vanuatu

8.7out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 1 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • English widely spoken
20

Saint Lucia

8.6out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 1 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • English widely spoken
21

Turkey

8.4out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 4 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
22

Saint Kitts and Nevis

8.4out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 1 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • English widely spoken
23

Hungary

8.3out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 3 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
24

Georgia

8.3out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
25

Serbia

8.3out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
26

Peru

8.3out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
27

Albania

8.3out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • Retirement visa
28

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

8.3out of 10

Ease 7/10 · 0 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • English widely spoken
29

Lithuania

8.2out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • English widely spoken
30

Croatia

8.2out of 10

Ease 6/10 · 2 visa routes · Residency path: clear

Permanent residency path: clear.

  • Path to residency
  • Nomad visa
  • English widely spoken

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