A residence permit is the most practical flag you can plant: it lets you live, bank and often run a business in another country. Some are handed out in weeks for a few hundred euros; others cost a flat in Lisbon. And some are easy to get but hard to keep, because they want you to show up.
This guide compares the easiest options as of September 2026 – for non-EU citizens mainly, since EU citizens simply register within the EU. For remote-work visas specifically, see digital nomad visas.
The comparison table (as of September 2026)#
| Country | Route | Main requirement (single applicant) | Minimum stay to keep it | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguay | Temporary residence (Law 6984/2022) | No income or investment proof; fees about PYG 2.9m (≈ €330) | Apply in person; cancelled after more than 1 year of unjustified absence | Permanent residence (apply in the 3 months before the 2-year card expires; proof of income then needed) |
| Paraguay | Investor Pass (since April 2026) | From US$70,000 in a business with 5 jobs, US$150,000 tourism or US$200,000 property/financial assets | Check programme | Direct permanent residence |
| Georgia | Visa-free stay | EU, UK, US and many other passports: up to 1 year visa-free; health insurance required | Leave and re-enter to reset | No residence rights; work permit needed since March 2026 |
| Georgia | Residence via property | Property from US$150,000 (since 1 March 2026) | Renewable yearly | Longer-term permits via larger investment |
| UAE | Residence via own company | Free zone or mainland company | Standard visas lapse after more than 6 months abroad in one go | Renewable 2-year visas |
| UAE | Golden Visa | e.g. AED 2 million property or approved investment | Exempt from the 6-month rule | 10-year renewable visa |
| Panama | Friendly Nations | Citizens of listed countries: local job, or US$200,000 in real estate or a fixed-term deposit | Low presence requirements | 2-year temporary, then permanent residence |
| Panama | Pensionado | Lifetime pension of US$1,000/month (US$750 with property over US$100,000) | Low presence requirements | Permanent residence |
| Mexico | Temporary resident (economic solvency) | Income or savings thresholds set by each consulate, tied to the minimum wage | Keep a valid card; renew or convert | Permanent residence after 4 years |
| Uruguay | Legal residence | Means of support; relatively low bar | Stay regularly; long absences can end it | Legal citizenship after 3–5 years |
| Portugal | D7 (passive income) | €920/month (2026 minimum wage) + savings, accommodation | Long absences (around 6 months in a row) can cost you the permit | Permanent residence; citizenship after 7–10 years |
| Portugal | D8 (remote work) | €3,680/month (4× minimum wage) | As D7 | As D7 |
| Portugal | Golden Visa (no real estate) | €500,000 in qualifying funds (other routes exist) | About 7 days a year on average | Citizenship after 10 years for most nationalities |
| Spain | Non-lucrative visa | €28,800/year (400% IPREM) + €7,200 per family member; no work at all | Renewal expects you to live there most of the year | Long-term residence after 5 years |
| Spain | Digital nomad (telework) | €2,849/month gross | Live there | Long-term residence after 5 years |
| Cyprus | Permanent residence (Reg. 6(2)) | €300,000 investment + €50,000 secure annual income from abroad | Visit at least once every two years | Permanent from day one |
| Malta | Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) | €37,000 contribution + €60,000 admin fee + property from €375,000 or rent from €14,000/year + €2,000 donation | No minimum stay | Permanent residence |
| Andorra | Passive residence | €1,000,000 in Andorran assets + €50,000 non-refundable + income 3× minimum wage | 90+ days a year | Renewable residence |
| Greece | Golden Visa | Property from €400,000 (€800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, big islands) | None | 5-year renewable permit |
| Thailand | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Funds of THB 500,000; remote work or “soft power” activities | Up to 180 days per entry, extendable once by 180 days | 5-year multiple-entry visa; no residence status |
| Thailand | Long-Term Resident (LTR) | E.g. US$80,000/year from an established foreign employer, or US$1m assets + US$500,000 invested in Thailand | Flexible | 10-year visa |
| Montenegro | Temporary residence via property or company | Property ownership or a registered business | Renewed yearly | Permanent residence after 5 years |
Notes on the table:
- Mexico, Uruguay and Montenegro thresholds change often or are set by consulates. Treat them as orientation and check the official page before planning.
- Panama overhauled its Qualified Investor route in September 2026 (Executive Decree 17): direct permanent residence from US$300,000 for new property bought from the developer, US$500,000 for resale property or securities, and higher amounts for bank deposits. Check the final text in the Gaceta Oficial.
- Spain’s golden visa was abolished on 3 April 2025. Montenegro’s citizenship-by-investment programme closed at the end of 2022 – residence is still available.
- Portugal’s citizenship timeline grew with the nationality law in force since 19 May 2026: 7 years for CPLP and EU nationals, 10 for others. See fastest naturalisation.
Easy to get vs easy to keep#
Easy to get, but you need to live there: Portugal D7/D8, Spain’s non-lucrative and nomad visas, Mexico and Uruguay. Requirements are modest, but renewals check that you’re actually around. Great if you want to move; useless as a “backup permit”.
Cheap and flexible: Paraguay’s temporary residence and Georgia’s visa-free year. Low cost, few conditions – but Paraguay wants you in person for the application and renewal, and Georgia’s visa-free stay gives you no residence card.
Low presence, higher price: UAE Golden Visa, Cyprus permanent residence, Malta MPRP, Greece and Portugal golden visas. You pay for the privilege of not showing up – which also means they rarely help with naturalisation or tax residency.
Residency is not tax residency#
This is the most expensive misunderstanding in the business. A residence permit says you may live somewhere. Tax residency is about where you do live – days, homes, family, business. Some examples:
- Paraguay: the cédula alone doesn’t make you tax resident. The tax office treats you as resident only after more than 120 days in the country in a calendar year – and even then personal income tax applies mainly to Paraguayan-source income.
- UAE: to prove UAE tax residency you need a tax residency certificate: 183 days in 12 months, or 90 days with a residence visa plus a permanent home or business in the UAE.
- Panama: also taxes on a territorial basis – foreign-source income generally stays outside the net.
- Georgia: tax residency needs 183 days in any continuous 12-month period (with a special route for high-net-worth individuals). Foreign-source income of individuals generally stays untaxed.
- Thailand: since 2024, foreign income brought into Thailand by tax residents can be taxable regardless of the year it was earned. A DTV doesn’t change that.
- Uruguay: tax residency comes from 183 days, a centre of interests or qualifying investments. From 2026, certain foreign capital income of residents is taxable, with new tax-holiday options for newcomers – check the details with the tax office (DGI).
Meanwhile, your old country may still treat you as tax resident if you keep a home, family or business there. Germans should read leaving Germany; everyone should read the tax residency guide and log their days with the day tracker.
Traps and red flags
Permits that lapse quietly.
UAE standard visas lapse after more than six months abroad; Portuguese and Spanish permits can be refused at renewal after long absences.
“Residence = zero tax.”
A permit doesn’t end your old tax residency, and a low-presence permit doesn’t create a new one.
Unlicensed agents and fake appointments.
Book appointments only through official portals. Pay government fees to the government, not to a “facilitator”.
Investments you can’t exit.
Golden visa funds and property come with lock-in periods and resale discounts. Price the exit, not just the entry.
Criminal records and sanctions.
Nearly every permit needs clean police certificates; sanctions hits end applications immediately.
Rule changes.
Georgia, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Panama and Andorra all changed rules in 2025–26. What your cousin did in 2023 may no longer work.
FAQ#
Which residence permit is the easiest to get?
For many nationalities, Paraguay’s temporary residence (no income proof, modest fees, in-person application) and Georgia’s visa-free stay of up to a year. The UAE is fast if you set up a company.
Which residency requires the fewest days on the ground?
Low-presence options include the UAE Golden Visa, Cyprus permanent residence (one visit every two years), Malta MPRP and the Greek and Portuguese golden visas. They cost considerably more.
Does a residence permit make me tax resident?
Not automatically. Tax residency follows days, homes and ties. You can hold a permit and not be tax resident – and be tax resident in a country where you hold no permit.
Can I work with a passive-income permit?
Usually not locally. Spain’s non-lucrative visa forbids any work, even remote. Portugal’s D7 is for passive income; the D8 is for remote work. Check the conditions carefully.
Which permit leads to citizenship fastest?
Paraguay (3 years after permanent residence) and Uruguay (3–5 years). In Europe, Portugal is now 7–10 years and Spain 10 for most nationalities. See fastest naturalisation.
I’m an EU citizen – do I need any of this?
Within the EU, no: you register under free movement. Outside the EU, the same rules apply to you as to everyone else.
This guide is general information, not immigration or tax advice. Use the Jurisdiction Finder to shortlist countries or book a strategy session to combine residence, tax and company.
Sources#
- Paraguay – Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, temporary residence
- Paraguay – Permanent residence (change of category)
- Paraguay – Ministry of Industry and Commerce, investor certificates
- Paraguay – DNIT (tax authority)
- Georgia – Public Service Hall
- Georgia – Revenue Service
- UAE – Government portal, residence visas
- UAE – ICP, Golden Residency
- UAE – Cabinet Decision 85 of 2022 on tax residency
- Panama – National Migration Service
- Panama – Panamá Digital, permanent residence for pensioners
- Mexico – National Migration Institute
- Uruguay – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, residence
- Portugal – AIMA
- Portugal – Visa portal
- Spain – Consulate London, non-lucrative residence visa
- Spain – BOE, Organic Law 1/2025
- Cyprus – Civil Registry and Migration Department
- Malta – Residency Malta Agency, MPRP legal framework
- Andorra – Government immigration service
- Greece – Ministry of Migration and Asylum
- Thailand – Official e-visa portal, DTV
- Thailand – Long-Term Resident visa (BOI)
- Montenegro – Ministry of Interior
