Cheapest routes to residence abroad (2026)
37 of 53 places give residence with no investment at all. The cheapest: Belgium (~USD 0 in fees), Israel (~USD 0 in fees), Mauritius (~USD 100 in fees), Georgia (~USD 300 in fees), Hungary (~USD 300 in fees).
| Place | Route | Money | Months |
|---|---|---|---|
 Belgium | home country | USD 0 · no investment | 0 |
 Israel | Law of Return only | USD 0 · no investment | 1 |
 Mauritius | Premium Visa (free, USD 1.5k/month remote income); tax resident after 183 days | USD 100 · no investment | 1 |
 Georgia | no visa needed (365 days visa-free for most); tax residence after 183 days | USD 300 · no investment | 1 |
 Hungary | White Card (EUR 3k/month remote income) or EU registration; Guest Investor needs EUR 250k | USD 300 · no investment | 2 |
 Malaysia | DE Rantau nomad pass (USD 24k a year income); MM2H Silver needs a USD 150k deposit | USD 300 · no investment | 2 |
 Bermuda | Work from Bermuda certificate (USD 263, one year, renewable) | USD 300 · no investment | 1 |
 Estonia | e-Residency gives a company, not residence; living there: EU registration or digital-nomad visa | USD 400 · no investment | 2 |
 Türkiye | short-term residence permit (a lease + health insurance) | USD 500 · no investment | 2 |
 Paraguay | temporary residence (2 years, Law 6984/2022), then permanent: no investment, proof of solvency only | USD 600 · no investment | 3 |
 United Arab Emirates | remote-work visa (USD 3.5k/month income) or a freelance permit; tax residence certificate after 183 days | USD 900 · no investment | 1 |
 Italy | elective-residence visa (non-EU, ~EUR 31k a year passive income) or EU registration | USD 1,000 · no investment | 3 |
 Uruguay | legal residence with ~USD 1.5k/month income; tax residence 183 days (or a ~USD 380k property + 60 days) | USD 1,000 · no investment | 9 |
 Hong Kong | talent routes (TTPS, QMAS) with no investment if you qualify; investor route HKD 30 M | USD 1,000 · no investment | 3 |
 Ireland | EU registration; non-EU: Stamp 0 (EUR 50k a year) | USD 1,000 · no investment | 1 |
 Romania | EU registration; non-EU: a nomad visa or own company | USD 1,000 · no investment | 2 |
 Bahrain | golden residency by income (BHD 2k/month, ~USD 5.3k) or property | USD 1,000 · no investment | 2 |
 Indonesia | E33G remote-worker KITAS (USD 60k a year income); the second-home visa needs a USD 130k deposit | USD 1,000 · no investment | 2 |
 Honduras | Próspera e-residency / physical residency (USD 1.3k a year) | USD 1,300 · no investment | 1 |
 Bahamas | annual residence permit (proof of means) or the BEATS remote-work permit | USD 1,500 · no investment | 3 |
 Cayman Islands | Global Citizen Concierge programme (remote work, USD 100k a year income) | USD 1,500 · no investment | 1 |
 Cyprus | EU registration, or Category F / digital-nomad permit; 60-day rule needs a Cyprus company and a home | USD 1,500 · no investment | 2 |
 Malta | EU registration (ordinary residence) or the Nomad Residence Permit (EUR 42k a year) | USD 1,500 · no investment | 3 |
 Bulgaria | EU registration; non-EU: a D visa via a company or nomad route | USD 1,500 · no investment | 2 |
 Singapore | EntrePass or ONE Pass if you qualify; GIP SGD 10 M+ | USD 1,500 · no investment | 3 |
 Thailand | LTR 'work from Thailand professional' (USD 80k a year income, no investment) keeps foreign income untaxed; DTV is cheaper but foreign income brought in is taxed | USD 1,500 · no investment | 2 |
 Antigua and Barbuda | Nomad Digital Residence (USD 1.5k for 2 years, USD 50k a year income) | USD 1,500 · no investment | 1 |
 Belize | QRP (45+, USD 2k/month income) or permanent residence after a year living there | USD 1,500 · no investment | 3 |
 Costa Rica | digital-nomad visa (USD 3k/month) or rentista (USD 2.5k/month for 2 years) | USD 1,500 · no investment | 6 |
 Montenegro | temporary residence via your own company or a property | USD 1,500 · no investment | 2 |
 Barbados | Welcome Stamp (USD 2k, USD 50k a year income) | USD 2,000 · no investment | 1 |
 El Salvador | temporary residence with proof of income; Freedom Visa needs USD 1 M in BTC/USDT | USD 2,000 · no investment | 4 |
 Puerto Rico | Act 60: move (US citizens freely), USD 5k application, buy a home within 2 years | USD 5,000 · no investment | 3 |
 United Kingdom | a UK visa (unless British or Irish); foreign-income regime 4 years | USD 10k · no investment | 3 |
 Switzerland | lump-sum taxation: no investment, but no gainful work in Switzerland | USD 12k · no investment | 4 |
 Portugal | D7 visa (~EUR 870/month passive income) + savings for a year | USD 1,500 + USD 12k kept | 6 |
 Liechtenstein | residence permits are drawn by lot or granted for managers of real businesses | USD 20k · no investment | 12 |
 Philippines | SRRV: deposit USD 10-20k (kept) | USD 1,400 + USD 20k kept | 2 |
 Saudi Arabia | Premium Residency (limited duration, SAR 100k a year, spent each year) | USD 27k · no investment | 2 |
 Spain | Beckham law via a job or the start-up visa; non-lucrative visa needs ~EUR 28.8k a year shown | USD 1,500 + USD 30k kept | 3 |
 Andorra | active residence with your own Andorran company: EUR 50k refundable deposit + EUR 3k capital; 183 days | USD 5,000 + USD 57k kept | 3 |
 Vanuatu | residence by retirement income or property | USD 5,000 + USD 130k kept | 3 |
 Panama | Friendly Nations: USD 200k property or a Panamanian job; pensioners USD 1k/month with no investment; a Panamanian lawyer is required | USD 3,000 + USD 200k kept | 6 |
 Qatar | property (USD 200k) or a job | USD 3,000 + USD 200k kept | 2 |
 St Kitts and Nevis | passport route USD 250k donation (spent); plain residence permits are discretionary | USD 30k + USD 250k kept | 6 |
 Oman | investor residence (5 years from ~OMR 150k) | USD 4,000 + USD 390k kept | 3 |
 Monaco | residence card: a lease in Monaco and a Monaco bank deposit (no legal minimum; banks expect ~EUR 500k) | USD 3,000 + USD 540k kept | 3 |
 Greece | non-dom flat tax needs a EUR 500k investment; basic residence: FIP visa (EUR 3.5k/month income) or EU registration | USD 2,000 + USD 550k kept | 4 |
 Anguilla | residence by investment (USD 750k property) | USD 20k + USD 750k kept | 6 |
 Turks and Caicos | Permanent Residence Certificate by investment (USD 1 M; less on some islands) + government fee | USD 60k + USD 1 million kept | 6 |
 Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man | high-value residency 2(1)(e): approved property purchase (from ~GBP 1.75 M) | USD 15k + USD 2 million kept | 6 |
 Gibraltar | Category 2: an approved home + GBP 2 M net worth | USD 8,000 + USD 2.6 million kept | 4 |
 New Zealand | investor visa NZD 5 M, or skilled visas; 4-year exemption on foreign income | USD 8,000 + USD 3 million kept | 6 |