32 destinations
Compare programs.
Capital, time to permanent residence, time to citizenship and dual citizenship rules for every destination, side by side.
| Destination | Startup route | Status | Minimum capital | Permanent residence | Citizenship | Dual citizenship | Investment routes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AustraliaAsia-Pacific | National Innovation visa (subclass 858) | Limited intake | No investment threshold; exceptional record required | Immediate on visa grant | 4 years' residence incl. 12 months as PR | Allowed | — |
| AustriaEurope | Red-White-Red Card for Start-up Founders | Open | EUR 30,000, at least half of it equity | 5 years (Long-term resident – EU) | 10 years; 6 years in specific cases | Not allowed | — |
| BrazilAmericas | Innovation investor residence (CNIg Normative Resolution 13/2017) | Open | BRL 150,000 for innovation; BRL 500,000 otherwise | Residence granted for an indefinite term | 4 years of residence, plus Portuguese | Allowed | Investor residence (BRL 500,000), Real estate investor residence (BRL 700,000–1,000,000) |
| BulgariaEurope | Startup Visa (certificate for a high-tech and/or innovative project) | Open | No fixed capital; personal funds of 3 minimum wages | 5 years of legal residence | Varies; confirm with the Ministry of Justice | Restricted | — |
| CanadaAmericas | Start-up Visa Program | Paused | No fixed minimum; designated-organization commitment | Direct PR route, now paused to new applicants | 1,095 days in Canada within 5 years | Allowed | Québec Investor Program (PR) |
| ChileAmericas | No startup visa; investor or work-based temporary residence | No dedicated route | USD 500,000 for the investor subcategory | 24 months of temporary residence (12 in some cases) | 5 years from the temporary permit's stamping | Allowed | Investor temporary residence (USD 500,000) |
| CyprusEurope | Cyprus Startup Visa | Limited intake | No fixed minimum; innovation score or EUR 1M revenue | 5 years for long-term resident status | 7 of 10 years plus 12 months; Greek at B1 | Allowed | Permanent residence by investment |
| DenmarkEurope | Start-up Denmark | Limited intake | Living funds from DKK 153,240 (single, 2025 level) | 8 years; 4 if all supplementary criteria are met | 9 years' residence plus permanent residence | Allowed | — |
| EstoniaEurope | Startup Visa | Open | No fixed minimum; Startup Committee approval required | 5 years on a temporary residence permit | 8 years of residence, 5 of them permanent | Not allowed | Residence permit for large investors (EUR 1 million) |
| FinlandEurope | Residence permit for a start-up entrepreneur (Startup Permit) | Open | No fixed amount; funding must fit the first-year plan | 4 or 6 years on a continuous (A) permit, by route | 5 or 8 years of residence, depending on the case | Allowed | — |
| FranceEurope | Talent card – project leader (incl. French Tech Visa) | Open | EUR 30,000 for the company-creation route | 5 years (EU long-term resident card) | 5 years; 2 years in specific cases | Allowed | Talent card: direct economic investment (EUR 300,000) |
| GermanyEurope | Residence permit for self-employment (section 21) | Open | No fixed minimum; financing must be secured | 3 years (section 21 settlement permit) | 5 years (3-year route repealed Oct 2025) | Allowed | — |
| Hong KongAsia-Pacific | Investment as Entrepreneurs (General Employment Policy) | Open | No fixed minimum; business plan and funding assessed | 7 years of continuous ordinary residence | Discretionary naturalization as a Chinese national | Not allowed | New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme |
| IrelandEurope | Start-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) | Open | EUR 50,000 (EUR 30,000 for each additional founder) | Long-term residency at 5 years; Stamp 5 at 8 years | 5 years' reckonable residence; 8-year bill proposed | Allowed | — |
| ItalyEurope | Italia Startup Visa | Open | Funding level set by MIMIT guidelines; confirm with MIMIT | 5 years (EU long-term residence permit) | 10 years of legal residence | Allowed | Investor Visa for Italy |
| JapanAsia-Pacific | Startup Visa (Designated Activities) | Open | About JPY 30 million to qualify as Business Manager | 1 or 3 years via HSP points; 10 years otherwise | 5 years by law; 10 in principle since April 2026 | Not allowed | — |
| LatviaEurope | Startup visa (start-up temporary residence permit) | Open | No fixed minimum; year-one funding or progress report | 5 years of legal residence | 5 years after obtaining permanent status | Restricted | Residence permit by share capital investment |
| LithuaniaEurope | Startup Visa Lithuania | Open | No fixed minimum; Innovation Agency confirmation required | 5 years of uninterrupted lawful residence | 10 years of residence, holding permanent residence | Not allowed | — |
| MalaysiaAsia-Pacific | Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) | Open | No fixed capital; MYR 50,000 balance shown at renewal | No set period; discretionary Entry Permit | 10 of the last 12 years' residence | Not allowed | MM2H (fixed deposit and property) |
| MaltaEurope | Malta Startup Residence Programme | Open | EUR 25,000 investment or paid-up share capital | 5 years; MPRP grants permanent residence directly | 5 years within 7, including the final 12 months | Allowed | Permanent residence by investment (MPRP) |
| NetherlandsEurope | Start-up residence permit | Open | No set capital; living funds for the full year | 5 consecutive years on a valid residence permit | 5 years (10-year bill proposed in 2025) | Restricted | — |
| New ZealandAsia-Pacific | Business Investor Work Visa | Open | NZD 1 million in an established business | Resident visa in 1–3 years; PRV after 2 more | 5 years as a resident, 240 days a year | Allowed | Active Investor Plus Visa, Business Investor visas |
| PortugalEurope | StartUP Visa | Open | No fixed investment; own funds of 12 x IAS (EUR 6,445.56) | 5 years of legal temporary residence | 10 years; 7 for CPLP and EU nationals | Allowed | Golden Visa (fund and business routes) |
| Saudi ArabiaMiddle East | Entrepreneur Residency (Premium Residency) | Open | Product-specific; confirm with Premium Residency Center | Conditional PR via job targets or Investor product | 10 consecutive years' residence; discretionary | Restricted | Premium Residency (Investor), Premium Residency (Real Estate Owner) |
| SingaporeAsia-Pacific | EntrePass | Open | None set; one track needs SGD 100,000 raised in one round | No fixed period; ICA decides case by case | 2 years as a PR, aged 21 or over | Not allowed | Global Investor Programme (PR by investment) |
| South KoreaAsia-Pacific | Technology Startup Visa (D-8-4) | Open | None for D-8-4; KRW 100 million for a D-8 investor | 3 years on D-8-4 with KRW 300 million and 2 hires | 5 years' residence while holding F-5 status | Restricted | Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business |
| SpainEurope | Entrepreneur residence (Law 14/2013) | Open | No minimum investment; favorable ENISA report required | 5 years of continuous legal residence | 10 years; 2 for Ibero-American nationals | Restricted | — |
| TaiwanAsia-Pacific | Entrepreneur Visa | Open | No fixed minimum; one of several MOEA criteria | 5 years; 3 for Gold Card holders | 5 consecutive years, over 183 days each | Restricted | Permanent residence by investment |
| ThailandAsia-Pacific | SMART Visa (SMART S) | Open | THB 600,000 personal deposit held for 3 months | 3+ years of non-immigrant extensions; annual quota | 5 consecutive years' domicile; Thai required | Restricted | LTR visa (Wealthy Global Citizen), Thailand Privilege membership |
| United Arab EmiratesMiddle East | Golden Visa (Entrepreneurs); no startup visa by name | Open | No set capital; incubator approval or AED 1M revenue | No PR status; long-term visas renew instead | By nomination only; no residence-based path | Restricted | Golden Visa (investor), Golden Visa (real estate), Green Visa (investor) |
| United KingdomEurope | Innovator Founder visa | Open | No fixed sum; endorsing body assesses the funding | 3 years (indefinite leave to remain) | 5 years' residence incl. 12 months with ILR | Allowed | — |
| United StatesAmericas | International Entrepreneur Parole | Open | USD 311,071 from qualified investors or USD 124,429 grants | No direct route; needs NIW, EB-1A, EB-5 or Gold Card | 5 years as a permanent resident | Allowed | EB-5 immigrant investor green card |
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