32 destinations
Temporary residence, compared.
The permits you actually live on while your company grows, plus the residence-by-investment programs still open to investors.
Europe
AustriaRed-White-Red Card for Start-up Founders · Red-White-Red Card plusNo investment routeBulgariaLong-term residence permit for Startup Visa holders (Article 24p)No investment routeCyprusResidence permit under the Cyprus Startup Visa SchemePermanent residence by investmentDenmarkStart-up Denmark residence and work permitNo investment routeEstoniaTemporary residence permit for business: start-up entrepreneurs · Temporary residence permit for business: large investorsResidence permit for large investors (EUR 1 million)FinlandExtended permit for an entrepreneur (OLE_YRI) · Residence permit on the basis of family tiesNo investment routeFranceTalent card (multi-year residence card) · Talent-family card (talent-famille) · Talent card – direct economic investmentTalent card: direct economic investment (EUR 300,000)GermanyResidence permit for self-employment (Aufenthaltserlaubnis, section 21) · Founder permit for graduates and researchers (section 21(2a)) · Founding with a scholarship (section 21(2b))No investment routeIrelandSTEP residence permission (Stamp 4) · Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP)No investment routeItalyResidence permit for self-employment (startup) · Investor Visa for ItalyInvestor Visa for ItalyLatviaStart-up temporary residence permit · Temporary residence permit for investment in company share capital · Temporary residence permit for real estate purchaseResidence permit by share capital investmentLithuaniaTemporary residence permit for start-up foundersNo investment routeMaltaResidence permit under the Malta Startup Residence Programme · Nomad Residence Permit · Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)Permanent residence by investment (MPRP)NetherlandsResidence permit self-employed personNo investment routePortugalResidence permit for entrepreneurs in a certified incubator · Residence permit for investment activity (Golden Visa)Golden Visa (fund and business routes)SpainResidence authorization for entrepreneurs · International teleworker visa and residence authorizationNo investment routeUnited KingdomInnovator Founder visa (residence and extensions) · Investor visa (Tier 1)No investment route
Americas
BrazilResidence authorization for real estate investment (CNIg Normative Resolution 36/2018) · Residence for executives of foreign-invested companies (CNIg Normative Resolution 11/2017)Investor residence (BRL 500,000), Real estate investor residence (BRL 700,000–1,000,000)CanadaQuébec Investor Program (open work permit stage) · Start-up Visa optional work permitQuébec Investor Program (PR)ChileResidencia Temporal for investors: extension · Residencia Temporal: Retired persons or leasers (Subcategory 11)Investor temporary residence (USD 500,000)United StatesEntrepreneur re-parole · E-2 status and extensionsEB-5 immigrant investor green card
Asia-Pacific
AustraliaNational Innovation visa (subclass 858) · Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188)No investment routeHong KongInvestment as Entrepreneurs: stay and extensions · New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (New CIES)New Capital Investment Entrant SchemeJapanBusiness Manager: periods of stay and renewal · Highly Skilled Professional (i)(c): advanced business managementNo investment routeMalaysiaResidence Pass for Established Entrepreneurs (RP-MTE) · Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H): Silver, Gold and Platinum · MM2H Special Economic Zone / Special Financial Zone (SEZ/SFZ)MM2H (fixed deposit and property)New ZealandBusiness Investor Work Visa (conditions of stay) · Active Investor Plus VisaActive Investor Plus Visa, Business Investor visasSingaporeEntrePass (renewal) · Tech.PassGlobal Investor Programme (PR by investment)South KoreaCorporate Investment Visa (D-8-1) · Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business (IISPB)Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public BusinessTaiwanEntrepreneur Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) · Employment Gold Card residencePermanent residence by investmentThailandLong-Term Resident (LTR) Visa · Thailand PrivilegeLTR visa (Wealthy Global Citizen), Thailand Privilege membership
Middle East
In short.
Founder permits and golden visas
A startup visa is often only the entry document. What you hold day to day is a residence permit with its own validity, renewal rules and conditions, such as keeping the company active, meeting milestones or spending a minimum number of days in the country. Renewals are where many applications succeed or fail, so the conditions matter as much as the first approval.
Residence by investment, or the golden visa, is a separate route. It grants a permit in return for an investment that must usually be held for several years. The list below shows which destinations offer one today, alongside the permit that each startup route grants.
Find the right country for your company.
Share your plans and an advisor will help you compare the startup visa, residence and citizenship routes that fit them.