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Residence permits in Europe compared by country: Spain's digital nomad card, startup visas, closing investor schemes, Erasmus Mundus study and EU policy shifts.
16 articles tagged Europe
How to get Spain's digital nomad residence permit in 7 weeks, why the card is valid for 3 years, and how it differs from Greece, Latvia, and Croatia.
Why Dubai residents need a backup residency permit in Europe, which countries are available, how to avoid tax risks, and how to plan a relocation in advance.
Thinking about the US vs Europe? No glass ceiling for foreign founders, English as the global default, and visas open to any profession, not just tech.
How to get a Spanish residence permit in 7 weeks online without returning home. Conditions, timelines, and benefits of applying on a tourist visa in 2026.
Naturalization programs in the EU are becoming more complex, timelines are growing from 5 to 10 years. Why delaying citizenship is risky, even for tax planning.
In 2026, Europe strengthens control over refugees but opens doors to skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and remote workers. A breakdown of the EU's new visa strategy.
Each EU country issues its own residence permits, while the common Schengen rules only cover short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Living, working or studying longer requires a national long-stay visa (type D) or a residence permit from the destination country.
Some routes are harmonised at EU level: the EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers rests on Directive (EU) 2021/1883, and EU long-term resident status under Directive 2003/109/EC becomes available after five years of legal, continuous residence. Most other categories, including digital nomad, startup, investor and family permits, are national, so conditions differ from country to country. Spain created its digital nomad permit through Law 28/2022, known as the Startups Law, while Ireland and Spain have both closed their investor residence routes.
Citizenship remains a national matter: each state sets its own naturalisation residence period, language requirements and rules on dual nationality. Ukrainians under EU temporary protection, activated under Directive 2001/55/EC in March 2022, hold a separate status, and moving to a regular permit follows the host country's rules. The UK, outside the EU, runs its own immigration system with routes such as Global Talent.