When it comes to moving overseas, the ability to acquire long-term residency is one of the first considerations you need to make.
Will the country allow you to stay past your tourist visa? For how long? What are the requirements?
In Europe, many countries make it difficult or even impossible for non-EU citizens to stay long-term, but there are several that are still viable options, and even a few that have gone out of their way to create residency programs to attract foreigners.
All countries in Europe require private health insurance to apply for residency, as well as criminal background checks (with the exception of Italy), but apart from these standard requests, each country has different income or investment requirements to allow non-EU citizens to set up home—some more affordable than others. Additionally, each different visa requires the resident to spend different amounts of time in the country.
Following are 7 countries in Europe where it’s easy to gain residency and retire…
Portugal
The quickest, easiest, and most affordable country to seek residency in Europe, Portugal has the lowest income requirement on the continent. While the number isn’t set, it’s based on the country’s minimum wage, which is 903 euros (about $1,055) as of January 2025.
Residency approval is discretionary, though, and having a minimum of 1,200 euros a month (about $1,400) greatly increases your chances of success.
The D7 visa is a passive-income visa, meaning the income you show to authorities must come from a pension, investments, real estate, etc. The D7 is valid for two years and renewable indefinitely. You’ll also need to stay in Portugal for at least 16 of your first 24 months of residency.
After five years of temporary residency on the D7, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship, making Portugal one of the best paths to an EU passport.
Portugal also offers a Golden Visa option, but since the real estate purchase option was eliminated in 2024, it’s a less attractive option for those seeking residency. With an investment ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 euros in approved sectors, you’ll receive a five-year residency permit, and you’ll only be required to visit the country for two weeks every two years, meaning you wouldn’t become tax resident in Portugal.
Spain
With millions of resident foreigners, 300,000 of whom are from the U.K., and 41,000 of whom hail from the United States—meaning it’s easy to find the English-speaking community here—Spain is the most popular retirement haven in Europe, and it’s the second most affordable in terms of income requirement, after Portugal.
Most American retirees use the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) to stay in Spain long-term. Often called a passive-income visa, all you need to do to qualify for the NLV is prove an income of 2,400 euros per month, plus an extra 600 euros a month for each dependent. Under this visa, you’re not permitted to work.
It’s valid for one year and renewable for another four. Plus, Spain allows you to apply for this visa in country, within 60 days of arrival, instead of back home before leaving, like most countries.
Greece
Greece offers the Financially Independent Person (FIP) visa, which requires a monthly income of at least 3,500 euros a month (about $4,000) from a passive source, such as a pension, interest, investments, etc.
While this is one of the higher income requirements, you can certainly live in many parts of Greece for much less than 4,000 euros a month.
The FIP is valid for two years and is renewable, and to stay compliant you’ll have to spend six months each year in Greece. After five years you can apply for permanent residency, which can be converted to citizenship after seven years.
Plus, Greece offers the Golden Visa path to residency. If you’re looking to make an investment in the country, you can do so by purchasing real estate for at least 800,000 euros in Greece’s most popular areas or from 400,000 euros for the rest of the country) and receive a residency visa in return. This visa option doesn’t require any time in country, meaning you can be a Greek resident without ever going to Greece or becoming tax resident there.
Malta
Malta’s “Ordinary Residence Scheme” is the most popular route for non-EU citizens to stay on these English-speaking Mediterranean islands long-term. Instead of being based on income, however, like most countries, residency here is based on net worth. A single applicant must have 14,000 euros (about $16,350) and a couple 23,000 euros (about $26,860) in net worth.
You must show that you have an address in the country (which can be through ownership or rental) and must also spend at least 183 days per year in the country, which makes you a tax resident of Malta.
Once you’ve been a resident for five years, you can apply for permanent residency.
Montenegro
Montenegro offers an excellent property purchase residency option. Here, you can buy any property—with no minimum purchase price—and receive a one-year temporary residence visa, which is renewable for as long as you own the property.
You must not be out of the country for more than one month a year to maintain your status, and after five years you can apply for permanent residency.
Cyprus
Cyprus, in the far eastern corner of the Mediterranean, is technically divided into two halves, the north and the south, and each has different options for residency…
Much like Montenegro, anyone purchasing a property of any value in Northern Cyprus qualifies the owner and their family for automatic residency.
Northern Cyprus (the Turkish-Cypriot side of the island of Cyprus) is not part of the EU, however, but talks of reunification are renewed every few years, and in that case, it would immediately benefit from EU inclusion, as the south is already a member.
Significantly, though, property prices remain much more affordable in Northern Cyprus than they are in the south.
In the south, you can apply for the “Category F” visa after arriving in the country. You’ll need to open a bank account and deposit 9,000 euros (about $10,500) and then either purchase a home to live in or sign a lease of at least one year. You’ll also need to show that you have a steady monthly income, the amount of which is not specified but 1,000 euros or more typically fulfills. You need to visit the country once every two years to maintain your status.
Ireland
Ireland is one of the most popular countries for us Yanks to move to. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 31 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, and so many of them want to return to the Auld Sod, whether to visit or to live.
If you’re lucky enough to claim Irish citizenship, which you can obtain through proof of ancestry, moving to Ireland is as simple as buying a plane ticket. U.K. or other EU citizenship will also allow you open-door access.
If however, you’re an American or Canadian without EU citizenship, you’ll need to apply to stay long-term. The residency process for Ireland is straightforward but it doesn’t come cheap…
You’ll have to prove an annual income of 50,000 euros (around $58,500 at the time of writing) per applicant. You will also need to show that you have a lump sum of money in reserve to cover any sudden major expenses. The amount, which isn’t specified, must be enough to purchase a home in Ireland, the average price of which is 340,000 euros (around $397,000).
Bonne route,
Kat Kalashian
Editor, In Focus: Europe
