What the data shows across these countries
- 45 documented routes in total
- 34 countries have at least one route that leads to permanent residence
- 33 countries have at least one route that leads on to citizenship
- 7 countries document at least one route with no language requirement
- 22 EU members, 26 in the Schengen Area, 6 in the Persian Gulf
- Official government fees range from 16 to 50,214 EUR across the 17 countries that publish one
These figures are counted from the routes documented on this site, not estimated. Each country page states its own sources.
Countries offering this route
Andorra
- Self-Employed Residence and Work (Art. 28 ter)
1 pathway
Official fee from 50,214 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
United Arab Emirates
- UAE Green Visa (Self-Sponsored, 5 years) - Freelancer / Self-Employed / Skilled Worker / Investor
1 pathway
No language needed
See requirements
Albania
- Self-Employment / Company Formation Permit (Art. 67)
1 pathway
Official fee from 8,000 ALL
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Austria
- Red-White-Red Card - Self-employed Key Workers
1 pathway
Official fee from 218 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Belgium
- Professional Card (Self-Employed / Independent Activity)
1 pathway
Official fee from 242 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Bulgaria
- Self-Employed / Freelance Residence Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 210 BGN
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Bahrain
- Registered Worker Permit (formerly Flexi Permit)
- Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit and Re-entry Visa (Investor / Property Owner)
2 pathways
Official fee from 20 BHD
Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Switzerland
- Self-Employment Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 100 CHF
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Czech Republic
- Long-term Residence for Doing Business (Self-employment / Zivno)
1 pathway
Official fee from 2,500 CZK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Germany
- Self-Employment Visa — Entrepreneur (Gewerbe, §21(1) AufenthG)
- Freelancer Visa (Freiberufler, §21(5) AufenthG)
2 pathways
Official fee from 175 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Denmark
- Start-up Denmark (self-employment / entrepreneurship)
1 pathway
Official fee from 3,060 DKK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Estonia
- Temporary Residence Permit for Business (Entrepreneur / Company Shareholder)
1 pathway
Official fee from 1,100 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Finland
- Residence permit for an entrepreneur (self-employed)
1 pathway
Official fee from 490 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
France
- Entrepreneur / Liberal Profession Residence Card
1 pathway
Official fee from 1,130 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Greece
- Financially Independent Persons (FIP) / Persons of Sufficient Means (Category I)
- Self-Employment / Independent Economic Activity (Category B)
2 pathways
Official fee from 16 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Hungary
- Guest Self-Employment Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 65,000 HUF
EU Schengen
See requirements
Iceland
- Self-employment / company formation (non-EEA)
1 pathway
Official fee from 80,000 ISK
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Italy
- Self-employment visa and residence permit (lavoro autonomo)
1 pathway
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Kuwait
- Self-Sponsorship Residence (Article 24)
1 pathway
Official fee from 600 KWD
No language needed
See requirements
Liechtenstein
- EEA residence without gainful employment (B) — independent means
- Third-country residence without gainful employment (B)
- Self-employment / company formation
3 pathways
Official fee from 1,140 CHF
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Luxembourg
- Self-Employed Third-Country Worker Residence Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 80 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Latvia
- Self-Employed Person Residence Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 700 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Monaco
- Independent Means / Residence Permit for Self-Sufficient Persons
1 pathway
Official fee from 190 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Moldova
- IT Visa (Moldova IT Park / MITP) residence permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 500 MDL
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Montenegro
- Temporary Residence for Self-Employment / Entrepreneurial Activity
1 pathway
Official fee from 67 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
North Macedonia
- Personal Work Permit (Self-Employment / Company Owner)
1 pathway
Official fee from 150 MKD
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Malta
- Self-Employed / Business Person Residence Permit
1 pathway
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Netherlands
- Self-Employed Person (incl. DAFT / Japan treaty route)
1 pathway
Official fee from 4,923 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Norway
- Self-Employed / Sole Proprietor Permit
1 pathway
Official fee from 6,300 NOK
Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Oman
- Freelance / Self-Employment Permit
1 pathway
No language needed
See requirements
Poland
- Temporary residence for business activity / self-employment
1 pathway
Official fee from 440 PLN
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Portugal
- Passive income / retiree residence visa (D7)
1 pathway
Official fee from 119 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Qatar
- Self-Employment / Independent Professional Activity (via QFC, QFZA or QSTP registration)
1 pathway
No language needed
See requirements
Romania
- Self-Employed / Liberal Professions
1 pathway
Official fee from 300 RON
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Serbia
- Temporary residence for self-employment (also de-facto remote-worker route)
1 pathway
Leads to PR / citizenship No language needed
See requirements
Saudi Arabia
- Freelance / Self-Employment Document (Wathiqat Al-Amal Al-Hur)
1 pathway
No language needed
See requirements
Sweden
- Residence permit to run your own business (self-employed)
1 pathway
Official fee from 2,000 SEK
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Slovenia
- Self-Employment / Sole Trader
1 pathway
Official fee from 130 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Slovakia
- Temporary Residence for Business (Trade Licence / Company Director)
1 pathway
Official fee from 719 EUR
EU Schengen Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements
Republic of Kosovo
- Self-employment / Company formation (business-purpose temporary residence)
1 pathway
Official fee from 50 EUR
Leads to PR / citizenship
See requirements