Permanent residence & settlement

Permanent residence (called settlement or indefinite leave to remain in the UK, a green card in the US, and PR in most other countries) lets you live somewhere indefinitely without a time-limited visa. Below are the routes in our directory that lead to PR, how many years each typically takes, and whether it continues to citizenship. Shortest first.

Route	Country	Years to PR	To citizenship
Australia Skilled Independent Visa (Subclass 189)	Australia	0	4 yrs
Australia Global Talent Visa (Subclass 858)	Australia	0	4 yrs
Australia Skilled Nominated Visa (Subclass 190)	Australia	0	4 yrs
Brazil Retirement / Passive Income Visa (VIPER)	Brazil	0	4 yrs
Brazil Investor Visa (VITEM XIV)	Brazil	0	4 yrs
Canada Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker)	Canada	0	3 yrs
Canada Start-Up Visa	Canada	0	3 yrs
Canada Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)	Canada	0	3 yrs
Canada Express Entry Category-Based Selection	Canada	0	3 yrs
Cyprus Category F Permit (Retirees & Passive Income)	Cyprus	0	7 yrs
Israel Aliyah (Law of Return)	Israel	0	—
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)	Malta	0	—
Mauritius Permanent Residency (Property Purchase)	Mauritius	0	5 yrs
Mexico Permanent Resident Card (Residente Permanente)	Mexico	0	5 yrs
New Zealand Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa	New Zealand	0	5 yrs
New Zealand Investor 2 Visa	New Zealand	0	5 yrs
Panama Friendly Nations Visa	Panama	0	5 yrs
Panama Pensionado Visa	Panama	0	5 yrs
Paraguay Permanent Residency	Paraguay	0	3 yrs
Philippines Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV)	Philippines	0	—
Philippines Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV)	Philippines	0	—
Saudi Arabia Premium Residency (Iqama Mumayazah)	Saudi Arabia	0	—
Korea F-5 Permanent Residency	South Korea	0	5 yrs
Turkey Turquoise Card	Turkey	0	5 yrs
UAE Golden Visa	United Arab Emirates	0	—
UAE Retirement Visa	United Arab Emirates	0	—
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa	United States	0	5 yrs
United States EB-1A Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability	United States	0	5 yrs
United States EB-2 National Interest Waiver	United States	0	5 yrs
Chile Rentista Visa	Chile	1	5 yrs
Japan Highly Skilled Professional Visa	Japan	1	5 yrs
Japan J-Skip Visa (Highly Skilled Professional Fast-Track)	Japan	1	5 yrs
Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482)	Australia	2	4 yrs
Colombia Pensionado / Retirement Visa (M-10)	Colombia	2	5 yrs
Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit	Ireland	2	5 yrs
NZ Active Investor Plus Visa	New Zealand	2	5 yrs
Singapore EntrePass	Singapore	2	8 yrs
Singapore Employment Pass	Singapore	2	8 yrs
Singapore ONE Pass (Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass)	Singapore	2	8 yrs
Singapore Tech.Pass	Singapore	2	8 yrs
Argentina Rentista Residency Visa	Argentina	3	2 yrs
Argentina Pensionado (Retiree) Visa	Argentina	3	2 yrs
Costa Rica Rentista Visa	Costa Rica	3	7 yrs
Costa Rica Pensionado Visa	Costa Rica	3	7 yrs
Germany EU Blue Card	Germany	3	5 yrs
Hungary Guest Investor Programme	Hungary	3	8 yrs
South Korea F-2-99 Point-Based Long-Term Residency Visa	South Korea	3	5 yrs
Thailand LTR Visa – Wealthy Global Citizen	Thailand	3	8 yrs
Thailand LTR Visa – Wealthy Pensioner	Thailand	3	8 yrs
Thailand LTR Visa – Work-from-Thailand Professional	Thailand	3	8 yrs
Thailand LTR Visa – Highly Skilled Professional	Thailand	3	8 yrs
UK Innovator Founder Visa	United Kingdom	3	4 yrs
Uruguay Ordinary Residence Permit (Residencia Permanente)	Uruguay	3	5 yrs
Australia Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 188)	Australia	4	5 yrs
Mexico Temporary Resident Visa	Mexico	4	5 yrs
Mexico Temporary Resident Visa (Retirement)	Mexico	4	5 yrs
Sweden EU Blue Card	Sweden	4	5 yrs
Sweden Self-Employment Permit	Sweden	4	5 yrs
Austria Red-White-Red Card	Austria	5	10 yrs
Belgium Single Permit	Belgium	5	5 yrs
Belgium Self-Employed Professional Card	Belgium	5	5 yrs
Cape Verde Residency-by-Investment to Naturalisation	Cape Verde	5	10 yrs
Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa	Cyprus	5	7 yrs
Czech Employment Card	Czech Republic	5	10 yrs
Czech Long-Term Residence — Investment / Business	Czech Republic	5	10 yrs
Czech Digital Nomad Visa	Czech Republic	5	10 yrs
Estonia Startup Visa	Estonia	5	8 yrs
France Talent Passport (Passeport Talent)	France	5	5 yrs
France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)	France	5	5 yrs
France Talent Passport — Salaried Employee (Salarié Qualifié)	France	5	5 yrs
France Talent Passport — Innovative Startup Founder (Création d'Entreprise)	France	5	5 yrs
France Talent Passport — Researcher (Chercheur)	France	5	2 yrs
Georgia Small Business / Individual Entrepreneur Visa	Georgia	5	10 yrs
Germany Freelancer Visa (Freiberufler)	Germany	5	5 yrs
Germany Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)	Germany	5	5 yrs
Greece Golden Visa	Greece	5	7 yrs
Greece Financial Independence Visa (Type D)	Greece	5	7 yrs
Greece Skilled Worker Visa (Type D)	Greece	5	7 yrs
Indonesia Second Home Visa (B211B)	Indonesia	5	10 yrs
Ireland Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP)	Ireland	5	5 yrs
Italy Elective Residence Visa	Italy	5	10 yrs
Italy Digital Nomad Visa	Italy	5	10 yrs
Italy Investor Visa (Visto per Investitori)	Italy	5	10 yrs
Italy Self-Employment Visa	Italy	5	10 yrs
Italy Flat Tax Regime for High-Net-Worth New Residents	Italy	5	10 yrs
Italy EU Blue Card	Italy	5	10 yrs
Latvia Real Estate Residence Permit (MPR)	Latvia	5	10 yrs
Lithuania Startup Visa	Lithuania	5	10 yrs
Luxembourg Salaried Worker Permit	Luxembourg	5	5 yrs
Netherlands DAFT Visa (Dutch-American Friendship Treaty)	Netherlands	5	5 yrs
Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant)	Netherlands	5	5 yrs
Poland Temporary Residence Permit	Poland	5	10 yrs
Portugal D7 Passive Income Visa	Portugal	5	5 yrs
Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa	Portugal	5	5 yrs
Portugal Golden Visa (ARI)	Portugal	5	5 yrs
Portugal HQA Visa (Highly Qualified Activity)	Portugal	5	5 yrs
Portugal D1 Visa (Subordinate Work / Dependent Employment Visa)	Portugal	5	10 yrs
Portugal D3 Visa (Highly Qualified Activity Visa)	Portugal	5	10 yrs
Portugal Family Reunification Visa (D6)	Portugal	5	5 yrs
Portugal D2 Entrepreneur / Independent Worker Visa	Portugal	5	10 yrs
Romania Digital Nomad Visa	Romania	5	8 yrs
South Africa Critical Skills Work Visa	South Africa	5	10 yrs
South Africa Retired Persons Visa	South Africa	5	10 yrs
South Korea D-8 Investor Visa	South Korea	5	5 yrs
South Korea F-2 Long-Term Resident Visa	South Korea	5	—
South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS)	South Korea	5	5 yrs
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa	Spain	5	10 yrs
Spain Digital Nomad Visa	Spain	5	10 yrs
Spain Self-Employment (Autónomo) Visa	Spain	5	10 yrs
Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013)	Spain	5	10 yrs
UK Skilled Worker Visa	United Kingdom	5	6 yrs
UK Global Talent Visa	United Kingdom	5	6 yrs
UK Ancestry Visa	United Kingdom	5	6 yrs
US L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa	United States	5	10 yrs
Vietnam DT Investor Visa	Vietnam	5	—
US H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa	United States	6	11 yrs
Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit	Turkey	8	5 yrs
Turkey Work Permit	Turkey	8	5 yrs
Japan Business Manager Visa	Japan	10	5 yrs
Japan Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Visa	Japan	10	5 yrs
Switzerland B Residence Permit (Employment)	Switzerland	10	10 yrs
Switzerland Self-Employment Permit	Switzerland	10	10 yrs