Ancestry & descent
232 countriesCitizenship through parents, grandparents, or diaspora ties. Usually the cheapest route anyone qualifies for, if they qualify at all.
Citizenship outcome
Citizenship & residence routes
Explore the main ways countries grant citizenship or residence. Each route family narrows the countries worth investigating; country guides carry the rules and evidence.
Ends in citizenship
The route itself produces a passport. Nothing left to climb afterwards.
Citizenship by investment
16 countriesDirect citizenship for a qualifying investment or contribution. A short list that marketing sites stretch with closed and imaginary programmes.
Citizenship outcome
Browse countries →Naturalization
232 countriesCitizenship after qualifying years of residence. The default route everywhere, and the clock every residence permit below either feeds or wastes.
Citizenship outcome
Starts with residence
A permit first. The bar on each row shows what those permits become: strong for citizenship, hatched for permanent residence, light for permits that stop where they start.
Golden visa (RBI)
73 countriesResidence for a qualifying investment. What matters is where each programme stops, not what it costs to enter.
52 count toward citizenship · 14 toward PR · 7 TR
Browse countries →Digital nomad
31 countriesPermits for remote workers on foreign income. Most are paid stays that lead nowhere; a handful genuinely climb.
3 count toward citizenship · 28 TR
Browse countries →Retirement
29 countriesResidence on passive income or a pension. The rentista family: prove the income, keep the permit.
22 count toward citizenship · 3 toward PR · 4 TR
Browse countries →Talent & skilled
15 countriesResidence for designated skills, achievement, or sponsored work.
8 count toward citizenship · 4 toward PR · 3 TR
Browse countries →Digital identity
5 countriesGovernment digital ID only. Useful for running a company remotely; not a right to live anywhere.
Identity only · no residence rights
Browse countries →