Guide
Startup & Entrepreneur Visas
What is a startup or entrepreneur visa?
Startup and entrepreneur visas support people who want to build or run a business abroad. Some focus on innovative ventures; others suit established businesses or independent professional work. The business you intend to operate determines which routes are relevant.
About this guide
Moving with a business brings two plans together: how the business will succeed and how you will make a home in the country. The strongest fit is a route that supports the work you actually want to do.
This guide compares options for founders, business owners, and independent professionals. Use it to identify the kind of application your business could support, then consider what it will take to establish and sustain it. The self-employment report explores options for people building a living through their own work.
Pathways compared
106
Countries covered
92
Filter by
Norway Self-Employed Worker Residence
Lowest
|
Business Residency | No set min; NOK 341,373/yr profit | Self-employed skilled workers | 3 years | Yes |
Hong Kong Entrepreneur Residence
|
Business Residency | No universal fixed minimum; adequate business funding required | Entrepreneurs with a viable, funded Hong Kong business and an eligible profile | — | — |
Denmark Startup Founder Visa
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Startup Residency | No min; DKK 153,240+ support | Startup founders | varies | No |
Sweden Residence for Self-Employed People
Lowest
|
Business Residency | No fixed minimum; separate business funding required | Self-employed | May apply after 2 years, subject to a separate extension test | Yes |
Germany Freelancer Visa
Lowest
|
Self Employment Residency | No fixed minimum | Freelancers (Freiberufler) | 5 years | Yes |
|
Germany Self-Employed Business Visa
Lowest
|
Business Residency | No fixed minimum | Commercial founders / business owners | 3 years if successful | Yes |
Ireland Startup Founder Residence
|
Startup Residency | €50,000 | High-potential startup founders | — | Not automatically; naturalization and any long-term status are separate |
Singapore Entrepreneur Visa
|
Business Residency | No stipulated minimum salary or universal investment amount; exact founder evidence is required | Qualifying founders of venture-backed or innovative-technology companies | No direct conversion; any PR application is separately assessed | No |
Netherlands DAFT Self-Employment Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | €4,500 business capital | U.S. citizens using the Dutch-American treaty | 5 years | Yes |
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Netherlands Self-Employed Residence Permit
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Self Employed Residency | — | — | — | — |
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Netherlands Startup Visa
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Startup Residency | No fixed business investment; sufficient living funds required | Innovative founders (facilitator-backed) | 5 years | Yes |
Finland Entrepreneur Residence
Lowest
|
Self Employed Residency | No fixed minimum; finance a viable business and your support | Active entrepreneurs meeting ownership and business-viability rules | Separate permanent-residence route and integration requirements | Yes subject to the separate permanent-residence rules |
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Finland Startup Entrepreneur Residence Permit
|
Startup Residency | No min; €1,030-1,210/mo support | Startup founders | Separate application under the applicable permanent-residence route | Yes |
Belgium Self-Employment Permit
Lowest
|
Self Employed Residency | No set min (viable business) | Self-employed / business owners | 5 years | Yes |
Gibraltar Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Gibraltar. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
UK Innovator Founder Visa
Lowest
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No set min (endorsed) | Endorsed innovative founders | 3 years | Yes |
New Zealand Business Investor Work Visa
|
Business Residency | NZD 1M standard; NZD 2M fast track, plus NZD 500k reserve | Experienced business owners or senior managers can seek New Zealand residence by buying and actively running an established business. Invest at least NZD 1 million for a three-year route, or NZD 2 million to apply after one year. Both require NZD 500,000 in reserve and three years of business operation overall. | Residence after 3 years, or after 12 months on the fast track | Yes |
|
New Zealand Entrepreneur Resident Visa
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Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
UAE Entrepreneur Golden Visa
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Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | — |
Canada Quebec Business Permanent Residence
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Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Luxembourg Self-Employed Residence
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Self Employment Residency | — | — | — | — |
U.S. Treaty Trader Visa
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Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Austria Self-Employed Worker Residence
|
Business Residency | ~€100,000 (or macro benefit) | Self-employed key workers | 5 years | Yes |
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Austria Startup Founder Residence
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Startup Residency | €30,000 company capital, at least half equity | Innovative startup founders | 5 years | Yes |
Japan Business Manager Visa
|
Business Residency | JPY ¥30M business scale | Active founders or managers meeting the current business, staffing, background, language, office, and plan tests | Usually the general PR rules unless another exception applies | Yes |
Israel Innovation Visa
Lowest
|
Business Residency | No fixed minimum stated on the official program page | Foreign technology entrepreneurs and researchers | — | No |
Malta Startup Residence Program
|
Entrepreneur Residency | €25,000 (tangible investment) | Innovative startup founders | 5 years | Yes |
Spain Entrepreneur Visa
Lowest
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No set min (favorable report) | Innovative entrepreneurs | 5 years | Yes |
|
Spain Self-Employed Work Visa
Lowest
|
Self Employment Residency | No set min (business plan + funds) | Self-employed workers | 5 years | Yes |
France Self-Employment Visa
|
Self Employment Residency | — | Entrepreneurs and independent professionals carrying out their principal activity in France | — | — |
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France Talent Visa for Business Founders
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
France Talent Visa for Corporate Officers
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Cyprus Startup Visa
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Entrepreneur Residency | — | Sole founder or qualifying founders/senior executives in a team of up to 5 | No automatic permanent residence | No |
Italy Self-Employment Visa
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Self Employed Residency | — | — | 5 years | — |
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Italy Startup Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | €50,000 | Innovative startup founders | 5 years | Yes |
Taiwan Entrepreneur Visa
|
Startup Residency | TWD 2M (~USD $62k) or endorsement | Innovative entrepreneurs | 5 years (APRC) | Yes |
Estonia Startup Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No min (Startup Committee endorsement) | Innovative startup founders | 5 years | Yes |
Czech Long-Stay Visa for Business
Lowest
|
Self Employment Residency | No set min (trade license + funds) | Self-employed (živnostenské) | — | — |
Andorra Residence for Entrepreneurs
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | Entrepreneurs / company owners | — | — |
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Andorra Self-Employed Work Permit
|
Self Employed Residency | €50,000 final AFA payment for the standard company route; limited selected-project exemption | Active company owner-manager or authorized licensed professional | — | Yes |
San Marino Business Residence Permit
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Ownership or management role in an eligible company; no universal entry amount stated | At least 25% company owners, sole administrators or board chairs in eligible businesses | — | — |
Poland Residence for Business Activity
|
Business Residency | — | — | Qualifying residence may count toward EU long-term residence | — |
Lithuania Startup Founder Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Project-specific resources; official startup assessment | Active founders of innovative startups approved for the program | — | — |
Qatar Entrepreneur Residence
|
Startup Residency | Bank evidence required; no universal investment floor stated on the program page | Entrepreneurs endorsed by a recognized Qatari incubator | — | — |
Saudi Startup Founder Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | SAR 400,000 in accredited funding for Category 1 | Startup founders with accredited funding and the required ownership | Conditional permanent status through Category 2 | Yes |
Portugal Entrepreneur Visa
Lowest
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No fixed minimum; sufficient business and personal funds | Founders & entrepreneurs | 5 years | Yes |
|
Portugal Independent Professional Residence
Lowest
|
Self Employment Residency | No minimum (contract + funds) | Independent professionals | 5 years | Yes |
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Portugal Startup Founder Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | — |
Chile Self-Employment Temporary Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | None | Independent service providers with the specified pre-entry contract | Separate permanent-residence period review | Yes |
Hungary Self-Employment Residence
|
Self Employment Residency | No universal capital figure; income or company-viability evidence applies | Qualifying self-employed professionals and chief executives | — | Not eligible for the national residence card on this permit |
Montenegro Business-Owner Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No universal entry amount stated; active business and renewal payment requirements apply | Active entrepreneurs and executive directors with sole ownership or more than 51% ownership | — | — |
Georgia Work Residence for Entrepreneurs
|
Business Residency | No fixed capital investment stated for this route | Entrepreneurs or self-employed people with qualifying Georgian activity | Permanent residence may be available after 10 years on temporary residence permits, subject to exclusions | Yes |
Serbia Self-Employment Residence
|
Business Residency | — | Residence and work permission for a foreign national running a registered, genuine business or self-employed activity in Serbia. | — | — |
Bulgaria Startup Visa Eligibility Certificate
Lowest
|
Entrepreneur Other | No set min (certified startup) | Innovative startup founders | — | — |
Barbados Economic Immigrant Status
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Seychelles Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Seychelles. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Mauritius Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | USD $100,000 | Investors who establish and operate a Mauritius business | Separate permanent-residence criteria | Potential |
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Mauritius Self-Employed Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | USD $50,000 | Independent professionals running a Mauritius service business | Separate permanent-residence criteria | Potential |
Albania Self-Employment Residence
|
Self Employment Residency | — | — | — | — |
Armenia Residence through Business Activity
|
Business Residency | No published minimum; genuine business activity required | Business owners | — | — |
Ecuador Independent-Work Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | — | Temporary residence for documented independent work, professional services, or consulting in Ecuador. | — | — |
Azerbaijan Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Company route: normally AZN 50,000 paid-up capital; entrepreneur route uses staffing rules | Qualifying foreign-invested company leaders or owners and active individual entrepreneurs | — | — |
Colombia Independent Professional Visa
|
Self Employed Residency | — | A Migrant visa for eligible independent professionals with the required professional evidence, income, and health coverage. | 5 qualifying years | Yes |
Algeria Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity and sector dependent; no fixed residence price in the checklist | A lawful commercial, industrial, craft, or professional activity can support an Algerian foreign-resident card. | — | — |
Saint Vincent Self-Employed Work Permit
|
Self Employed Residency | — | — | — | — |
Jamaica Self-Employed Work Permit
|
Self Employed Residency | Project-specific evidence; no universal threshold in the application instructions | Self-employed applicants with documented activity and relevant experience | Separate PICA permanent-residence application | Potentially, subject to a separate qualifying application |
Guyana Business Visa
|
Business Residency | — | Permission for a documented business stay in Guyana, supported by the relevant business and sponsor records. | — | — |
Tunisia Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Business requirements vary; no fixed residence price in the checklist | An eligible investor or business manager can apply for Tunisian residence with the required employment-ministry certificate and company records. | — | — |
Egypt Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Company and project controls apply; no single amount stated here | A qualifying founder, shareholder, partner, or business owner can apply for Egyptian investor residence through Egypt’s investment agency, GAFI, and the immigration authorities. | — | — |
Paraguay Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | — |
Uzbekistan IT Park Founder Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | Founder of a company registered as an IT Park resident | — | — |
South Africa Business Owner Residence
|
Business Residency | ZAR 5 million, unless officially reduced or waived | Active owners of a qualifying South African business | Separate permanent-residence assessment | Potential |
Botswana Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Botswana. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Samoa Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No universal threshold established by the cited immigration checklist | An approved business or investment in Samoa can support an application for temporary residence. | — | — |
Morocco Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | No fixed residence price in the cited law; business requirements vary | Running a lawful business or professional activity in Morocco can support a registration card covering that activity. | — | — |
Gabon Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Gabon. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Bangladesh Private Investor Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Confirm current project-specific capital and remittance rules | An approved investment in a private Bangladesh business can support a Private Investor visa application. | — | — |
Iraq Licensed-Project Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Iraq. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Nicaragua Self-Employed Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | — | Temporary residence for people who can document lawful independent work in Nicaragua. | — | — |
Cabo Verde Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Cabo Verde. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Guatemala Self-Employed Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | No fixed investment minimum in the self-employed worker branch | Documented self-employed workers with local registrations | Separate application after five qualifying temporary-residence years | Potentially, through a separate application |
Honduras Independent Professional Permit
|
Self Employed Residency | Financial capacity to establish the practice; no universal figure in article 74 | University professionals opening a recognized practice | No automatic permanent-residence conversion | Separate status assessment |
São Tomé and Príncipe Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in São Tomé and Príncipe. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Eswatini Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Eswatini. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Ghana Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Ghana. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Kenya Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | USD $100,000 in business capital | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Kenya. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Nepal Business Investor Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Sector and approval dependent; visa-fee bands are not minimum capital | An approved investment in a Nepal business can support a renewable, multiple-entry Business Visa. | — | — |
Tuvalu Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Tuvalu. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Republic of the Congo Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in the Republic of the Congo. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Cameroon Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Cameroon. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Uganda Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Uganda. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Kiribati Investor Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Kiribati. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Rwanda Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Rwanda. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Zimbabwe Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Zimbabwe. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Côte d’Ivoire Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Côte d’Ivoire. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Tanzania Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Tanzania. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Togo Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Togo. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Lesotho Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Lesotho. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Malawi Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | USD $50,000 from lawful sources outside Malawi | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Malawi. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
The Gambia Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in The Gambia. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Madagascar Business Residence
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Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Madagascar. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
DR Congo Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in DR Congo. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Sierra Leone Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Sierra Leone. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Chad Business Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Activity-specific requirements; no universal residence price stated here | Running an approved local business can support a residence application in Chad. The business and your personal role must qualify. | — | — |
Martinique Entrepreneur Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Viable activity and sufficient support; no single investment tier | Active entrepreneurs and independent professionals in Martinique | — | — |
Isle of Man Innovator Business Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | £50,000 per new-business applicant | Adult founders with an endorsed new business and required funds | Possible settlement after three years; separate endorsement and success tests | Possible settlement after three years if separate requirements are met |
No pathways match that filter.