Permanent residence pathways

Norway

Norway Permanent Residence

Adult holders of qualifying Norwegian permits can seek permanent residence after the applicable continuous-residence period. Current permit conditions,…

residency Iceland

Iceland Permanent Residence Permit

Iceland's national permanent residence permit is for people who have built qualifying residence under national permits. It is separate from the five-year…

residency Hong Kong

Hong Kong Seven Year Permanent Residence

A non-Chinese national ordinarily living in Hong Kong for seven continuous years may establish permanent-resident status. The qualifying period and Hong…

residency Germany

Germany Permanent EU Residence

Germany can grant permanent EU residence to eligible third-country nationals after 5 years of lawful residence. It resembles a settlement permit but can…

residency Germany

Germany Settlement Permit

Germany's settlement permit gives qualifying third-country nationals permanent residence and unrestricted work rights. The required period depends on the…

residency Singapore

Singapore Worker Permanent Residence

A current Singapore Employment Pass or S Pass holder can apply for permanent residence, subject to a discretionary assessment by Singapore’s Immigration…

residency Netherlands

Netherlands Permanent Residence

Permanent residence in the Netherlands is generally available after 5 consecutive years of lawful Dutch residence, provided the applicant meets…

residency Belgium

Belgium EU Long-Term Resident Status

Non-EU residents can seek Belgium’s EU long-term resident status after five qualifying years. The application also requires an eligible current status,…

residency Aruba

Aruba Indefinite Residence

A person currently living in Aruba with at least 120 months of qualifying legal residence may apply for a permit without a fixed end date.

residency British Virgin Islands

BVI Ten-Year Residence Status

A person currently living in the British Virgin Islands may apply for Residence Status after ten years of qualifying residence, subject to absence,…

residency Pitcairn Islands

Pitcairn Permanent Residence

People who have lawfully lived on Pitcairn for more than two years can seek permanent residence, subject to absence and public-interest requirements.

residency Turks and Caicos Islands

Turks and Caicos Ten-Year Residence PR

People currently living in Turks and Caicos with ten continuous years of qualifying legal residence may apply for a Permanent Residence Certificate. The…

residency United Kingdom

UK Long Residence

A person who has lived lawfully and continuously in the United Kingdom for 10 years may qualify for indefinite leave to remain under the long-residence…

residency Luxembourg

Luxembourg European Permanent Residence

EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens normally gain a permanent right to live in Luxembourg after 5 years of lawful, uninterrupted residence. Certain workers and…

residency Chile

Chile Permanent Residence

Permanent residence for holders of a qualifying Chilean temporary permission who meet the residence and other requirements.

residency Türkiye (Turkey)

Türkiye Long-Term Residence

Long-term status for people with an established, qualifying residence history in Türkiye and the required financial and personal evidence.

residency Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Business Residence

A permitted entrant who has become, or is likely to become, successfully established in a profession, trade, self-operated business, or agricultural…

residency Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Discretionary Residence

A resident-status application for people already living in Trinidad and Tobago. Official instructions disagree on the required residence period, so confirm…

residency Costa Rica

Costa Rica Permanent Residence

Temporary residents can apply for permanent residence after three consecutive qualifying years. Approval gives broader work rights, but the change requires…

residency Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis Permanent Residence

People who have lived in Saint Kitts and Nevis for at least seven years and own substantial assets in the Federation can apply for permanent residence. The…

residency Serbia

Serbia Permanent Residence

Long-term status for people with an established, qualifying residence history in Serbia and the required financial and personal evidence.

residency Albania

Albania Permanent Residence

Long-term residents may apply for Albanian permanent residence after at least five qualifying years of legal, continuous residence. Absence limits, the…

residency Mexico

Mexico Temporary-to-Permanent Residence

Mexico usually lets Temporary Residents switch to Permanent Residence after reaching the maximum temporary-residence period. It generally requires current…

residency Montserrat

Montserrat Permanent Residence

Established residents may apply after the residence period that applies to their arrival history, with recent employment, local savings or property, and…

residency Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic Permanent Residence

Ordinary temporary residents can apply to change to RP-1 permanent residence after the qualifying renewal history. The detailed DGM checklist requires the…

residency Peru

Peru Permanent Residence

Permanent residence after three consecutive years in eligible worker, investor, researcher, or religious residence categories.

residency Colombia

Colombia Resident Visa After Residence

A Resident visa for people who have completed the required continuous period in qualifying Colombian visa categories.

residency Jamaica

Jamaica Employment Permanent Residence

A foreign national who has worked in Jamaica for more than three years may apply to PICA for permanent residence on the employment ground.

residency Jamaica

Jamaica Former Landing Residence

A former holder of Unconditional Landing—a stamp in a foreign passport allowing the holder to live and work in Jamaica without a separate work…

residency Paraguay

Paraguay Permanent Residence

Permanent residence for holders completing Paraguay’s ordinary temporary-residence period and meeting the continuing requirements.

residency Belize

Belize Permanent Residence

Belize's ordinary permanent-residence route requires at least one year of legal residence immediately before applying, no more than 14 days outside Belize…

residency Bolivia

Bolivia Permanent Residence

Permanent residence for people with the required qualifying residence history in Bolivia.

residency El Salvador

El Salvador Definitive Residence

Qualifying temporary residents can apply for definitive residence after holding the status for the three years before the application. The applicant must…

residency El Salvador

El Salvador Residence through Regional Origin

El Salvador offers shorter definitive-residence routes based on regional origin. Central Americans by birth can apply after lawful entry, while qualifying…

residency Guatemala

Guatemala Permanent Residence after 5 Years

People who have held Guatemalan temporary residence for at least five years can apply for permanent residence. Immigration records must establish the…

residency Guatemala

Guatemala Regional Permanent Residence

People born in another Central American country can apply for Guatemalan permanent residence after at least one year as temporary residents. The rule…

residency Honduras

Honduras Long-Term Residence

Honduras has a long-term resident category for people who have spent at least five consecutive years there with continuously valid residence or special…

residency Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Caribbean Netherlands)

Caribbean Netherlands Permanent Residence

Residents of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, or Saba who have held qualifying fixed-term permits for five continuous years immediately before applying may seek…

residency Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

Sint Maarten Permanent Residence

People already living legally in Sint Maarten for five uninterrupted years may apply for permanent residence if they hold a valid permit and can provide…

residency