Guide
Startup & Entrepreneur Visas
What is a startup or entrepreneur visa?
A startup or entrepreneur visa grants residency to people who launch or run a business in the country, rather than take a job there. Depending on the program it may suit a funded startup founder, a freelancer, or an established business owner, and qualifying usually means showing a viable business plus enough capital or funds to back it. Most lead to permanent residency over time, and a few — like the Netherlands' DAFT treaty — are unusually accessible to specific nationalities.
About this guide
This guide compares startup, self-employment, and business-owner visas side by side — how much capital you need, who qualifies, and how the route leads to permanent residency — then links to a full breakdown of each.
Pathways compared
53
Countries covered
38
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Norway Self-Employed Worker Residence
Lowest
|
Business Residency | No set min; NOK 341,373/yr profit | Self-employed skilled workers | 3 years | Yes |
Denmark Startup Founder Visa
|
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 Self-Employed Residence Permit
|
Self Employed Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Netherlands Startup Visa
|
Startup Residency | No fixed business investment; sufficient living funds required | Innovative founders (facilitator-backed) | 5 years | Yes |
|
Netherlands U.S. Self-Employment Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | €4,500 business capital | U.S. citizens using the Dutch-American treaty | 5 years | Yes |
Finland Startup Entrepreneur Residence Permit
|
Startup Residency | No min; €1,030-1,210/mo support | Startup founders | 4 years | Yes |
Belgium Self-Employment Permit
Lowest
|
Self Employed Residency | No set min (viable business) | Self-employed / business owners | 5 years | Yes |
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 | Residence after 3 years, or after 12 months on the fast track | Yes |
|
New Zealand Entrepreneur Resident Visa
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
UAE Entrepreneur Golden Visa
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | — |
Canada Permanent Residence for Self-Employed
|
Self Employed Residency | Paused | Existing applications only | Paused until further notice | Limited Existing apps only |
|
Canada Quebec Business Permanent Residence
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
Canada Start-up Visa Program
|
Entrepreneur Residency | Transition only | Valid 2025 commitment holders | PR on approval; apply by Jun 30, 2026 | Limited Transition only |
Luxembourg Self-Employed Residence
|
Self Employment Residency | — | — | — | — |
U.S. Treaty Trader Visa
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Austria Self-Employed Worker Residence
|
Business Residency | ~€100,000 (or macro benefit) | Self-employed key workers | 5 years | Yes |
|
Austria Startup Founder Residence
|
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 Programme
|
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 | — | — |
|
France Talent Visa for Business Founders
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
|
France Talent Visa for Corporate Officers
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Cyprus Startup Visa
|
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
|
Self Employed Residency | — | — | 5 years | — |
|
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 | — | — |
|
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 |
Poland Residence for Business Activity
|
Business Residency | — | — | Qualifying residence may count toward EU long-term residence | — |
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 minimum (~€10,440 funds) | Founders & entrepreneurs | 5 years | Yes |
|
Portugal Independent Professional Residence
Lowest
|
Self Employment Residency | No minimum (contract + funds) | Independent professionals | 5 years | Yes |
|
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 |
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 |
Bulgaria Startup Visa Eligibility Certificate
Lowest
|
Entrepreneur Other | No set min (certified startup) | Innovative startup founders | — | — |
Barbados Economic Immigrant Status
|
Business Residency | — | — | — | — |
Mauritius Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | USD $100,000 | Investors who establish and operate a Mauritius business | Separate permanent-residence criteria | Potential |
|
Mauritius Self-Employed Residence
|
Self Employed Residency | No fixed upfront amount stated; income milestones apply | Independent professionals running a Mauritius service business | Separate permanent-residence criteria | Potential |
Armenia Residence through Business Activity
|
Business Residency | No published minimum; genuine business activity required | Business owners | — | — |
Paraguay Business Investor Residence
|
Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | — |
South Africa Business Owner Residence
|
Business Residency | Prescribed capital contribution or approved reduction or waiver | Active owners of a qualifying South African business | Separate permanent-residence assessment | Potential |
No pathways match that filter.