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Travel to 49 More Countries with 1 Residency Card · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Do you assume you need a second passport to travel more freely?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, that's one way.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: But the right European residence permit can unlock 49 additional countries on top of the 29 you already access in the Schengen zone without any new citizenship.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Some of these permits don't even require investment.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: A bare bones monthly income of 920 euros is enough to qualify for one.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: IMI has done years of research to finally answer this question.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: What benefits does residency give you beyond these borders?
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: IMI has mapped every pathway, from digital nomad visas to golden visas and every destination your new residence card can open.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: So you know that your passport gives you a baseline of visa-free travel, but you can think of additional residence permits as multiplying it.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Regional and bilateral agreements extend travel privileges not just to citizens but to residents.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: For someone holding a passport with limited global reach, the right residence card can double or triple the number of countries available without more visa applications.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: The most powerful example is Europe.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: The Schengen area comprises 29 countries that have abolished international border controls.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: 25 are EU member states.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Four are non-EU countries that participate through separate agreements.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: A residence permit issued by any Schengen country lets you travel across the entire zone without additional visas.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Under Article 21 of the Schengen Convention, permit holders can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period visiting the other 28 member countries.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: You get unlimited time in the country that issued your permit, plus short-term access everywhere else.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: This works regardless of your passport strength.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Whether your passport normally requires a Schengen visa or already enjoys visa-free entry, the residence card provides travel rights across Europe's largest free movement zone.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, how do you get residency in the Schengen zone to access this privilege?
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: Golden visas are one route, but they're far from the only option.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Several Schengen countries offer residence permits based on income rather than investment.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: At IMI, we call these independent means visas, and they're the lowest hanging fruit residency programs in investment migration.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: These visas typically serve retirees and those living on investments, pensions, or rental income.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Portugal's D7 visa is one of the most accessible at approximately€920 per month.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: Spain's non-lucrative visa requires around€2,400 monthly.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Neither demands any investment in local assets.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Digital nomad visas let remote workers and freelancers obtain residency by proving regular income from foreign clients or employers.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Spain's Digital Nomad visa requires income of approximately€2,850 per month, and you just have to prove that you have that income.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to donate or invest it.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Portugal's D8 visa sets the bar at€3,680.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Greece asks for€3,500.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Croatia€3,295, and Italy requires annual income of roughly€28,000.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: These programs typically grant one to two years of residency, renewable with paths to permanent residence after five years.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Freelancer visas exist in Germany, Sweden, Poland, and the Czech Republic for self-employed professionals.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Germany's targets workers in healthcare, law, consulting, science, technology, and creative fields.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: The Czech Republic's Zivno visa works similarly.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: For those who prefer investment-based routes, golden visa programs are available.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: Portugal's program starts at€250,000 for cultural heritage donations or€500,000 for fund investments.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Greece offers real estate options beginning at€250,000 for commercial to residential conversions, with standard property purchases starting at€400,000 in most regions.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hungary and Latvia provide additional options, the latter of which requires the lowest investment in the region.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: If real estate is your preferred route, IMI Real Estate collects only listings that qualify for residency or citizenship, including the Greek and Latvian Golden Visa programs, worth checking if you're comparing properties across jurisdictions.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: The point is that Schengen residency, and the privileges you access with it that we'll cover in a moment, does not require wealth.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Income-based routes exist for remote workers, freelancers, and retirees at thresholds far below golden visa minimums.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Beyond the 29 Schengen countries, a Schengen residence permit unlocks access to dozens of other destinations through visa-free entry, visa on arrival, or simplified e-visa procedures.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Across Europe, 16 additional non-Schengen member countries grant access to Schengen permit holders, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Georgia, Kosovo, Moldivo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia all offer between 15 and 90 days.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City are accessible for short visits.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Armenia, Cyprus, Turkey, and the UK offer e-visa or limit transit access depending on nationality.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: Six Middle Eastern countries offer visa on arrival or e-visa access, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: In the Americas, ten countries provide entry, with Mexico granting 180 days to holders of permanent Schengen permits.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Nine Caribbean destinations offer access, including Aruba, Curacao, and the Dominican Republic.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: A few caveats though.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Many countries require permanent residence permits rather than temporary ones.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Mexico is reportedly denied entry to holders of temporary Schengen permits.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Several destinations restrict access to specific nationalities.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Colombia's benefit applies only to citizens of nine countries, including China, India, and Vietnam.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Jordan, Panama, and Cuba exclude permits issued by non-EU Schengen states, like Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Rules change frequently, so always verify current requirements with the destination country's embassy before booking travel.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to compare all of these destinations side by side and gauge the best residency route for you, IMI's Program Finder lets you sort, filter and compare more than 275 residency and citizenship programs in 140 countries.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the US green card creates a similar travel multiplier with a different geographic footprint.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: As of 2025, 52 countries and territories grant visa-free visa on arrival or e-visa access to US permanent residents.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: The strongest coverage is in the Western Hemisphere.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Canada and Mexico both allow 180 days to green card holders.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama all provide access in Central America, ranging from 30 to 90 days depending on the country and your nationality.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: 15 Caribbean destinations offer entry.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Anguilla, Antigua, and Barbuda.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, St.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Martin, and Turks and Caicos.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Jamaica is the most generous at six months, with most others offering 30 to 90 days.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: In South America, Chile, Colombia, and Peru grant access, though each restricts the benefit to specific nationalities.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Chile limits it to Chinese, Dominican, and Indian passport holders.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Colombia covers nine nationalities.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Peru is available to Chinese and Indian nationals with permanent permits.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: Nine European countries recognize the green card for entry.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and the UK for 24-hour transit only.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Seven Middle Eastern countries provide visa on arrival or e-visa entry.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: In Africa, Egypt offers visa on arrival and Morocco provides e-visa access.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: And in Asia, Japan offers e-visa access.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: The Philippines and Singapore grant transit or entry to Chinese and Indian nationals.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: South Korea allows 30 days for travelers transiting to or from the US, and Taiwan provides free travel authorization certificates or e-visas to select nationalities.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: One critical limitation worth mentioning though, the green card does not grant visa-free access to Schengen countries.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: If your passport requires a Schengen visa, you still need one regardless of your residency status in the US.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: The value of residence-based travel depends entirely on your starting point.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: If your passport already reaches 150 countries visa-free, a Schengen residence card provides marginal gains.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you have residency for another strategic reason.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: But if your passport reaches only 50 destinations, that same card transforms your mobility overnight.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Residence permits do require maintenance.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: Digital nomad visas and independent means visas impose minimum income requirements and physical presence requirements.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Even golden visas may require periodic visits.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Permits expire and must be renewed.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: But for travelers from countries with restricted passports, the ability to enter Europe without visa applications and visit dozens of additional countries with simplified access is practical value that shouldn't be underestimated.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Your passport defines your baseline.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Your residence permits can multiply it.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if all of this has interested you, but you don't want to spend hundreds of thousands on a golden visa, we made a video covering 40 countries that will give you residency for free.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Check it out on your screen now.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: And subscribe to IMI Daily's newsletter at imidaly.com for weekly updates on programs, rule changes, and new opportunities.