How to Gain More Travel Freedom Without a New Passport

Moustafa Daly
Cairo

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Want more global mobility? A second passport isn’t the only way to get more visa-free travel.

For many people with weak passports, seeking a new citizenship is often a means to pursue greater travel freedom. But residency can sometimes be nearly as effective; a residency card not only grants the right to live in a new country, but could also significantly improve one’s global mobility.

Take EU residencies, for example. They allow travel across 27 countries in the Schengen Zone and provide access to over 30 additional destinations, including Mexico, Turkey, Singapore, and Ireland. This is not unique to Europe, as residency programs worldwide, from the US to Saudi Arabia, offer similar mobility benefits.

This guide explores some of the popular investor residency programs and how they can significantly enhance travel freedom for their holders.

EU and Schengen Residency: Travel Freedom Across Europe and Beyond

Residency in the EU or the Schengen Area is one of the most powerful tools for global mobility. Beyond granting access to 27 Schengen countries, EU residency cards also enable visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to an increasing number of destinations worldwide.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Unlimited Travel within Schengen countries.
• Visa-free entry to 30 non-Schengen destinations.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with EU Residency:

• Albania
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Belarus
• Belize
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Colombia
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• El Salvador
• Georgia
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Nicaragua
• Oman
• Peru
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Romania
• Saudi Arabia
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Turkey

Popular EU Investor Residency Programs

• Portugal Golden Visa (Investment: From €200,000)
• Greece Golden Visa (Investment: From €250,000)
• Ireland Immigrant Investor Program (Investment: From €400,000)
• Malta Permanent Residence Program (Investment: From €150,000)

US Residency: Easier Travel with a Green Card

Residency in the United States through a Green Card provides the right to live and work in the US, along with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a range of countries.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Access to destinations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to over 35 countries beyond North America.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with a US Green Card:

• Albania
• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Bonaire
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Cayman Islands
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Curacao
• Dominican Republic
• Georgia
• India
• Jordan
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Oman
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Serbia
• Singapore
• Sint Maarten
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Turks and Caicos
• United Arab Emirates

US Investor Residency Programs:

1. US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (Investment: From $800,000)
2. US Trump Gold Card (planned) (Investment: $5 million)

Canada Residency: Visa-Free Travel Across Three Continents

Canada’s Permanent Residency allows individuals to live, work, and study in Canada while also granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to various destinations worldwide.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Access to destinations in the Americas, Caribbean, Asia, and Europe.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to over 30 destinations beyond North America.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with Canada Permanent Residency:

• Anguilla
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Bonaire
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Curaçao
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Georgia
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Jamaica
• Kosovo
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Peru
• Qatar
• Saba
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• Singapore
• Sint Eustatius
• Sint Maarten
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Turks and Caicos Islands

Canada Investor Residency Programs:

1. Quebec Investor Visa (Investment: From CAD 1.2 million)
2. Start-Up Visa Program (Investment in business: No minimum investment)

GCC: Unlocking the Middle East And Muslim World

Residency programs in the Middle East are ideal for those seeking access to Gulf countries and many other destinations in the broader Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

UAE Residency

Residency in the UAE, including the Golden Visa program, provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to various destinations across the region and beyond.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Unlimited travel across GCC countries.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to 20 destinations beyond the GCC.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with UAE Residency:

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Nepal
• Philippines
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Tanzania
• Thailand

UAE Investor Residency Program:

1. UAE Golden Visa (Investment: From AED 500,000)

Saudi Arabia Residency

Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency program, also known as the Saudi Green Card, provides residency with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a range of countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and beyond.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Unlimited travel across GCC countries.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to nearly 60 global destinations.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with Saudi Residency:

• Albania
• Angola
• Bahrain
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Cook Islands
• Dominica
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Guatemala
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hong Kong
• Iran
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kosovo
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• Micronesia
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niue
• Oman
• Palestine
• Panama
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Samoa
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Suriname
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Zambia

Saudi Arabia Investor Residency Program:

1. Saudi Premium Residency (Saudi Green Card) (Investment: From SAR 800,000 for permanent residency or SAR 100,000 annually for renewable residency.

Qatar Residency

Qatar’s Permanent Residency program offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and even Latin America and the Pacific.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Unlimited travel across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to over 25 global destinations.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with Qatari Residency:

• Brazil
• Dominica
• Ecuador
• Ethiopia
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Morocco
• Nepal
• Oman
• Palau
• Samoa
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine

Qatar Investor Residency Program:

1. Qatar Residence Visa for Real Estate Owners (Investment: From
   QAR 730,000)

Honorary Mention: The UK

The UK had scrapped its popular investor visa program at the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but may soon introduce a new investor residence permit. UK Permanent Residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain) grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to numerous countries worldwide.

Residency Mobility Benefits:

• Access to destinations in Europe, the Caribbean, and the Asia-Pacific.
• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to over 20 global destinations.

Visa-Free/On-Arrival Destinations with UK Residency:

• Albania
• Anguilla
• Aruba
• Australia
• Bahrain
• Canada
• Curaçao
• Dominican Republic
• Fiji
• Georgia
• Gibraltar
• Indonesia
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Panama
• Seychelles
• Sri Lanka
• St. Maarten
• Taiwan

Residency is Not Just Mobility

Residency is more than just a travel pass, though. Many programs, like those in the EU, Canada, and the US, offer a clear path to citizenship, unlocking even greater benefits. Those in the GCC emphasize flexibility and minimal taxes, but rarely, if ever, lead to citizenship.

Taxation is a critical consideration. Unlike the GCC, establishing tax residency in Europe or the US often comes with high tax obligations, which necessitates careful planning. Ultimately, residency is just one component of a broader strategy that should align with an individual’s mobility aspirations and financial goals.

Note: The listed destinations are subject to change and may vary based on updates to local regulations.