Visa & Residency
Permanent Residence (PR)
Also known as: PR, Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, Settled Status
Quick answer
US Department of State — permanent-resident glossary · European Commission — EU long-term residents · checked 9 Nov 2026
US permanent residence can be obtained through qualifying family, employment and other routes. The conditions depend on the category. A permanent resident may later qualify for naturalisation, which is a separate process.
The EU long-term-resident framework generally uses five years of qualifying continuous legal residence, with further conditions and exclusions. That framework is not a universal waiting period for every country's permanent status, nor an automatic right to live and work without conditions in any other country.
Sources
- US Department of State — permanent-resident glossary · checked 9 Nov 2026
- European Commission — EU long-term residents · checked 9 Nov 2026
Related terms
Citizenship by Investment (CBI)
Citizenship by investment is an application route linking nationality to a qualifying contribution or investment and other legal conditions. It differs from residence by investment. St. Kitts and Nevis lists a US$250,000 minimum Sustainable Island State Contribution for an applicant or family of up to four under its terms checked in 2026; due-diligence and other fees are additional.
Citizenship by Descent
Citizenship by descent derives nationality through a parent or ancestry under national law. It is not a universal number-of-generations entitlement. Italy's 2025 reform restricts automatic acquisition for people born abroad holding another citizenship; Ireland's Foreign Births Register has separate parent and Irish-born-grandparent rules. The relevant law, family events and application dates all matter.
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area comprises 29 countries in the European Commission's 2025 membership list: 25 EU members plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Internal border checks are normally removed, but temporary controls can apply. Short-stay visitors generally have a combined allowance of 90 days in any 180-day period, subject to their nationality and immigration status.
Tax Residency
Tax residency is a domestic-law status used to determine a person's tax obligations. It is distinct from citizenship and permission to live in a country. Presence, homes, work and other ties can matter. A person can meet more than one country's domestic rules; an applicable tax treaty may resolve residence for treaty purposes.
Deeper guides
Cyprus Permanent Residence 2026: Post-2023 Rules and Pending Schengen Accession
Cyprus Permanent Residence by Investment in 2026 — €300K qualifying investment + €50K/yr demonstrated income (rising for family). Parents removed (2023). Citizenship fast-track removed (2026). Schengen accession pending. Full guide covering what changed, what remains, and how Cyprus compares to Greece, Malta, and Portugal.
Thailand LTR Visa 2026: 10-Year Long-Term Resident Complete Guide
Thailand Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa in 2026 — 4 categories: Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, Highly-Skilled Professionals. 10-year validity, 0% foreign-source income tax (3/4 categories), no minimum stay. Full comparison with Malaysia MM2H, UAE Golden Visa, and Singapore GIP.
Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) 2026: Post-2025 Reform Complete Guide
Malta's Permanent Residence Programme in 2026 after Legal Notice 146 of 2025 — unified €37K government contribution, €60K main-applicant admin fee, spouse and minor children now free, adult dependants reduced to €7.5K each, €375K property purchase or €14K rent. Remittance-based taxation, day-one EU permanent residency, 8-14 month processing. Full comparison with Portugal and Greece.
Best Startup Visas in 2026: Capital, Family and Residence Compared
Australia, Estonia, Luxembourg, and New Zealand startup and investor routes compared on investment, endorsement, residence, family inclusion, and tax considerations.