10 best countries to move to in 2027

Portugal, Spain, Greece, Malta, the UAE, Thailand, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina: the laws, sums and citizenship terms for people moving in 2027.

Ten countries changed their rules for foreign residents between April 2025 and October 2026. Murblz experts checked the laws and thresholds in each of them in November 2026. Dollar amounts use the 2026 rate of 1.1229 dollars per euro.

Portugal

Portugal's Council of Ministers approved a decree-law on Oct. 29, 2026. It adds language, culture and history tests for passport candidates and asks them to show a stable income. The new citizenship law had waited for this decree since May.

The law was published on May 18, 2026 and took effect the next day. Most foreigners now need 10 years of legal residence to apply for a passport. The old rule was five years. Citizens of European Union countries and of Portuguese-speaking countries need seven.

The count starts on the date printed on the first residence card. A foreigner who receives a card in January 2027 can apply in January 2037. A resident with six years in the country who had not filed by May 19 now waits four more years. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rule.

The decree still needs the President's signature. It takes effect once it appears in the official gazette.

The D8 visa for remote workers kept its formula in 2026. The income bar is four Portuguese minimum wages. This year that came to $4,200 (3,680 euros) a month. The figure goes up every January with the minimum wage.

Murblz experts have described the visa in Portugal digital nomad visa and the reform in Portugal new citizenship law, and there is a country overview on our Portugal page.

Spain

Spain stopped taking golden visa applications on April 3, 2025. Property bought after that date brings no residence permit.

Royal Decree 1155/2024 took effect on May 20, 2025. Settlement permits now take two years of residence. They used to take three. Renewals are issued for four years.

The citizenship route for children and grandchildren of emigrants closed on Oct. 22, 2025. New applications are no longer accepted. Files submitted on time are still being processed.

The minimum wage rose 3.1% under Royal Decree 126/2026 of Feb. 18, 2026. The remote work permit asks for twice the minimum wage. In 2026 that came to $3,200 (2,849 euros) a month for one person.

Immigration offices have 20 working days to decide on a remote work permit filed inside Spain. A permit with no answer by then counts as granted.

Murblz experts have listed the remaining routes in how to get residency in Spain and described the permit in Spain digital nomad visa, and there is a country overview on our Spain page.

Greece

Greece publishes golden visa figures every month. Investors filed 32,620 first applications between 2022 and August 2026, official data show. The state issued 26,180 permits and refused 271 applications. Refusals were under 1% of the total.

There were 34,278 active investor residence permits at the end of July 2026.

The minimum investment is $899,000 (800,000 euros) in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents. Elsewhere it is $450,000 (400,000 euros). Both figures date from September 2024 and have not changed since.

A $281,000 (250,000 euros) investment qualifies only for converting a non-residential building or restoring a listed one.

The thresholds are set out on our Greece golden visa page, and there is a country overview on our Greece page.

Malta

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on April 29, 2025 in case C-181/23. It found Malta's citizenship-by-investment scheme contrary to European Union law. Malta was the last European Union country still selling passports.

Malta published Legal Notice 195 of 2026 on July 14, 2026. On Jan. 1, 2027 four tax programs for foreign residents become one Individual Tax Programme.

The tax rate on foreign income brought into Malta stays at 15%. The minimum yearly tax for newcomers goes from $17,000 (15,000 euros) to $40,000 (35,000 euros).

The property threshold rises to $790,000 (700,000 euros). People who apply by Dec. 31, 2026 keep the current terms until the end of 2031.

The administrative fee for permanent residence rose from $45,000 (40,000 euros) to $56,200 (50,000 euros) on Jan. 1, 2025. In 2026 it stands at $67,400 (60,000 euros). Applicants also pay a $41,600 (37,000 euros) government contribution and a $2,250 (2,000 euros) donation.

Murblz experts have described the reform in Malta tax residency program changes 2027, and there is a guide to Malta permanent residence and a country overview on our Malta page.

United Arab Emirates

Nurses of Dubai Health with more than 15 years of service received the Golden Visa on May 12, 2025. The Crown Prince of Dubai made the decision. In Abu Dhabi, health professionals qualify with a relevant bachelor's degree and a Department of Health licence and endorsement.

The UAE gives a 10-year Golden Visa to buyers of property worth 2 million dirhams, or $550,000. A deposit of the same size in an investment fund or a national bank also qualifies.

Dubai moved golden visa applications into the immigration system in 2026. Mortgaged property is accepted at the value set by the Land Department.

Remote employees of foreign companies can get a one-year visa with an income of $3,500 a month. The visa can be renewed. The UAE has no personal income tax.

Murblz experts have described the program in UAE Golden Visa and the remote work visa in UAE digital nomad visa, and there is a country overview on our UAE page.

Thailand

Thailand cut visa-free stays to 30 days on Sept. 15, 2026. The rule covers citizens of 60 countries.

The Destination Thailand Visa is issued for five years. Remote employees and freelancers can stay up to 180 days per entry. One 180-day extension is allowed.

Applicants need $15,000 in the bank for the previous three months. The fee is about $300.

The Thailand Privilege card costs from $20,000 for five years to $150,000 for 20 years. There is no income or age requirement. The Bronze card is the cheapest at about $20,000. Murblz experts advise filing for it by Dec. 31, 2026.

Permanent residence is open after three years on a work or family visa. The quota is 100 people per country a year. Citizenship is possible five years after permanent residence.

Murblz experts have compared the routes in how to get residency in Thailand, and there is a guide to the Thailand Privilege residence permit and a country overview on our Thailand page.

Panama

European Union finance ministers took Panama off the tax blacklist on Oct. 9, 2026 in Luxembourg. Panama had been on the list since February 2020. It moved to the grey list.

Law 526 of May 28, 2026 brought in substance rules. Executive Decree 32 of Sept. 2, 2026 set the minimum. From 2027, companies with no real presence in Panama pay 15% on passive income from abroad. The annual company fee stays at $300.

Executive Decree 17 of Sept. 8, 2026 replaced Decree 722 of 2020. Qualified investors receive permanent residence straight away. The migration service reviews the file within 30 business days. One visit every two years keeps the status.

Investors qualify with real estate from $300,000 or securities from $500,000. Citizenship is possible after five years.

Decree 21 of May 27, 2026 approved a list of 91 jurisdictions. Panamanian banks collect account data for 2025 for those jurisdictions.

Murblz experts have described the decision in Panama removed from the EU blacklist, and there is a guide to the Panama residence permit and a country overview on our Panama page.

Paraguay

Foreigners filed 49,538 residency applications in Paraguay between January and September 2026, migration service figures show. The whole of 2025 produced 47,687. The count went above 50,000 in early November.

Brazilians filed 31,706 applications in the first nine months. Argentines were second with about 3,500.

The migration service runs mobile offices called MigraMóvil. An application filed there on Monday is turned into a residence card by Saturday. Twenty-two sessions were planned for 2026.

The last session was held on Nov. 2 to 6 in Ciudad del Este, at the Mangoré cultural center. People queued from the night before, some of them in tents. The next one is set for Nov. 16 to 20 in Pedro Juan Caballero, with cards handed out on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Temporary residency costs $509 per person in fees. Income is checked two years later, when the holder applies for permanent residency. Since July 6, 2026 it is proved with documents in one of 12 categories.

Investors who put $70,000 or more into a business receive permanent residency directly. Citizenship can be requested no earlier than three years of living in the country with permanent residency.

Murblz experts have described the sessions in how to get Paraguay residency, and there is a guide to Paraguay permanent residency and a country overview on our Paraguay page.

Uruguay

Uruguay signed a decree on Oct. 8, 2026 for former asylum applicants. People who entered the country before Jan. 1, 2026 and asked for asylum can now settle with permanent residence. They need an income above the minimum wage.

The minimum wage has been $640 (25,383 pesos) a month since July 1, 2026 under Decree 319/025.

Decree 188/026 of Aug. 10, 2026 was signed under Budget Law 20.446. New tax residents pay no tax on foreign dividends, interest and capital gains for 11 years. Decree 225/026 of Sept. 16, 2026 lets the same property count for both tax residence and the tax holiday.

Applicants file for permanent residence directly. There is no temporary stage and no investment. For income from abroad, the benchmark is $1,500 a month per person. State charges come to about $120, and an identity card is issued before the decision.

Citizenship is open after three years with a family or five years without one. Uruguay does not ask new citizens to give up their old passport.

Murblz experts have described the permit in Uruguay residence permit and the move in moving to Uruguay, and there is a country overview on our Uruguay page.

Argentina

Argentina's National Electoral Chamber declared Decree 366/2025 null on June 30, 2026. Citizenship cases went back to the federal courts. The government's appeal is with the Supreme Court.

Under Law 346 a foreigner can apply for citizenship after two years of continuous residence. A federal judge reviews the case. There is no court fee.

The migration service published a guide in March 2026. The whole family can file in one application. Children under 18 pay no migration fee.

Rentiers and pensioners need about $1,300 a month for residence. State fees for one adult come to about $80. The card takes about four months.

Argentina allows dual citizenship. Its passport gives visa-free access to 169 countries.

The grounds and costs are set out on our Argentine residency page, and Murblz experts have described the move in relocating to Argentina, with a country overview on our Argentina page.

The 10 countries side by side

Murblz experts have also ranked the easiest countries to get residency, the best countries to retire abroad and the cheapest countries to live in. Families are covered in best country to move to with kids, side-by-side scores in country comparison for relocation, and the steps of a move in how to move abroad.

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