In 2026, Spain remains the fastest: a digital nomad residence permit is issued in 7 weeks. But the programme is not suitable for everyone—some want to live in the country, others obtain a document for travel or business in Europe. A comparison of popular routes shows that for citizenship, France works best, for employment—the Netherlands, and for living in a specific country, different conditions apply.

Spain: Universal Residence Permit in Two Months

The Digital Nomad programme issues a residence permit for 3 years and is approved in 2 weeks, with the actual card obtainable within 7 weeks of entering the country. This attracts those seeking a quick solution for any purpose: living in Europe, visiting occasionally, opening a bank account, or starting a business.

Currently, many requests are related to blocking of multiple-entry visas and multi-Schengen visas in Russia—people use Spanish residence permits as a way to travel across Europe. In practice, this works because the residence permit is not revoked or cancelled even if the resident does not live in the country. This is a key difference of Spain from other European states, where migration services monitor actual residence.

The residence permit is also suitable for unlocking assets or funds that have been frozen due to economic sanctions.

France: Path to Citizenship in 5 Years

In France, a residence permit is issued for 4 years, and citizenship can be applied for after 5 years from the date of entry to the country. In practice, this means the countdown starts from the moment of arrival, even if the first residence permit expires earlier.

Review of a passport application takes from 9 to 14 months, so the total timeframe can extend to 6–6.5 years. It is important to carefully choose the prefecture for submission—this affects processing speed.

France’s distinctive feature is that it allows dual citizenship. This is critical for those who do not want to renounce their original passport. This is why France is popular among those seeking European citizenship without losing their original one.

United Kingdom: Difficult Conditions for Talents and Startups

Obtaining a residence permit in the United Kingdom is not accessible to everyone. The main work programmes are Global Talent and for startup founders.

Under the Global Talent programme, you must prove your talent, professional competence, and market recognition. Virtually all cases require additional PR activity to present to migration services.

For startups, conditions are strict: the project must already be launched, and you need support from one of four local accredited accelerators. Without this, your application will be rejected. Additionally, health insurance in the United Kingdom is expensive—this significantly increases living costs.

Netherlands: High Salaries and Annual Residence Permit

The initial residence permit in the Netherlands is issued only for 1 year, which is less compared to other countries. However, the country attracts those who dream of working there and receiving some of the highest salaries in Europe.

A critical restriction: the Netherlands, like Spain, does not allow dual citizenship. You will have to renounce your original passport. For many, this is a decisive factor against choosing the Netherlands.

Portugal: Long Delays and 10 Years to a Passport

In recent years, Portugal has faced serious issues when issuing initial residence permits. Processing of applications can stretch for one and a half, two years or even longer. This contrasts with neighbouring Spain, where the card is obtained in 7 weeks.

Portuguese migration legislation has recently changed in the direction of tightening. The timeframe required to apply for citizenship has been increased from 5 to 10 years. This change receives the least attention in public discussion and remains in effect, although some other restrictions are being rolled back.

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Italy: Digital Nomad Programme for 1 Year

Italy has introduced a Digital Nomad programme, which has already been used by dozens of applicants. It is not as attractive as the Spanish version, but may suit those who specifically want to live in Italy.

The initial residence permit is issued for 1 year, and applying for a passport requires 10 years of residence in the country. This makes the programme less popular compared to Spain and France.

Germany: Difficult Path Through Work or Study

Germany is unpopular for migration because it is difficult to move there. Existing immigration programmes are either partially non-functional or unavailable to most applicants.

Opportunities open if you secure employment or are admitted to higher education. Recently, Germany launched the Chance Card—a separate programme for job seeking. It issues a residence permit for 12 months, during which you must find a job and sign a full contract. If successful—you proceed to a full residence permit under the Blue Card. If not—you will have to leave the country.