5 Entrepreneur Visas for Business Owners to Live Overseas

Argentine Residency for Entrepreneurs

Offering one of the fastest paths to citizenship in the world, Argentina is willing to naturalize most anyone who wants to call the country home for at least two years. You will need to be physically present in Argentina for at least six months each year, as well as during the naturalization process.

In comparison with many European passports, an Argentine passport is not only faster to get (the minimum waiting period for citizenship in European countries is five years), but also just as powerful. Argentine citizens can travel visa-free or visa on arrival to 150 countries, making it the 18th best passport in the world. Plus, with their National Identity Document, citizens from Argentina don’t even need a passport to travel within South America.

The Benefits of a Spanish Entrepreneur Visa

Just the other day we spoke about the Spanish entrepreneur visa and whether or not it is a good idea. My recommendation was that, if you plan on spending six months or less per year in Spain, you should seek out a different residency option and simply live in Spain as a tourist for the 183 days you are allowed each year.

If, however, you are dead set on living in Spain year-round, there are a few positives we didn’t cover in the original article. The good news is that anyone willing to start a new Spanish company will enjoy a tax rate of only 15% for their first two years in business. After that, rates will be 25% with various other caveats. While these types of rates don’t make Spain a tax haven, they are still lower than corporate taxes in the US.

The real benefit of having residency in Spain, however, is that it allows you to spend a full year in Europe instead of the six months you are allotted as a tourist. If the idea of living and traveling throughout Europe year-round sounds like a dream come true, that is exactly what residency in Spain will get you. Just weigh your options.

European Residency for Entrepreneurs in Belgium

It has always been relatively easy to obtain citizenship in Belgium. Until 2012, it was possible to obtain Belgian nationality after a mere three years of living there. Now, it takes at least five years, but that’s still a very reasonable timeline for a relatively well-managed, low-tax country with one of the best passports on earth.

Residency in Belgium can be obtained by anyone willing to start a small business and hire at least one part-time employee, or simply by demonstrating “significant means” to support themselves (usually around €1 million). The cost of setting up a business as an entrepreneur in Belgium is still cheap: €12,400 in paid up capital, or potentially even less if you have a business partner to go in with you. And, while income tax in Belgium is high, capital gains taxes are zero.

Other benefits of residency or citizenship in Belgium are that the country allows dual citizenship and that Belgium only requires that you spend a few months per year there, so long as you spend at least some of your time elsewhere in Europe. A Belgian passport has all the benefits of a Spanish passport in Europe, allowing freedom of movement throughout Europe’s Schengen Area. And for travel outside of Europe, Belgians are considered about as low-risk as they come while overseas.

The quality of life in Belgium is very high and the country has a welcoming attitude towards other nationalities. Brussels is an international city and is at the heart of European business. Universities in Belgium are very internationally oriented and students can even follow courses in English. All of this makes Belgium a prime location for anyone looking for a great place to live and do business in Europe.

Irish Residency for Advanced Entrepreneurs

My final suggestion is for those of you who already have a business and likely fit the definition of an advanced entrepreneur with a larger corporation. Due to its attractive 12.5% corporate tax, Ireland is home to pretty much any large company you can think of: Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Dell, Boston Scientific, Kellogg’s, HP and hundreds of others . . . they all go to Ireland.

If you’re ready to set up a business in a foreign country in exchange for a second residency and want my help, apply for a personal Strategy Call to see if you qualify as one of the few people I choose to work with on a one-on-one basis each month.