Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

It seems a bit quiet on here. ;)

One option to get over the end of free movement now the UK is out of the EU would be to move to an EU (or Schengen?) country and then satisfy residence requirements and become a citizen.
Does anyone know which EU country offers the fastest (affordable) way to migrate?

Noting that I can't afford a golden passport from Malta.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Citizenship in most countries can only be sought after being legally resident in them for 10 years so an EU passport would not be readily available.

Rosemary

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

I believe some provide citizenship in less than 10 years, but are still likely to be 3-5 years. You also need to consider the visa requirements to live there for the qualifying period, and whether there are any other requirements for citizenship, e.g. language requirements.

It's worth checking your family tree, in case you qualify for a passport by descent.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

No visa issues going to Ireland, 5 years then passport probs be one of the best options?

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Ireland would be your best bet but it’s likely far more efficient simply to meet the visa requirements for whichever EU country you wish to move to rather than live in a country you don’t for five to six years first.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Cyprus or Malta if you have €100k to waste. Thank me later.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Then again most people are born in a place and nobody asked them if they want to spend 18 years of their life there:sarcasm: The thing is that many don't meet the requirements (see Spain), so unfortunately Ireland is becoming a gateway. The worst would be if people come here and are not one bit interested in the country and want to make it another England, or just walk around miserable. If people integrate and accept that Barry's is not Tetley (can be bought) and do something for the community then fine.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Interesting.
We had Ireland down as an option (like it over there) but were wondering what other options there might be.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

All other options would require a visa, so easiest would depend if you need to work or are retired. Only based on lanage you'd have Malta under KEI scheme if you are a key employee. And for retired Portugal offers the D7 visa with lower income requirements. Otherwise there are no easy options left unless you qualify through employment, investment, or meet income requirements for retirement.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

OP from your posts in 2016 that you were considering moving to NZ?

what happened & why (if living in the UK) do you want an EU passport....reasons/considerations?

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

^^^ I agree

^^^ or anywhere else - when in Rome!

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Marry an EU citizen!

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

In the long run, this is slower and defo more expensive than investing €100k in Cyprus or Malta.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

I think you would need a bit more than that and Cyprus Golden Visa was cancelled in 2020 it seems: https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/03/31/c...a-constrained/

Cyprus offers the quickest, most assured route to citizenship of a European country through the Cypriot citizenship by investment programme. An investment of €2.0 million in real estate is required, plus a donation of €100,000 to the Governments Research and Development fund and €100,000 to the Land Development Organisation. Cyprus is unique in its offering of citizenship within just 6 months of such an investment. This grants a Cypriot passport and citizenship of an EU country, allowing the freedom to work, travel, study and live anywhere within the EU including countries such as Germany, France and the UK. The investment can be reduced down after 5 years to just €500,000.


Malta

DEVELOPMENT FUND

To qualify for Malta citizenship by investment the main applicant is required to contribute a minimum of €650,000 into a development fund set up by the Government of Malta. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000 and unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

REAL ESTATE

Applicants are required to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 pa for five years.

INVESTMENT IN BONDS/SHARES

Applicants are required to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese Government and this investment must be maintained for five years. This investment will need to be made in stocks sanctioned by the government as beneficial to the Island.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Ok, Cyprus is gone. Still good for money laundering and asset offshoring, allegedly.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Sound plan.
One minor issue - how do I explain it to my spouse?

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

We still hope to move to NZ but in 2016 they cut back on Parental Visas, then stopped them entirely for a while.
They were going to open up again, and with our EOI being in the queue since 2016 we should have been fairly near the front.
However, Covid!
So we have no idea when (or even if) NZ are going to restart issuing Parental Visas and if so, what the new rules will be.

We are not happy in the UK with the restrictions on European movement and the increasingly corrupt and authoritarian Government.
This may, of course, change with the next GE but this is not looking likely.
So we are looking at a backup option for if we can't get to NZ.
There is no guarantee that anywhere else is going to be better but an ability to tour Europe whilst we are still reasonably fit and mobile would be very attractive compared to major travel restrictions (90 days in 180).
The UK is fine as a group of countries, with many lovely places and very friendly people.
We also speak the language!
Just not happy at the prospect of spending the next 8-10 years here, if we take a pessimistic view of how the country will be governed.
If you consider that Ireland might unify and Scotland become independent over the next 5 years then the horizons will be shrinking every year and I doubt that England will be a comfortable place to live.
I grew up travelling to Ireland, Wales, Scotland and if they are suddenly foreign countries with visa requirements then I would find this very hard.

Could all turn out fine, of course, but it is always nice to have an alternative plan scoped out if things go to Hades in a hand cart.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

eh - minor issue. Just tell them you feel like a new spouse and a new passport :)

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Someone mentioned Portugal above, so I'll expand a little on the requirements here.

Assuming you weren't looking to find work (which would be a tall order), then passive income amounting to the minimum wage for a single person, plus 50% for a couple satisfies the means requirement. Currently the minimum wage stands at 665€ so call it 1k per month for a couple. You could live OK on that provided you didn't have to fork out for rent.

5 years' residence gives the right to apply for citizenship, for which you'd need to pass a language proficiency test. Nothing too daunting and perfectly doable. Citizenship applications are currently taking well in excess of a year to process.

I can thoroughly recommend it should you be in such a position. Bags of choice location wise, public health service available to all residents, sensible government, good climate, reasonable property prices (provided you're not looking at Algarve seafront or central Lisbon / Porto), great food, plenty of culture, country making great progress after a troubled past. Added bonus for new arrivals of a favourable tax regime for a period of 10 years.

What more can I say?

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

In many ways Ireland can be a great alternative to NZ and especially for those who might know Dunedin and parts of Otago. Away from Dublin there are some nice places that offer that kind of life and one benefit is that you can live remote but without really being that remote. Rental market is tough but those who can afford to buy and want a bit of land still have options. Biggest benefit is that you can continue to live in an English speaking country with decent job opportunities and can explore Europe. We have a place in Spain and usually drive down via Cherbourg/Roscoff and while I love Spain, I don't even know if I'd want to live there permanently (once retired). It's great to have more winter sun but then again we love spring and summer here and can avoid the crowds. Probably just trying to get the best of both worlds.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

anyone looked at the Latvia & Lithuania options.... check all of the possible options for each country, such as buying into a 1/3 of a business to get a residence permit & don't have to live in the country.

https://www.immigration-residency.co...50%20000%20EUR.

https://www.second-citizenship.org/p...dency-program/

other info

https://www.immigration-residency.com/

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

^^^on that, lets say you managed to get an EU/EEA country residency permit.

where would you live annually, how would you split spend your time living globally?

would you stay in one EU country as a base?

would you maintain 2 residence, say UK & a European country?

have you factored in the accommodation expenses, healthcare, travel costs?

if you are in limbo as far as the NZ family Visa (lets say you parked it) would you travel to NZ every other year with the NZ family traveling to you in the in between years.

as time marches on the factors/considerations are - its either Health or finances or both

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

If we chose to seek EU residency then we would move to and live in the country, and almost certainly sell up in the UK to fund a purchase in our new home.
Then we would carry on as we did before the end of free movement, sometimes going to NZ and Australia over the UK winter and coming back for the UK summer.
Touring Europe part of the time.
Living at home part of the time.

There are so many places in continental Europe that we have yet to see.
So many places, so little time.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Spain’s Golden Visa requires a €500,000 investment in property. Given the relatively high cost of living in Ireland moving there for five to six years because you can’t ‘afford’ to move to Spain seems to be a false economy.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Why false economy? If someone planned to retire there in 10 years time and know they will not meet the non-lucrative visa income requirements, it's another way to keep that door open. The person might even own a small apartment in Spain, so might as well live in Ireland if they can get a job and aren't attached to where they live now. High cost of living is relative and if I work at a fast food restaurant in Brighton and end up at a fast food restaurant in Killarney, I don't see it being a false economy.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Noting that we are retired.
Also noting that we don'y have £500k tucked down the back of a mattress.
Nor a house with that much equity.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Do you have a certain place in mind? If for example you plan to retire to Spain and don't have enough income to qualify for a non-lucrative visa but at least some equity, you could sell and might qualify that way?
For those retired with a lower income Portugal remains attractive with a D7 visa.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

If you have sufficient income, the Portugal D7 visa as mentioned by a couple of posters is a good option. Red Eric outlined the income requirements.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Portugal and Ireland leading at the moment.

Ireland because of language and free travel.

Portugal because of nice weather and relative affordability.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

You could split time between Ireland and Portugal. I'm still far from retired and the more I think about it the better it sounds. We have a place in Spain and do love it there when the sun shines, although when it's dark it's dark (might sound funny). Hard to explain but I kind of get the feeling that when the sun goes down and you don't really speak the language, it feels like a more lonely place. Apart from the fact that it's only a holiday home now, I do enjoy the simple things in Ireland . Especially during spring and summer you can avoid the heat and busy beaches over there and the longer evenings compared to Spain or Portugal are a benefit, so we usually just go to Spain after September. We also looked at buying a place in Portugal but the places we liked were too expensive and it's easier to drive to Spain for us. Of course it's not for everyone to split time between two places and also a question of money. I might change my mind again but to know you can always come back to a place that feels like home (warts and all) is not bad either. Alternative as long as you can would be campervan.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

I don't think Ireland would afford you any freer travel than you have from the UK, at least as long as you don't have Irish citizenship, since it's not in the Schengen Area.

Portugal is, on the other hand, so you could cross internal borders in the Schengen Area from there without (normally) passing through any border controls, even with a 3rd country passport.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Free travel in Ireland is not based on citizenship but on residency: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/free_travel.html Everyone aged 66 and over, legally resident and living permanently in the State, is entitled to the Free Travel Scheme. Some people under 66 also qualify. If you qualify for free travel, you are issued with a card that you must carry with you when using public transport. In some cases, a Free Travel Companion Card is available which allows a person to travel with the holder (if they are unable to travel alone). Free Travel Cards are non-transferable and can only be used by the named person.

Free travel is available on all State public transport (bus, rail and Dublin's LUAS service) with some exceptions.

Free travel is also available on a limited number of services operated by private bus transport companies. Private bus transport operators that have opted in to the Free Travel Scheme accept free travel cards. You should contact the Department of Social Protection to check whether your private bus operator accepts free travel cards - see 'Where to apply' below.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Oh, right :lol:

I completely msread that. Ignore me :o

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

My bad.

By "free travel" I was referring to the common travel area which means I wouldn't have to jump through hoops to stay more than 90 days in any 180.
Gives an opportunity to test the waters without immediately applying for residence.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Not exactly correct. First, one needs to consider whether the country in question does allow you to be a dual citizen by naturalization. This is not the case in every country. So sunny Spain is out, same as the Netherlands. And then it's about the residency and the time frame and even language skills. In this respect, Ireland can indeed be a good choice for a British citizen.

Despite Brexit there is still free movement to Ireland, plus there is no real language barrier, - except Irish, and then Ireland allows one to be a dual citizen. Also in Ireland, I believe the time frame is 5 or 6 years, but not 10 in order to qualify for citizenship.

But as the question in this particular thread is about cheapest and fastest way, that's most likely not the case here in the option I have described.

However, it's a possible way, if one wants to retain British citizenship and adopt another citizenship of an EU country at an achievable price.

All the other "fast" options are often either investment or possibly marriage.

Re: Easiest (cheap/fastest) way to get an EU passport
 

Compared to what we had pre-Breixt it is all a dismal mess. On Ireland, any thoughts what would happen if NI decided to join Ireland and hence EU, would free movement between the new Ireland and UK remain, as presumably it is based on free movement for those coming from NI to Ireland which as part of the UK means it has to be for all of the UK. Could always take a chance on Scotland going independent and rejoining the EU, moving there prior to that might get you a Scottish passport?

You also have to watch out for quite confiscatory tax policies in some EU countries and £/Euro exchange rate.

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I'd say Ireland would be your best option. As British citizens you'll have very similar rights to Irish citizens from day one. No language barrier. Ireland today seems to generally be an open-minded, tolerant and very pro-European society which would likely be a good match if you are not keen on the current British government/pro-Brexit rhetoric. Citizenship in Ireland is not cheap but an Irish passport is the best EU passport to have because of the CTA (I don't bother renewing my British passport anymore, my Irish one gives me the same rights in the UK anyway).

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Citizenship applications are never really cheap. Any government can hike the prices overnight, justify this with "in line with inflation" even if they double or triple the fees. Those who want to apply will apply. Politicians can easily mend public finances and gain among voters who feel that immigration is too much. However the latter isn't really a concern in Ireland.

The rest is agreed, Ireland is probably the best choice. There is no language barrier, the country is easy to adapt to, and people are in general easy to get along with and welcoming. The only problem you should be warned about is the seemingly endless Irish housing crisis. Especially in the Dublin area that's an issue.