Members of the international LGBT community use to apply for European residence permits and citizenship to secure their future, without living in an EU Member State. These lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual people obtain the resident status or passport to be able to move in Europe later, but they already have a secure option.
Which European countries let you obtain resident status or citizenship without living there?
Obtaining the citizenship of an EU country is impossible without living there, at least for a year. It was the most important request of the European Commission before they agreed to launch the Maltese Individual Investor Program. It means that the applicant and his/her family must reside at least one year in Malta before they can obtain the citizenship. Meanwhile, in Cyprus, the applicants must only visit twice a year the island nation before obtaining the citizenship, and the whole process takes just three months.
However, the citizens of Malta and Cyprus can live anywhere in the European Union or even in third countries. Naturally, they have to fulfil the qualifying requisites, hold their investments for a specific timeframe, etc. Logically, an EU citizenship grants 100% freedom for its holder. In the case of a citizen, who is a national of a country where same-sex activity is prohibited, a European passport can save the holder. Don't forget, there are countries, where being gay is still a deadly sin.
Where can you receive an EU residence permit, without living in the country?
21 of the 28 EU Member States have introduced their residency by investment programs. Some of these countries oblige the residents to live there (at least 183+ days/year), but other nations with residency programs let you live your life, anywhere.
Malta has several and very attractive residency by investment programs (even without investment!). These schemes allow the residents to maintain their status without living or visiting the beautiful Mediterranean island nation. The rule is simple; the resident cannot stay more than 183 days per year in one another country. The 183 days is the almost standard limit in Europe, your become tax resident for sure if you would spend more than half year in a country. Until you do not become tax resident elsewhere, you can keep your resident status in Malta.
Residents under the Portuguese Golden Visa can also enjoy life elsewhere. The EU Member State does not impose physical presence requirements, but to qualify, you still have to spend two weeks per year in the country on an average base. According to the law, the resident must stay seven days in Portugal, during the first year of the resident status. Then the number of minimum days to reside there are 14 in each subsequent year. A lot of residents choose to live in another country because there are attractive tax incentives.
Those wealthy LGBT people, who obtained the residence permit under the Spanish Golden Visa, can also live anywhere. It means one travel to Spain during the first two years of the resident status and once more during the next two years. After these initial periods, the applicant can receive the permanent resident status.
Contact our experts now if you want to know all practical details about your secure future in the EU!