Residency Programs With No Minimum Investment
Ten active programs require no minimum lump-sum investment. Instead, they qualify applicants based on passive income, pension income, remote work earnings, or professional credentials. These programs are particularly suited to retirees with pension income, digital nomads, and professionals who can demonstrate stable recurring earnings without committing capital to property or government funds.
Programs
11
Countries
8
Types
RBI
From
Income-based
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Portugal D7 and Spain NLV are the most popular European income-based options
- ✓ Italy Elective Residence and Croatia DNV offer Schengen access with no capital requirement
- ✓ Costa Rica Rentista and Pensionado qualify on $2,500/month and $1,000/month respectively
- ✓ Australia NIV qualifies through innovation and entrepreneurial credentials, not capital
All Programs at a Glance
Sorted by minimum investment. Click any country to explore in detail.
| Country | Program | Type | Min. Investment | Processing | Citizenship Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | D7 Passive Income Visa | RBI | Income-based | 3 months | 5 years |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Non-Lucrative Visa | RBI | Income-based | 5 months | 10 years |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Digital Nomad Visa | RBI | Income-based | 1-3 months | 10 years |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Elective Residence Visa | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 10 years |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Rentista (Passive Income) | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 7 years |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Pensionado (Retiree Residency) | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 7 years |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | Premium Visa | RBI | Income-based | 2-4 weeks | No direct path |
| ðŸ‡ðŸ‡· Croatia | Digital Nomad Visa | RBI | Income-based | 1-2 months | No direct path |
| ðŸ‡ðŸ‡· Croatia | Temporary Residence for Business Activity | RBI | Income-based | 1-3 months | 8 years (5 years continuous residence + 3 years permanent residence) |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | National Innovation Visa (NIV) | RBI | Income-based | 12-24 months | 4 years (after PR) |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | Critical Skills Visa | RBI | Income-based | 4-8 weeks | 10 years (5 years to PR, then 5 years to citizenship) |
Explore Each Program
Detailed cards with investment requirements, timelines, and key benefits.
D7 Passive Income Visa
Income-based
Proof of passive income (approx. €900/month minimum)
3 months
183+ days/year
2 years (renewable)
Yes
5 years
191
- ✓ No investment required, income-based
- ✓ Pension income accepted
- ✓ Must reside in Portugal
Non-Lucrative Visa
Income-based
Proof of passive income of ~€2,300/month (400% of Spain's IPREM index) for main applicant, plus ~€575/month per dependent. Private health insurance mandatory. Property lease or purchase required. Cannot work for Spanish employers.
5 months
183+ days/year in Spain (6 months continuous absence risks permit loss)
1 year (renewable)
No
10 years
191
- ✓ No investment required — income-based route only
- ✓ Beckham Law available: flat 24% tax on Spanish income for first 6 years
- ✓ Pension, dividend, and rental income all qualify as passive income
Digital Nomad Visa
Income-based
No investment. Must demonstrate remote employment or freelance activity for a non-Spanish company, with minimum income of approximately €2,520/month (200% IPREM).
1-3 months
Must reside in Spain
1 year visa, then 3-year residence permit (renewable)
Yes
10 years
191
- ✓ Beckham Law eligible: 24% flat tax on Spanish-source income for first 6 years
- ✓ No investment required, income-based qualification
- ✓ Full Schengen access
Elective Residence Visa
Income-based
Proof of stable passive income (no fixed minimum, typically €31K+/year) + property.
3-6 months
Must reside in Italy (183+ days/year). No work permitted.
1 year (renewable)
No
10 years
191
- ✓ Income-based, no investment required
- ✓ Cannot work in Italy
- ✓ Flat tax regime available
Rentista (Passive Income)
Income-based
Proof of $2,500/month stable passive income for 2+ years.
3-6 months
Visit once/year
2 years (renewable)
No
7 years
153
- ✓ Income-based, no investment
- ✓ Pension income accepted
- ✓ Must not work in Costa Rica
Pensionado (Retiree Residency)
Income-based
Proof of $1,000/month pension income from a recognised pension source.
3-6 months
Visit once/year
2 years (renewable, permanent residency after 3 years)
No
7 years
153
- ✓ Lowest income threshold of the three Costa Rica routes ($1,000/month)
- ✓ Pension income accepted from any country
- ✓ Must not work in Costa Rica
Premium Visa
Income-based
$1,500/month income from foreign sources OR approximately $18,000 equivalent bank deposit alternative. 1-year renewable long-stay visa. Designed for remote workers, retirees, and long-stay tourists. Local Mauritian employment prohibited. Launched October 2020.
2-4 weeks
None (visa is for long-stay purposes)
1 year (renewable)
No
No direct path
148
- ✓ No investment required, income or deposit based
- ✓ Fast processing (2-4 weeks) via online application
- ✓ Remote workers can operate for foreign employers
Digital Nomad Visa
Income-based
Proof of €2,540/month income from remote work for non-Croatian employer.
1-2 months
Must reside in Croatia
1 year (non-renewable, can reapply after 6 months)
No
No direct path
188
- ✓ No Croatian tax on foreign income during the visa period
- ✓ Full Schengen access — Croatia joined Schengen and adopted Euro in 2023
- ✓ Non-renewable — must leave for 6 months before reapplying
Temporary Residence for Business Activity
Income-based
Company registration in Croatia or appointment as director/board member. No minimum capital requirement for d.o.o. (LLC equivalent).
1-3 months
Must reside in Croatia
1 year (renewable annually, leads to permanent residence after 5 years)
Yes
8 years (5 years continuous residence + 3 years permanent residence)
188
- ✓ EU + Schengen + Eurozone access from 2023
- ✓ Actual path to Croatian (EU) citizenship via 8-year integration
- ✓ Full work rights, unlike the Digital Nomad Visa
National Innovation Visa (NIV)
Income-based
No minimum investment threshold. Invitation-only based on exceptional achievement and recognised contribution to innovation, research, entrepreneurship, investment, sport, or arts. Must submit Expression of Interest (EOI); Department issues invitations. State nomination required for most streams.
12-24 months
Must reside in Australia
Permanent (direct PR)
Yes
4 years (after PR)
189
- ✓ Merit-based, not investment-based — no minimum capital threshold
- ✓ Grants permanent residence directly, not a provisional visa
- ✓ Highly selective: ~300 invitations issued from 9,000+ EOIs as of 2025
Critical Skills Visa
Income-based
No investment. Must hold qualifications in a gazetted critical skill (engineering, IT, finance, healthcare, etc.).
4-8 weeks
Must reside and work in South Africa
5 years (renewable, leads to PR)
Yes
10 years (5 years to PR, then 5 years to citizenship)
106
- ✓ No investment required, skills-based entry
- ✓ Fast processing (4-8 weeks typical)
- ✓ Full work rights from day one
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