Let’s get something out of the way right away: it takes a lot of guts to move abroad. It’s inspiring to dream about it, it’s fun to research it, and to actually take action - that’s the gutsy part!
I’m here to tell you that you ABSOLUTELY have what it takes to make it happen. And, just by reading this article, you’ve technically already started your journey.
Getting a visa is the biggest milestone for your move abroad
Now let’s get something even bigger out in the open from the top: getting a visa is the hardest, most complicated part of your move abroad.
Gay or straight, married or single, your chosen country must have a visa that you qualify for. If they do, you have to fill out all the paperwork correctly, correctly file paperwork and document types you may never have heard of, and do it all in an order that is oftentimes not exactly linear or logical.
The goal of this article is to help you understand what visas you qualify for in LGBTQ+ friendly countries, so that you and your family can get started now with your relocation strategy.
Top 10 countries for LGBTQ+ expats
To help you out, I’ve put together a list of the top 10 countries for LGBTQ+ expats that are vibrant with a high quality of life.
Here are the most popular countries with my LGBTQ+ clients in 2022:
Portugal
Spain
Netherlands
Germany
Sweden
Canada
Mexico
Norway
Italy
Malta
I have an entire guide on how you can find out more about these countries and how to find the right fit for you.
Just as important, though, is knowing how you can move there.
The rest of this article focuses on just that. First, what a visa even is and what kinds of visas work for you as a self-initiated expat (meaning your company, the Peace Corps or the Armed Forces are not sending you abroad). Next, we’ll get into the visa process for each country and how to build a game plan for how to go about moving to and settling into your dream country.
What is a visa?
A visa is a type of a document from the country you're visiting or moving to that allows you to enter and remain there for a period of time. Visas enable you to travel, study, work, or even begin to establish residency.
If you are American, Canadian, or European, you probably don’t have to think much about getting visas when you go on vacations. You receive a tourist visa on arrival via a stamp in your passport.
This visa allows you to spend time as a visitor in the country, and you are not technically allowed to work in the country while on a tourist visa.
So, if you want to actually move to another country, you need a different kind of permission, or visa, in order to do so.
Of course, visa options and the conditions of them vary widely from country to country.
Popular visa types
Traditionally, there have always been marriage / spousal visas, family reunification visas, retirement visas and traditional corporate work visas when a multinational company sends an employee abroad.
Over the last decade, and even before the global Covid pandemic, a rise in digital nomadism and remote workers has meant that people are mobile and ready to move abroad like never before. Some countries have adapted more quickly than others, and there are now several types of visas available with similar structures in terms of your rights to earn and live in the country. Some even offer a path to citizenship, meaning that after a certain number of renewals, you can apply to become a citizen of that country. Here are some of the most popular visa types for folks in 2022.
Passive Income/Retirement Visas
Traditionally seen as a retirement visa for seniors with a pension, this visa type has become more of a passive income visa. This visa essentially allows a person to live in a country based on certain financial requirements that prove they can support themselves with income earned outside of the country (usually from property rentals, pensions, or online income).
Usually, you need to prove a minimum monthly income or sufficient savings. Some retirement visas also have a minimum age at which you’re eligible for it. Italy, Portugal, and Mexico offer this visa type (see below for MUCH more information by country).
Digital Nomad Visas
Digital Nomad Visas are a relatively newer type of visa that caters to people who want to work remotely and bounce from country to country. Without an official digital nomad visa, you are just a tourist, have to live out of hotels or Airbnbs, and you have to leave after 30-90 days. With an official Digital Nomad Visa, countries are allowing you to stay up to a year, two years or five years. Generally, you need to have a job or business that is based outside of the country you’re applying for the visa in. You’ll also need to prove a minimum monthly income.
Spain, Germany, Costa Rica and Malta offer a form of digital nomad visa. Argentina has plans to implement one, though it’s not available yet.
Business and Startup Visas
While digital nomad and passive income visas want you to earn abroad and spend in your adopted country, some countries want to attract entrepreneurs looking to build larger businesses, and offer Start-Up or Entrepreneurship-type visas. Requirements vary widely, but can require you to have a minimum investment amount and/or a sponsoring organization.
Countries on this list offering this path to residency include Canada, Netherlands, and Germany.
Golden Visa
“Golden Visa” is a slang term that refers to any visa program that gives a person a longer-term residence permit based simply on a large investment in real estate or business. This usually ranges from $500,000 to millions of dollars, hence the term ‘Golden’.
Canada, Spain, Portugal and Malta offer a form of Golden Visa.
Spousal/Marriage Visas
This article won’t focus on this one too much, so here are the basics: A spousal visa may be available when one person has a resident status or work visa in a country. Their spouse or partner can be eligible to get a residence visa based on the other individual’s visa status.
Marriage visas are different in that they usually refer to situations when a person can get a residence permit and/or citizenship by marrying a citizen of a country. This option varies a lot from country to country.
Contrary to popular belief, you so NOT have to be married to a foreigner to get to move abroad. This is only one of dozens of visa types.
Ancestry Visas
Many EU countries have introduced programs that allow non-citizens to apply for citizenship through their ancestry. Eligibility requirements vary by country. Some allow descendants of up to three generations away are eligible to apply, while others just allow for one generation of separation.
The rest of the article won’t get into this one in too much detail, but for example: Italy and Germany allow for applicants whose great grandparents were citizens (three generations removed), whereas Portugal, Malta, and Spain allow for applicants up to the second generation. The Netherlands are the most strict, only allowing for those whose parents are citizens to apply.
I want to move to…Specific Visa Information for LGBTQ+ Expats by Country
As queer folks, our international relocation strategy has to take into account LGBTQ+ safety, protections and cultural acceptance in addition to the type of life we are actually looking for - beach, sun, job opportunities, history, low cost of living, and more.
And then, when we finally do figure out which countries we actually want to move to, we have to figure out if we can actually, legally, live there. That means we have to understand what visas are actually available there.
Portugal Visas for LGBTQ+ Expats
Right at the top of the list is the European west coast darling where, it seems, everyone is trying to move - gay or straight. The Portuguese government has made its country a very welcome place for LGBTQ+ expats. Over the past 10-15 years, the country has significantly reformed its immigration process to welcome expats, remote workers, and digital nomads, and most people are going for the D7 Visa, right now.
D7 Visa
The D7 Visa — also known as the Retirement Visa — was added as an option by the Portuguese government in 2007. It has since become a very popular route to residency for remote workers, freelancers, and people looking to acquire citizenship (and a European passport).
How does it work?
The main requirement of the D7 Visa is proof of a minimum monthly passive from outside of Portugal. In 2022, the minimum amount for an individual is €705 per month (~$718), which comes out to around $8,616 per year. You can apply as a couple (with proof of an additional 50-percent of the min. passive income) and with children (30-percent additional per child).
The D7 Visa starts out as a visa before turning into a residence permit. You must apply for this visa type in the U.S./your country of residence. If your application is successful, you’ll get a four-month D7 Visa to stay in Portugal and get the resident visa.
During that time, you’ll need to schedule an in-person appointment to essentially resubmit all your documents to receive a two-year residence permit. After two years, you can renew the permit for another three years. At that point, you can convert to a permanent resident and apply for citizenship.
Great resource for Portugal:
101 Tips For Moving To Portugal: And Once You Arrive
By Diana Laskaris + Sue Reddel (LGBTQ+ Expats)
Spain Visas for LGBTQ+ Expats
Living in Spain sounds like a dream for many Americans, and it’s actually achievable through certain visa programs. In fact, Spain is adopting a digital nomad visa that will make it an even friendlier place to pick up and move to in the near future.
Non-Lucrative Visa
Spain has a similar long term residency visa to Portugal called the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV). It’s open to anyone who is a citizen outside of a non-EU country, and you can apply for it with your family.
How does it work?
Applicants need to prove they exceed the minimum financial requirement of the visa, which is currently at €27,792 (~$28,340) annually. You have the option to apply with dependents too (including an unmarried partner), so long as you meet the added minimums for each.
Once approved, you’ll have a temporary residence permit to live in Spain for one year. From there, you can renew the NLV up to two more times for two years each time, opening up a pathway to permanent residency and potentially Spanish citizenship.
Additionally, after the first year on an NLV you can convert it into a Work Permit Visa, which will allow you to work in the country legally. The NLV allows you and your dependents to study in Spain from the very beginning.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Spain is considering legislation to adopt a new type of digital nomad visa. This would add a visa for international remote workers as well as a residence permit for international remote workers.
How does it work?
The digital nomad visa is intended for expats who want to work in Spain so long as their employer is based outside of the country. The visa would be good for a year or the length of the work contract if that is less than a year.
Before the visa expires, you would be able to apply for a residence permit as long as you meet the conditions to do so. The initial permit could be granted for up to three years, but you’d need to show indication/proof that your work will last for that period of time. You can continue to renew the residence permit for two years at a time after that.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands are a notoriously difficult place to move to, unless you’re American. Luckily for LGBTQ+ Americans looking to move to Amsterdam or elsewhere in the country, American and the Netherlands have a special agreement that makes moving there very accessible.
DAFT Visa
The Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) is a hidden gem for Americans who want to move to Europe, and perhaps don’t love the heat or are looking for more northern/central European culture. As the name implies, the DAFT is a special agreement between the two countries that removes certain requirements for American entrepreneurs moving to the Netherlands, and Dutch folks moving to the US, and focuses on registering a very basic business to get started.
How does it work?
Usually, when someone wants to move to the Netherlands as a freelancer or to run a business, they need to submit a comprehensive business plan which is scored on a points-based system. While you’ll still submit a business plan, it will not be evaluated by immigration as an American applicant.
As long as you have a minimum of €4500 (~$4,625) to invest into your business and the Dutch economy, there are no other requirements for your business. You’ll essentially open a Dutch bank account, deposit the minimum amount or more into the account, and have it verified by a tax professional, accountant, or financial advisor.
One factor to keep in mind is you actually have to be in the Netherlands to go through the application process. Everything is done in person and via mail. Americans can enter for travel for up to 90 days and once you begin to apply for the DAFT you’ll be given a temporary residence visa to stay for longer.
The DAFT process generally takes around four months from start to finish. Your residence card is good for two years and is renewable for more. You can bring your partner and family with you on it, and they’ll also have the ability to legally work and study in the country.
Germany Visas
When it comes to moving to Germany long term, the process is a mixed bag. On the one hand, Americans have the luxury of being able to stay in the country for 90 days while job hunting. On the other hand, though, the path to residency is dependent on finding a job there first or at least having several German clients lined up if you’re a freelancer.
“Visa-Free” Entry
Americans can enter Germany on a tourist visa and stay for up to 90 days. In most countries, this would be considered a tourist visa and you wouldn’t be allowed to work, in Germany you’re actually allowed to look for and apply to jobs during that time.
How does it work?
Simply develop a plan and book a trip to Germany. You have the freedom to apply for jobs in advance and set up meetings for when you’re there. At the very least, you can have a game plan for your job search.
In addition to the benefit of being on the ground during your job search, the process of getting a Work Resident Permit once you do have a job offer is faster in the country than when doing it outside of it.
German Work Resident Permit
An employer-sponsored permit is a common way for Americans to move to and live in Germany. Of course, you need to find a job at a company that will sponsor your residence permit. The employer can help you through the pre-approval process, which is faster if you are in Germany so you can process things in person.
German Freelance Visa
Germany does have a Freelance Visa for people who attend to work with multiple clients in the country. It’s geared towards a wide range of “liberal professions” that require a university or comparable experience. This includes artists, teachers, software developers, engineers, lawyers, journalists, and more.
Applying for a freelance visa requires a good amount of organization and document preparation. Most importantly, you need to have at least two letters of intent from German companies that plan to contract you for work. If you’re able to apply for this visa type, you can get temporary residence for six months to three years, which is renewable.
Berlin and Hamburg Artist Visa
Berlin and Hamburg have their own freelance visa known as the Artist Visa, which is actually just a location-specific subsection of a German Freelance Visa, except specially designated for artists and journalists.
The main benefit to this visa type is that it is generally awarded on the spot during your immigration interview. You’ll need to apply in Berlin or Hamburg and, of course, live in the respective city that you get the visa in.
Sweden Visas
Sweden is a great place to move to for LGBTQ+ expats, but it’s not the easiest place to move to. At the end of the day, you’ll likely need to find gainful employment beforehand or commit to studying in the country (though student visas don’t often convert to residency visas post-graduation.)
There is this one, strange, bright loophole nowadays called the Visitor’s Permit, however, that might be all you need to get your foot in the door in Sweden.
Visitor’s Permit
Sweden’s visitor’s permit is the easiest way to arrange for a stay in the country that’s longer than 90 days. These permits can be applied for before or after entering the country, though you’ll want to plan your strategy in order to get the longest amount of time, which is up to nine months. Once awarded the right to stay, you can hunt for jobs at a Swedish company at a more reasonable pace, which would allow you to stay.
How does it work?
The visitor’s permit allows foreigners to stay in Sweden longer than 90 days for tourism, visiting family, business or conference visits, and several other reasons. It is not a residence or work permit, so you’re not allowed to “settle” in Sweden or work there on it.
Applicants need to prove they can support themselves during the course of their stay (it’s usually lump sum amount in a savings account) and either show proof of a return ticket or the money to purchase one. Even though Swedish is the official language of the country, English is often the lingua franca of most companies and finding a job shouldn’t be held back by your not speaking Swedish- a huge bonus in such a strong economy!
Other Options
If you’ve considered continuing your higher education, doing so in Sweden opens other residential opportunities. You can live and go to school there during the course of your studies and even apply for a permit afterward to look for work.
Those who already have advanced degrees may be eligible to apply for a residence permit to look for work or start a business in Sweden. This allows you to move there first without employment, but the standards for this permit are very high.
Canada Visas
Year after year, Canada sits at the top of the rankings for LBGTQ+ friendly countries, and with the proximity to the US and a very similar dialect of English, it’s the first country many future American expats consider. In a sense, Canada has a lot of opportunities for expats who want to move there with over 100 potential options for immigration. In a much more real sense, though, that makes the process complicated to navigate starting out. It’s best to start by checking your eligibility and using this online tool to see which visa options might be the best for you.
Express Entry
The Express Entry visa is the fastest pathway to residence in Canada. It’s specifically designed to encourage skilled workers from abroad to live there permanently. The initial application process is entirely online and Canadian immigration processes the majority of those applications within six months.
How does it work?
There are three main ways to apply under the Express Entry option: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (STEP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
The FSWP is the option for expats who aren’t living and working in Canada, and you don’t need to have a job offer in Canada to apply. That's not to imply that the process is easy, as it is quite competitive and has become more so in recent years. Applicants need to have one year of continuous skilled work experience and score a certain level on the Canadian Language Benchmark test in English or French. The visa takes into account education credentials and other scoring areas that improve your application.
Start-Up Visa
Canada has a start-up visa program to encourage innovative foreign entrepreneurs to start their business in the country. This option emphasizes the potential job creation and global competition a start-up could bring to the Canadian economy.
How does it work?
This visa process takes much longer, around 32 months. As far as requirements go, you need to have a qualifying business that you (or you and other applicants) own a majority share in. You also need to get a letter of support from a list of approved organizations, made up of venture capital funds, angel investor groups, and business incubators.
Self-Employed Visa
Canada’s Self-employed Persons Program is directed towards accomplished athletes and creatives. To be clear, this is nothing like digital nomad or remote worker visas seen in other countries. This program provides a path to residency for people who have made a significant contribution in their field and/or achieved a level of recognition for their work.
How does it work?
Applicants prepare and submit a package, which includes all of the general forms as well as forms and documentation about your profession and experience. As with other visas, it’s based on a scoring system. The higher the score, the more likely your application is successful.
The processing time for this visa is lengthy — currently over 40 months. However, applicants who are approved will automatically receive a permanent residence visa.
Mexico Visas
Mexico is way more LGBTQ+ friendly than most people realize, and is increasingly popular for queer expats beyond Puerto Vallarta (traditionally a gay men’s haven). Mexico’s beautiful landscape, vibrant cities, advantageous cost of living, acceptance of queer people, and proximity to the United States check a lot of boxes.
The Mexico Temporary Resident Card
Many American expats choose to move to Mexico on a temporary resident visa, which is valid for one year at first, then can be renewed for another one, two, or three years.
This visa type allows you to live in Mexico for up to four years, after which you have options to get a permanent resident visa.
How does it work?
The temporary retirement visa is a pretty standard retirement visa. Applicants need to meet certain financial requirements in order to get it.
Now, this is important. Mexico has been transitioning its consulates to using a UMA calculation for visa financial requirements from the Minimum Salary (MS) measures it has been using. The UMA requirements are much lower, but not all consulates have adopted them yet. Make sure that when you apply for your visa you do so at a consulate that uses the UMA measure.
As of now, you need to prove a minimum monthly income of $1,415 based on UMA, but it would be $2,237 using the MS standard, so it’s a significant difference.
Permanent Resident Visa
The Permanent Resident Visa allows you to live in Mexico in perpetuity. You can get it by graduating from a Temporary Resident Card after four consecutive years or by meeting higher financial requirements.
How does it work?
You have the option to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa directly if you meet higher financial requirements. That would be a minimum monthly income of $2,358 based on UMA or a savings balance of $94,337 (UMA).
Additionally, you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after four consecutive years with a Temporary Resident Visa or two consecutive years while married to a Mexican citizen.
Norway Visas
Often heralded as one of the best places in the world to live, Norway is an incredibly desirable option for queer folks to live. It is beautiful, with a strong social system, universal healthcare, and an off-the-charts quality of life. It has always been almost impossible to move to for a non-EU / non-EEA citizen, however.
Until now, that is. Norway now has a digital nomad-type visa available, and not that many folks are talking about it.
Svalbard Digital Nomad Visa
Technically a self-employment visa, it is referred to as a digital nomad visa because it allows you to live in Norway while working remotely. Well, it’s technically Norway, but…
How does it work?
First off, you need to agree to live in the Svalbard region of Norway in order to qualify for this visa. This is an arctic island with polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes and 24 hours of daylight in the summer (and 24 hours of darkness in the winter). There’s opportunity to move to other parts of the country later on, but you’ll need to establish yourself there first.
You’ve got to have somewhere to live, a university degree, stable income of at least EUR 35,000, and a contract with at least one Norwegian client in your freelance business.
The good news is that if you meet all of those requirements you can have your visa in as little as one month. Also good news is the initial visa is valid for two years and you can apply for extensions.
Norway by Way of Other Countries
If you’re an EU/EEA citizen, it’s actually a lot easier to move to Norway. All EU/EEA citizens can move to Norway to live and work, they just need to register. So if you do desire to move to Norway, you could choose another European country with an easier path to citizenship (Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, for example), and then relocate there once you’re an EU citizen.
Italy Visas
Wouldn’t it be dreamy to live in Italy… we’ve all thought it, and many of us are moving there to experience it. Italy is actually relatively mediocre in terms of LGBTQ+ issues, ranking in the 20s out of 50 on the Asher + Lyric list, but that isn’t stopping Americans from relocating.
If you’re seriously considering a move to Italy, this up-to-date guide by Damien O’Farrell (an LGBTQ+ expat from Ireland) will be one of your best friends throughout the process.
Self- Employment Permit
Freelancers and people who want to start a business in Italy can look into applying for a Self-Employment Permit. The tricky part of this route is that Italy has a yearly quota for these visa types. To make things even more fun, applications open up for a few months each year at a random time. It could be summer, it could be winter. You just have to keep checking for updates to know.
How does it work?
Freelancers fall into two categories as far as immigration goes: non-regulated and regulated. Non-regulated status has less barriers to entry, as you may expect. These are professions that don’t necessarily require a higher degree to practice, like writing and graphic design.
Regulated jobs are those that have professional standards of practice anywhere, like lawyers, architects, and engineers. No matter what your job is, you need to obtain a security clearance from the Italian police in order to apply for the self-employment visa. The easiest way to do this is by hiring an Italian visa agency to do it for you.
Digital Nomad Visa
Perhaps from realizing the challenges of getting a self-employment visa, Italian legislators have moved to add a Digital Nomad Visa as an option for foreigners to come live and work in the country. It’s uncertain when this visa type will be made official and become available.
How does it work?
With details still unclear, it looks like the Digital Nomad Visa will not be a part of the quota system, so people can apply any time and bypass the struggle faced by other expats.
There will be standards for income and proof that you’ve been doing your remote-work job for a number of years, and you’ll need to be considered to be a “skilled worker” by Italian immigration. The standards for that will likely be related to education level, job type, and level of expertise, though it’s unclear how high the bar will be set.
Following the same basic outline as other nomad visas, it’ll likely be good for one year and renewable for a year or two years after that.
Elective Residence Visa
The Elective Residence Visa is Italy’s retirement/passive income visa. You need to prove that you have sufficient funds for the year to support yourself (and your family, if applicable) and a place to live.
How does it work?
As with other income-based visas, financial proof is the key to getting this one. You have the option of showing you have a consistent monthly income (from pension or dividends, for example) or by simply putting enough money for a year into an Italian bank account.
The annual minimum is EUR 31,000 EUR for individuals and EUR 38,000 for you and your spouse together. Children are an added 20-percent of the minimum for each one. Showing that you have cushion above the minimums is highly recommended.
The visa lasts for one year and can be renewed as long as you continue to meet the requirements.
*Hidden Gem Alert* Malta Visas
Why is this considered a bonus? Because when is the last time you thought about moving to Malta? This island nation is one of the few remaining “undiscovered” gems of Europe, has all the beauty and relaxed lifestyle of the Mediterranean, and is actually one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly, especially trans-friendly, spots in Europe.
Nomad Residence Permit
Malta is very welcoming to digital nomads and remote workers. Those who fall into that category can apply for Malta’s Nomad Residence Permit that lasts for one year and is renewable after.
How does it work?
Basically, you need to show that you’re either employed by a foreign company, own a foreign company, or do freelance work for clients/companies outside of Malta. You’ll also need to show that you’re bringing in at least EUR 2,700 every month. There are a couple of other requirements that make you eligible, such as having housing arranged and health insurance.
Golden Visa
While this type of visa is usually out of reach for most folks, Malta’s Golden Visa is one of the most accessible in the world.
Malta Permanent Residence Program
The permanent residence program allows you to live forever in Malta by investing in real estate, making a contribution to the government, and making a donation to an approved non-profit.
Unlike other golden visas, you actually have the option to either buy a property or rent one. If you rent a property (for a minimum of five years), the total minimum investment has to reach EUR 110,000-120,000 to qualify. For buying a property this is EUR 330,000-380,000. These figures include the property, contribution, and donation requirements.
If you don’t see a country on this list that you have always dreamt of moving to, just know that there are dozens of others, and many have these similar visa opportunities that aren’t reliant on a typical job offer in order to relocate. At the time of this article’s publication, Costa Rica has just opened a new digital nomad visa, and many others are set to follow suit. There are many cost-effective ways to get you and your family living abroad in safe, happy environment in as little time as a few months from now!
Follow your call to adventure, my dear, queer friends!
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