Visa Hub
Visas don't have to be the hard part.
The right visa is rarely the visa that's trending on Instagram. It's the one that fits your income, your family and your timeline. Here's an honest overview of the routes most UK families actually use.
From digital nomad to retirement
Long-Term Resident, Elite Visa, DTV digital-nomad route and the well-trodden Retirement Visa for over-50s.
- LTR Visa
- Thailand Elite
- DTV
- Retirement (O-A)
The D7 and beyond
Europe's most popular relocation route — passive-income D7, digital nomad D8, and the StartUp / HQA founder routes.
- D7 Passive Income
- D8 Digital Nomad
- Golden Visa (fund-based)
- HQA Founder
Non-Lucrative and Digital Nomad
Non-Lucrative Visa for retirees and savers, plus Spain's relatively new Digital Nomad route for remote workers.
- Non-Lucrative Visa
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Beckham Law (tax)
Golden, green and remote
Golden Visa for investors and skilled professionals, Green Visa for freelancers, Remote Work Visa for global earners.
- Golden Visa
- Green Visa
- Remote Work Visa
- Investor Visa
From B211A to Second Home
The pragmatic B211A for trial periods, KITAS for longer stays, and the new Second Home Visa for higher-net-worth households.
- B211A
- KITAS (work)
- Second Home Visa
- Investor KITAS
MM2H and Premium Visa
Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) for long-term residency, plus the newer Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) for higher-income relocators.
- MM2H
- PVIP
- DE Rantau (nomad)
The rolling-visa life
Vietnam's visa landscape is the most fluid in the region — most relocators use 3-month and 1-year visas with renewal cycles.
- DT Investor Visa
- LD Work Visa
- 3-month tourist (renewable)
EU residency in the sun
Permanent Residency by Investment, the Digital Nomad Visa, and Cyprus' favourable non-dom tax regime for new arrivals.
- PR by Investment
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Non-Dom (tax)
Choosing a route
Three honest questions.
1. Where does your income come from? Passive income (pensions, savings, dividends) opens up D7-style routes. Active income (salary, freelance work) tends to need digital nomad routes. Investable capital opens golden visa and investor categories.
2. How long is the move? Trial moves under a year often only need a long-stay tourist visa. Two-plus years usually justifies the time and cost of a residency route.
3. Who's coming with you? Family routes — spouse, children, parents — sit on top of the primary applicant's visa. Some routes handle this elegantly; others don't.
Common visa types
The eight routes most UK families actually use.
Work Visas
Sponsored by an employer in the destination country. Best for relocators with a transferable specialism (tech, finance, healthcare).
Digital Nomad Visas
For remote-working salaried or freelance income above a country-specific threshold. Usually 1-year, renewable.
DTV / Destination Visas
Thailand's DTV is the most prominent. Designed for repeat-visit lifestyles, soft work, or extended tourism.
Retirement Visas
For applicants over a minimum age (usually 50 or 55) with provable pension or passive income.
Education Visas
Student status for the primary applicant or dependents. Often the easiest family route into Europe.
Business / Founder Visas
For founders relocating an operating business or building one locally. Often comes with employment commitments.
Investment / Golden Visas
Residency-by-investment routes. Capital-heavy but fast. Watch closures and rule changes.
Family Visas
Reunification with a citizen spouse, child or parent. The simplest route legally — but emotionally complex.
DIY vs professional help
When self-filing makes sense — and when it doesn't.
Many straightforward routes (Portugal D7, Spain Non-Lucrative, Thailand Elite) can be self-filed by an organised applicant. But three things move the needle towards instructing a licensed professional:
- Family complexity. Multiple dependents, blended families, or a child with SEN.
- Tax interaction. Anywhere the visa decision also locks in your tax residency outcome.
- Investor or business routes. Bureaucratic scrutiny is much higher; mistakes are expensive.
Rules change quietly. A consultation in the destination country every 12 months — even after a successful application — is usually the cheapest insurance you'll buy.
Costs & timelines
What to budget — money and months.
Most family applications land somewhere in these ranges. Use as a sanity check, not a quote.
| Route | Typical timeline | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal D7 (family of 4) | 3–6 months | £2.5k–£6k |
| Spain Non-Lucrative | 3–5 months | £2k–£5k |
| Thailand Elite | 2–4 weeks | £15k+ membership |
| Dubai Golden Visa | 4–12 weeks | £3k–£12k |
| Cyprus PR by Investment | 3–6 months | £300k+ property |
| Indonesia KITAS / Second Home | 2–6 months | £3k–£10k |
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Questions worth asking
Frequently asked
Can I work remotely on a tourist visa?+
Technically often no, in practice often unenforced. But the moment you need a bank account, a rental contract or to enroll children in school, the right visa becomes essential.
How long do visa applications typically take?+
Most routes take 3–6 months end-to-end, but a handful (Dubai Golden Visa, Thailand Elite) can move significantly faster. Build buffer into your timeline.
Do I need a lawyer?+
For straightforward routes (Portugal D7, Spain Non-Lucrative), a good visa agent is usually enough. For investor visas, family-complex cases, or anything involving tax structuring, a licensed lawyer in your destination is essential.
Can I switch routes once I'm there?+
Often yes, but rarely cheaply. Most relocators stick with their initial route for at least two years before pursuing permanent residency.
How do family applications work?+
In most routes, the primary applicant qualifies and dependents are attached. Income or asset thresholds usually rise per dependent. Healthcare cover for every dependent is almost always required.
What's the biggest mistake people make?+
Choosing the visa first and the life second. A 'cool' visa you can't actually qualify for is a wasted 6 months. Start with income and family, choose the visa that fits.
High-level overview only — not legal or immigration advice. Always consult a licensed visa agent or lawyer in your destination country.
Visa first? Or numbers first?
Both work. Many relocators find it's easier to sort the finances first, then choose the visa that fits.
Educational only · Not financial, mortgage, tax, legal or immigration advice.