Since Brexit, UK citizens need a visa for any stay in the EU beyond 90 days in any 180. With more Brits than ever exploring relocation, knowing which visa routes are open for which destinations is the starting point for any serious plan. This guide summarises the most popular routes for UK citizens in 2026.
UK citizens can spend 90 days in any rolling 180 across the entire Schengen Zone visa-free. From mid-2025, the EU's ETIAS system requires a €7 pre-authorisation, valid 3 years.
90/180 is calculated as a sliding window: at any moment, you cannot have spent more than 90 days in the past 180. Many would-be relocators discover too late they cannot simply 'split time' between EU countries to live there long-term.
Non-Lucrative Visa: passive income of around €30,000/year for the main applicant, +25% per dependant. Cannot work in Spain. Renewable; path to permanent residency after 5 years.
Digital Nomad Visa (since 2023): remote employment income from outside Spain, around €31,752/year minimum, ~15% flat tax for first 4 years. Very popular with UK remote workers. Golden Visa (€500k property) is being phased out in 2025.
D7 Visa: passive income of around €11,500/year plus dependant additions. Path to permanent residency after 5 years and citizenship after 5 years (one of the EU's faster routes).
D8 Digital Nomad Visa: €3,480/month income from foreign employment or freelance. Both visas access Portugal's 'Non-Habitual Resident' tax regime, which has been narrowed since 2024 but still offers reduced rates for some skilled professions.
France: long-stay visitor visa requires around €1,400/month income. Renewable; path to permanent residency after 5 years. Talent Passport for high-skilled workers, founders or investors.
Italy: Elective Residency Visa requires ~€31,000/year passive income (no employment allowed). Italy's Digital Nomad Visa launched in 2024 — €28,000/year minimum income, professional qualifications required.
Germany: Job Seeker Visa (6 months to find skilled work), Freelance/Self-Employed Visa for qualified independents, EU Blue Card for skilled employees earning €48,300+/year.
Australia: skilled migration via points test (189/190 visas) — typically requires age <45, skilled occupation on the list, English proficiency, 65+ points. Working Holiday for under-31s.
Canada: Express Entry points-based system, typical CRS cut-off 470-510. UK citizens generally score well due to language and education credits.
USA: notoriously hard. Realistic options are E-2 Investor (£140k+ active investment), L-1 intra-company transfer, O-1 extraordinary ability, or marriage to a US citizen.
UAE: Golden Visa for property investors (AED 2m+), Green Visa for skilled employees, Remote Work Visa for those earning $3,500+/month from foreign employers. No income tax — a major draw.
No — that's tourism, not residency. You can't open a long-term lease, register a car or access many services without legal residence.
Typically 2-6 months from full submission. Allow 6-12 months including documentation gathering, apostilles and translations.
Most countries trigger tax residency at 183 days/year (or earlier for certain ties). Plan exit and arrival dates carefully — split-year tax planning matters.
Everything UK leavers should plan for when relocating abroad in 2026: visas, tax residency, removals, schools, healthcare, banking and ongoing UK ties.
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Read guideHow the UK Statutory Residence Test works when you move abroad in 2026: day counts, ties, split-year treatment and double taxation agreements.
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