Why no single country is best
A country that suits one person can be closed to another. Before you compare destinations, answer these questions for yourself, because they decide which routes you can even consider:
- Passport. Which passport will you use, and does the route accept applicants of that nationality?
- Purpose. Will you work for a local employer, work remotely, study, start a business, live on your own income or join family?
- Family. Who moves with you, and can they come on the same route?
- Money. What income, savings or job offer can you document, and in which currency and period does the route state its amount?
- Skills and language. Do you need a language test, a recognised degree or a professional licence?
- Time horizon. Is the route temporary, or can it lead to long-term residence?
- Dates. When were the requirements last checked, and could they have changed since?
This page does not rank countries or give them scores. It sends you to pages where requirements are documented route by route, with their sources, and where anything we could not confirm is marked as unknown.
Start with your goal
Each card links to pages on this site. The guides cite the sources they used; the visa explainers give a general overview. They do not say which country you qualify for.
Work for an employer abroad
Questions to check: Do you need a job offer before you apply? Is there a minimum salary, and for which period is it stated? Who files the application — you or the employer?
Work remotely (digital nomad)
Questions to check: What income must you show, and from what kind of work? Can you take clients in the country? How long can you stay, and can you renew?
Digital nomad guides, one per country (alphabetical). Each guide says when its sources were read.
Study
Questions to check: What admission letter and proof of funds are needed? Can you work while you study, and for how many hours? Is there a route to stay after you graduate?
Retire or live on your own income
Questions to check: Which kinds of income count — pension, rent, investments? Is private health insurance required for the permit? How many days a year must you stay?
Move with your family
Questions to check: Can your partner and children come on the same route? Can your partner work? Which documents prove each relationship, and how recent must they be?
Move on a limited budget
Questions to check: Which fees, proof-of-funds amounts and insurance costs apply before you arrive? Are there funded study or exchange options for your situation?
Start a business or freelance
Questions to check: Do you need an endorsement, a business plan or a minimum investment? Can you work for clients in the country?
Read a country's routes
Each country page lists the routes recorded for that country, grouped by purpose, with a source link for each route and the date its catalogue was last updated. To get the most out of these pages, read how to read emigration information by country.
Country pages (a selection, alphabetical)
More ways in
See the routes recorded for your situation — free
Choose a pathway and keep your answers beside recorded programme information. The results are information, not a verdict: they do not decide whether you qualify.
Get your free resultsFAQ
What is the best country to move to in 2026?
There is no answer that holds for everyone. The routes open to you depend on your passport, what you plan to do abroad, who moves with you, the money you can document and rules that can change during the year. Start from your goal, then read the requirements documented for each route, with their official sources.
Why doesn't this page list the best countries?
Because one list cannot fit a nurse moving with three children, a retiree living on a pension and a student at the same time. The pages linked here set out documented requirements for specific routes, with sources, and say when something is not known.
How current is the information?
Each country page shows the date its catalogue was last updated, and the guides linked here say when each source page was read. Rules can change after those dates, so confirm every requirement on the linked official source before you apply or pay any fee.
Can whereTOemigrate tell me which country I qualify for?
No. The site and the free results present documented requirements and their sources; they do not decide whether you qualify. Only the responsible authority decides. Before acting, check with that authority or a qualified professional.