Immigration status
Can I legally enter, live or work here?
- Visa
- Residence permit
- Work permit
Mobility
Mobility
Residency, visas and the practical work of moving — without the noise.
Understand how immigration status, tax residence, housing, banking and everyday life interact when you move country.
Moving country is not one decision. It is a sequence of legal, financial and practical decisions that run on different timelines.
A visa determines whether you can enter or stay. Tax residence determines which country may tax you. Banking, healthcare, housing and family logistics have their own rules again. A good relocation plan separates these questions rather than treating them as one.
The earlier you map the dependencies, the fewer decisions become urgent later.
Start here
What are you trying to do?
Move to another country
Plan the move from visa and housing through to banking, healthcare and arrival.
Moving abroadUnderstand residency
Separate immigration residence from tax residence and day-count rules.
ResidencyApply for a visa
Understand permission to enter, stay, work, study or join family.
VisasPlan long-term settlement
Understand permanent residence and citizenship pathways conceptually.
CitizenshipMove the household
Sequence housing, schools, healthcare, banking and the first months after arrival.
RelocationWork remotely from another country
Understand digital-nomad, residence and employer questions.
Digital nomadsTrack days and presence
Understand why travel days can matter for residence and reporting.
Residency day rules
Understand the landscape
These are different questions
Tax residence
Which country may treat me as tax resident?
- Days
- Home
- Family
- Work
- Treaties
- Local rules
Citizenship
What nationality rights may I acquire or retain?
- Passport
- Political rights
- Long-term status
- Possible tax questions in some systems
Domicile / long-term connection
Some countries use broader legal concepts beyond residence.
- Estate planning
- Inheritance
- Tax
Do not assume a residence permit automatically determines tax residence.
Planning
A relocation works better when decisions happen in the right order
Phase 1
Explore
- Destination
- Visa options
- Tax questions
- Employment
- Schools
- Healthcare
Phase 2
Prepare
- Application documents
- Banking
- Housing
- Insurance
- Tax review
- Move logistics
Phase 3
Move
- Travel
- Accommodation
- Local registration
- Phone and utilities
- Banking
- Healthcare
Phase 4
Settle
- Residency permit
- Tax registration
- Schools
- Driving
- Local accounts
- Insurance
Phase 5
Review
- Tax residence
- Investments
- Pensions
- Estate planning
- Banking
- Day counts
Not every country follows this exact order, but sequencing helps identify dependencies.
What to keep in view
Immigration
Can you legally live and work there?
Tax residence
When might the destination begin treating you as resident for tax?
Housing
Do you need a lease or address before other applications can begin?
Banking
Can you keep existing accounts and open local ones?
Healthcare
What coverage is required before and after arrival?
Family
Schools, spouses, dependants and guardianship can affect timing.
Employment
Local employment, remote work and employer obligations may differ.
Documentation
Birth certificates, police checks, translations and apostilles can take time.
The full move
Moving abroad is a project, not a form
Step 1
Choose the destination and legal route
Be clear about why you are going, and which permission matches that purpose.
Step 2
Map tax-residence questions
Ask which country may treat you as resident, and from when. This sits beside the visa, not inside it.
Step 3
Prepare documents
Identity, civil status, police certificates and translations often set the pace.
Step 4
Arrange housing and healthcare
An address and cover are sometimes required before other registrations can start.
Step 5
Review banking and money movement
Confirm what can stay open at home, and what you will need on arrival.
Step 6
Move and register locally
Arrival formalities, a local address and any residence-card steps.
Step 7
Update providers and authorities
Banks, insurers, pension schemes and tax authorities may each need a new address and status.
Step 8
Review financial and estate arrangements
Investments, pensions, wills and powers of attorney may need a fresh look once you are settled.
Day counts
Days matter — but the threshold is rarely the whole test
Many countries use days as one part of a residence test. A home, family, work, and other ties can matter as well. Treaties between countries sometimes decide which residence prevails when two tests could both apply. Some systems also split a tax year when a person arrives or leaves. The detail is local.
A personal record of where you were — flights, boarding passes, accommodation — is easier to keep as you go than to reconstruct later. The record is evidence. It is not the legal test.
Do not treat a day-count threshold as a standalone legal test.
Documentation
Documents often control the pace of a move
Identity
- Passport
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
Background
- Police certificate
- References where required
Financial
- Bank statements
- Income evidence
- Tax records
Employment
- Contract
- Employer letter
- Qualifications
Family
- Child documents
- School records
- Custody documents where relevant
Legalisation
- Certified copies
- Apostille
- Translation
Requirements vary by destination. Confirm document format before paying for certification or translation.
Finances
Banking usually needs both a home-country plan and a destination-country plan
People often need to keep an account at home for a pension, a property or subscriptions, and open a local account for salary and rent. Whether an existing account can continue depends on the provider and on your new status. Credit history rarely travels. Cards, a deposit and a large transfer each have their own checks.
Foreign exchange is a cost on money that moves between those accounts. Compare the amount that arrives, not only a headline fee. A large payment may also need evidence of where the money came from.
Do not wait until after arrival to discover your existing bank cannot continue serving you.
Healthcare
Healthcare access can depend on status and timing
Public healthcare, where it exists for newcomers, may depend on residence, employment or contributions. Private cover, an employer plan and travel insurance answer different risks. A visa can require proof of insurance before you travel. Waiting periods, dependants and treatment outside the destination are common gaps.
Travel cover is designed for a trip. Long-term health insurance is designed for ordinary life abroad. Compare what a plan actually pays for, including dependants and treatment away from home. This page offers no policy recommendation. Ask a qualified person if your health needs are complicated.
Housing
Housing can unlock other parts of the move
A lease, a purchase, a deposit and a guarantor are local practices. Utilities and a registered address often follow the contract. In some countries, a residential address is needed before banking, permits or local registration can progress. Buying is a separate legal project from renting, with its own tax and financing questions.
- Proof of address
- Lease
- Property purchase
- Deposits
- Guarantor
- Utilities
- Local registration
Work
Your right to live somewhere and your right to work there may not be the same
Work permission can sit inside a visa, or it can be a separate permit tied to an employer. Sponsorship, remote work for an employer abroad, and local self-employment are different arrangements. Payroll withholding and social security can follow the place of work, the employer’s location, or an agreement between countries.
Employee and employer obligations can arise separately. Company policy matters even when a visa appears to allow the stay. A founder moving with a company has a further set of questions about where that company is managed.
Family
Moving with a family changes the order of decisions
Dependants may need their own visas. School places follow a calendar that does not match immigration appointments. Healthcare has to cover children from the day you arrive. Childcare, a spouse’s right to work, the size and location of housing, and any guardianship or custody documents can all move the start date. Family members can also have different immigration statuses in the same household.
Family checklist
- Dependant visas
- School places
- Health coverage
- Spouse work rights
- Childcare
- Emergency contacts
Practicalities
Small logistics can become hard deadlines
Pet entry rules can require vaccinations and waiting periods that start months before a flight. Removals and shipping need a destination address. A driving licence may be valid for a limited time, and importing a vehicle is a separate customs question. Utilities, a local mobile number and a postal address are ordinary, and they are often required by a bank or a local office.
- Pet entry rules
- Removals and shipping
- Driving licence
- Vehicle import
- Utilities
- Mobile number
- Postal address
Before relocation
What to review before leaving
- Confirm visa or residence route
- Confirm work rights
- Review tax residence
- Review banking
- Review investments and pensions
- Arrange health coverage
- Secure housing
- Collect documents
- Arrange translations and apostilles
- Update insurance
- Review wills and powers of attorney
- Plan large transfers
- Inform relevant providers
- Document the departure date
After arrival
What often needs attention in the first month
- Local registration
- Residence permit formalities
- Tax number
- Bank account
- Phone
- Utilities
- Healthcare
- School registration
- Driving
- Employer payroll
- Insurance
- Address updates
Exact priorities depend on the destination, but early administrative steps often affect everything else.
Settling in
Some consequences only become visible later
A tax filing, a day count across the full year, access to a pension, whether an investment provider will keep serving you, and the start of a local credit history often show up after the boxes are unpacked. Estate planning written for one country may not deal with assets or heirs in another. Renewals and any path to permanent residence have their own clocks.
Schedule a review after the move rather than assuming the initial setup remains right.
Compare destinations
Questions worth answering before choosing a destination
This is a list of questions, not a ranking of countries. The answers depend on your circumstances.
Can I legally reside there?
Why it matters. The rest of the plan depends on a permission that matches the stay.
What to check. Which route applies to your nationality and purpose, and what it allows.
Can I work there?
Why it matters. A right to live somewhere can be separate from a right to work.
What to check. Whether the route, or a separate permit, covers employment or self-employment.
Can dependants come?
Why it matters. Family timing can decide the moving date.
What to check. Who can be included, and whether a spouse can work.
How does tax residence arise?
Why it matters. Tax residence can change the country that may tax you.
What to check. Days, a home, family, work and any treaty, with a qualified adviser.
What healthcare access exists?
Why it matters. A gap in cover is difficult to repair after an illness.
What to check. Public access, employer plans, and what private cover the visa may expect.
Can I open a bank account?
Why it matters. Rent, salary and everyday payments need somewhere to land.
What to check. What evidence local banks ask for, and whether existing accounts can continue.
Can my employer support the move?
Why it matters. Payroll, sponsorship and policy are the employer’s questions as well as yours.
What to check. Sponsorship, remote-work policy, and who handles local obligations.
What housing evidence is needed?
Why it matters. An address can unlock registration, banking or a permit.
What to check. Whether a lease, a host, or ownership is accepted, and when.
What long-term residence options exist?
Why it matters. A first visa is not always a path to staying.
What to check. Renewal conditions, permanent residence, and what presence is required.
Can I keep my existing financial accounts?
Why it matters. Providers decide their own rules for customers who leave.
What to check. Ask each bank, broker, pension and insurer before you rely on the account.
Watch for
Relocation mistakes that create avoidable problems
- Treating visa status as tax residence
- Assuming remote work is automatically allowed
- Waiting too long to gather documents
- Moving before confirming banking access
- Ignoring healthcare requirements
- Assuming existing insurance still applies
- Missing local registration deadlines
- Failing to track travel days
- Not reviewing pensions and investments
- Leaving estate planning unchanged
A potential issue is not always a problem. It is a reason to confirm the rule before relying on it.
Common situations
Different moves create different priorities
Scenario 1
Executive relocating for work
Visa, payroll, tax residence, housing and family.
Scenario 2
Family moving permanently
Schools, healthcare, residency and estate planning.
Scenario 3
Digital nomad
Work permission, tax residence and employer obligations.
Scenario 4
Retiring abroad
Residency, pension income, healthcare and estate planning.
Scenario 5
Founder moving after a business sale
Residence, tax timing, banking, investments and estate planning.
Scenario 6
Second-home owner spending more time abroad
Day counts, residence, tax, healthcare and local registration.
Due diligence
Questions worth asking before you rely on a route
01Which immigration route fits my circumstances?
Ask for a route matched to nationality, purpose and family. Another person’s visa is a poor template.
02Does it allow me to work?
Confirm whether employment, self-employment or remote work is permitted, and for whom.
03Can dependants join me?
Ask who qualifies, what evidence is needed, and whether they can travel at the same time.
04What physical-presence requirements apply?
Some permissions expect you to be in the country for part of the year. Ask how absence is measured.
05What documents are required?
Ask for the current list, including civil documents, police certificates and financial evidence.
06Do documents need legalisation or translation?
Certified copies, an apostille and a sworn translation are not interchangeable. Confirm the format before you pay for one.
07How long is the permission valid?
Duration, and what happens at the end of it, should be in the conditions rather than in a headline.
08What renewal conditions apply?
Renewal can depend on presence, employment, income or a clean compliance record. Ask before you plan long absences.
09Does the route lead to permanent residence?
A renewable visa is not automatically a settlement path. Ask what would have to be true later.
10Does it lead to citizenship?
Citizenship, where it exists, usually has its own residence, language or civic conditions. Treat it as a separate question.
11Can my spouse work?
A dependant’s permission to live in the country can be different from permission to work.
12Are there local-registration requirements?
Some places expect you to register an address, a residence card or a tax identity after arrival. Ask about the deadline.
13What happens if I spend time outside the country?
Absence can affect renewal, permanent residence or a day-count test. Ask how trips are counted.
14Does the visa affect tax residence?
It may be relevant evidence. It does not, by itself, decide which country may tax you. That question belongs with a tax adviser.
15What should I review with a tax adviser separately?
Residence, the year of departure or arrival, employment, investments, pensions and any company you control.
16What should I review before leaving my current country?
Exit formalities, existing tax residence, accounts that may close, and documents that are easier to obtain while you still live there.
17What deadlines apply after arrival?
Registration, a residence card, a tax number or school enrolment can have short windows. Ask for the ones that apply to your route.
18What changes if my employment ends?
Sponsored routes can depend on the job. Ask what happens to your permission, and to your family’s, if the employment stops.
Professional support
When professional advice may be especially valuable
This page is an orientation. It does not replace an immigration lawyer, a tax adviser or a relocation specialist. Professional advice may be appropriate when the route, the family or the money is more complicated than a standard move.
- A complex immigration route
- Multiple citizenships
- Remote work across countries
- A company or founder relocation
- Family members with different statuses
- A major tax-residence change
- A property purchase
- Pension or investment complications
- Trusts or estate planning
- Long-term citizenship planning
Compare mobility providers
Different providers solve different parts of an international move
Compare global mobility platforms, immigration specialists, law firms and residency advisers by service scope, geographic reach, client type and relocation capability.
A provider that is excellent for an employer-sponsored work visa may not be the right provider for a family relocation or an investment-residence application.
Start with the problem
What kind of mobility support are you looking for?
What to compare
The right provider depends on the problem you are solving
01
Geographic coverage
Which countries and routes does the provider actually support?
02
Service type
Immigration filing, relocation, residency advice or a full mobility programme?
03
Client type
Individual, family, founder or employer?
04
Legal role
Law firm, immigration adviser, platform or relocation provider?
05
Case management
Will you have a specialist, a dashboard, or both?
06
Family support
Can the provider handle dependants and family relocation?
07
Relocation
Does support stop at the visa, or continue through arrival?
08
Long-term residence
Can the provider assist beyond temporary visas?
Filter mobility providers
4 providers listed for comparison.
Deel Mobility
Global mobility platform
Immigration, visa support, employee relocation, employer-of-record sponsorship, renewals and mobility programme management.
- Best aligned with
- Companies, founders and internationally mobile workers
- Global reach
- Very high
- Immigration support
- Work, employment and nomad routes
- Residency
- Permanent residence in many markets
- Relocation support
- End-to-end, partner settlement
- Client type
- Individual and corporate
- Case management
- Case tracking and documents
- Pricing model
- Quote as part of assessment
- Service / legal model
- Global mobility and immigration platform. Confirm who gives legal advice and who files the application.
- VisasYes
- Work permitsYes
- Permanent residenceMany markets
- RelocationEnd-to-end
- Remote workDigital-nomad routes
Global Citizen Solutions
Residency and citizenship advisory
Residency planning, citizenship planning, relocation visas and mobility strategy for private clients.
- Best aligned with
- Individuals, families, entrepreneurs and HNW globally mobile clients
- Global reach
- High
- Immigration support
- Residence and citizenship programmes
- Residency
- Residence and citizenship programmes
- Relocation support
- Advisory / visa support
- Client type
- Primarily private client
- Case management
- Advisory-led
- Pricing model
- Consultation-led
- Service / legal model
- Residency and citizenship advisory. Confirm who gives legal advice and who files any application.
- Residence programmesPublished scope
- RelocationAdvisory / visa support
- Remote workDigital-nomad routes
- Founder routesEntrepreneur routes
Investment, legal and tax implications should be assessed separately with suitably qualified advisers.
Jobbatical
Immigration platform
Visas, work permits, residence permits, renewals, relocation and compliance tracking for employers and HR teams.
- Best aligned with
- HR teams, employers and internationally mobile talent
- Global reach
- High
- Immigration support
- Business immigration, residence permits
- Residency
- Residence permits and renewals
- Relocation support
- End-to-end, visa through arrival
- Client type
- Primarily corporate
- Case management
- Case tracking and reporting
- Pricing model
- Public pricing; case quotes
- Service / legal model
- Immigration platform with licensed experts and local partners for filings. Confirm who is responsible for the case.
- VisasYes
- Work permitsYes
- Residence permitsYes
- RelocationEnd-to-end
Remote
Global mobility platform
Immigration, relocation, work authorisation, business-travel compliance and remote-work assessments for employers and their employees.
- Best aligned with
- Employers and internationally mobile employees
- Global reach
- High
- Immigration support
- Visa applications and work checks
- Residency
- Not described as a residence product
- Relocation support
- Partner-supported guidance
- Client type
- Primarily corporate
- Case management
- Integrated platform
- Pricing model
- Costs disclosed up front
- Service / legal model
- Global mobility platform. Confirm who gives legal advice and who files the application.
- VisasYes
- Work permitsWork-authorisation checks
- RelocationPartner-supported
- Business travelAvailable
- Remote workAssessments
Compare global mobility providers
Short published facts only. Reach is not a country list, and none of these figures is a rating.
Confirm the origin, destination and route with the provider. Immigration status is not tax residence.
| Provider | Provider type | Best aligned with | Global reach | Visa / immigration | Relocation | Client type | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global mobility platform | Companies, founders and internationally mobile workers | Very high | Work, employment and nomad routes | End-to-end, partner settlement | Individual and corporate | View |
| Residency and citizenship advisory | Individuals, families, entrepreneurs and HNW globally mobile clients | High | Residence and citizenship programmes | Advisory / visa support | Primarily private client | View |
| Immigration platform | HR teams, employers and internationally mobile talent | High | Business immigration, residence permits | End-to-end, visa through arrival | Primarily corporate | View |
| Global mobility platform | Employers and internationally mobile employees | High | Visa applications and work checks | Partner-supported guidance | Primarily corporate | View |
| Provider | Provider type | Best aligned with | Visa / immigration | Relocation | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global mobility platform | Companies, founders and internationally mobile workers | Work, employment and nomad routes | End-to-end, partner settlement | View |
| Residency and citizenship advisory | Individuals, families, entrepreneurs and HNW globally mobile clients | Residence and citizenship programmes | Advisory / visa support | View |
| Immigration platform | HR teams, employers and internationally mobile talent | Business immigration, residence permits | End-to-end, visa through arrival | View |
| Global mobility platform | Employers and internationally mobile employees | Visa applications and work checks | Partner-supported guidance | View |
Deel Mobility
Global mobility platform
- Type
- Global mobility platform
- Best aligned with
- Companies, founders and internationally mobile workers
- Immigration
- Work, employment and nomad routes
- Residency
- Permanent residence in many markets
- Relocation
- End-to-end, partner settlement
- Client type
- Individual and corporate
Global Citizen Solutions
Residency and citizenship advisory
- Type
- Residency and citizenship advisory
- Best aligned with
- Individuals, families, entrepreneurs and HNW globally mobile clients
- Immigration
- Residence and citizenship programmes
- Residency
- Residence and citizenship programmes
- Relocation
- Advisory / visa support
- Client type
- Primarily private client
Jobbatical
Immigration platform
- Type
- Immigration platform
- Best aligned with
- HR teams, employers and internationally mobile talent
- Immigration
- Business immigration, residence permits
- Residency
- Residence permits and renewals
- Relocation
- End-to-end, visa through arrival
- Client type
- Primarily corporate
Remote
Global mobility platform
- Type
- Global mobility platform
- Best aligned with
- Employers and internationally mobile employees
- Immigration
- Visa applications and work checks
- Residency
- Not described as a residence product
- Relocation
- Partner-supported guidance
- Client type
- Primarily corporate
Different mobility providers do different jobs
Global mobility platform
Combines immigration, employee mobility and programme management.
Immigration platform
Technology-led visa and permit case management.
Immigration law firm
Legal representation and immigration advice for more complex matters. This comparison does not currently list a law firm.
Residency advisory
Focuses on residence planning, long-term mobility and qualifying programmes.
Choose the provider model based on the problem — not the logo.
Common scenarios
Which situation is closest to yours?
Guides
Featured guides
Mobility
Moving from the UK to the UAE
8 min read
Tax
What happens to your ISA when you move abroad?
6 min read
Insurance
International health insurance for expats
12 min read
Managing wealth internationally sets out the financial questions that often follow a move. Destination pages below cover individual countries at the same level of generality.
Tools
Practical tools
- Residency day trackerEnter date ranges and see a count of days inside and outside one country. The total is your record. It does not apply a statutory day-count test.
- International move checklistA checklist for visas, banking, tax questions, housing, insurance, admin and investments. It is a prompt list, not a set of deadlines.
- Banking eligibility checkerAnswer a few questions about where you live, how you use your money and the kind of account you need. We’ll show account categories and providers worth researching — not an application decision.
- FX cost comparisonType a send amount, a reference rate, a transfer fee and a markup. The result uses only those figures. It is not a live rate and it is not a quote.
Popular destinations
Explore mobility by destination
UAE
Banking, residency, property and business for people building a life in the Emirates.
Spain
Property, banking, residency and tax questions for people with ties to Spain.
Portugal
Residency, banking and property for people considering Portugal.
Cyprus
A Mediterranean base for residence, business and banking conversations.
Malta
Residence, banking and business orientation for a small EU state.
Switzerland
Banking, residence and wealth questions in a highly regulated centre.
Singapore
A major Asian financial centre for work, banking and regional business.
USA
Banking, tax and property orientation for a move to the United States.
United Kingdom
Banking, tax and property orientation for a move to the UK.
France
Property, residency and tax questions for people with ties to France.
Italy
Residency, property and tax orientation for a move to Italy.
Germany
Work, banking and tax orientation for a move to Germany.
Netherlands
Employment, housing and tax orientation for a move to the Netherlands.
Ireland
An English-speaking European base for work, banking and tax questions.
Australia
Visas, tax and banking orientation for a move to Australia.
Canada
Provincial differences, tax and banking for a move to Canada.
Residency, tax, healthcare, banking and practical requirements vary by destination.
Planning an international move?
Get clear on the visa, residency, banking, healthcare and practical questions before your move begins.
WiT Access provides general information and comparison resources. Immigration, visa, residence and relocation rules vary by country, applicant and provider. Nothing on this page constitutes immigration, legal, tax or financial advice.
Visa and residence decisions are made by government authorities. No provider can guarantee approval.
Residence or citizenship programmes can involve legal, tax and investment consequences that require separate professional advice.