Where can I live with a British passport? That is the question everyone who is fed up with the long, cold nights and rain in the UK is asking. Britain’s history has granted the nation a vast number of associated territories in locations all over the world.
You can discover some of the most enticing places that you can live in with just your passport below. It includes overseas territories in the Caribbean, as well as welcoming South and Central American countries and Ireland.
The British Overseas Territories
These territories are technically part of British sovereign territory, but are spread worldwide. That gives you the ability to live and work in some truly unique places without requiring a visa. The territories with permanent non-military residents, and their locations, are as follows:
- Anguilla (the Caribbean).
- Bermuda (North Atlantic Ocean).
- The British Virgin Islands (the Caribbean).
- The Cayman Islands (the Caribbean).
- The Falkland Islands (South Atlantic Ocean).
- Gibraltar (southern Iberian Peninsula).
- Montserrat (the Caribbean).
- Pitcairn Islands (South Pacific Ocean) – this territory is incredibly remote and has less than 50 permanent residents.
- Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha (South Atlantic Ocean).
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (South Atlantic Ocean).
- Turks and Caicos Islands (North Atlantic Ocean).
Some of these territories are highly remote and almost impossible to live in. Others, such as Gibraltar, have an extensive and primarily British expat community. Other territories are usually only accessible for those on a military or research posting. Examples include the British Antarctic Territory, and Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus.
Ireland And The Common Travel Area
There are also some interesting options closer to home. British citizens have fantastic rights for living and working in Ireland without a visa, which were created in 1922 and continue to hold relevance. You can enter the country with just your passport, travel between the UK and Ireland freely, work without an employment permit, and access the public healthcare system. You can also access rights usually only afforded to citizens, such as the ability to vote in general elections.
Likewise, you can live and work within the Common Travel Area, which is the name for the territories within and close to the British Isles that are part of the United Kingdom. British passport holders will also have full citizenship rights. This includes expected locations like England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, you can also live on smaller islands like the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Paraguay
There are also some nations that you can move to without a visa, but you will eventually need a residence permit to make your move long-term. An example is Paraguay. This stunning South American country has fantastic nature and hiking, a unique culture, and a rich Jesuit history.
British passport holders are allowed to enter the country for up to 90 days. You won’t need a visa after this time has elapsed, but you will require a temporary resident permit. This document has a two-year validity. You can also apply for a longer-term permanent residence permit by proving that you earn 35 times the monthly minimum wage in a year, which is around US$4,500. Residency gives you the ability to purchase land and property, set up a company, and live and work freely in the country. You can also attach your dependents to the application.
Belize
Belize, a small nation in Central America, technically requires a visa to live and work there. However, the 30-day Temporary Visa comes with far more flexibility than other similar documents, meaning your experience will be close to not requiring a visa at all. That is because you are free to renew the visa for under £10 as many times as you like. That gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility to return to the UK or move to a different visa-free territory.
The Temporary Visa also lacks restrictions. You will be allowed to work in the country. Temporary Visa holders can also buy property and land with the same rights as Belize’s citizens. After five years in the nation, you can apply for permanent residency, stopping you from having to keep renewing the visa.
Nations With Lengthy Visa-Free Access
The nations above are the ones that you can live and work in without a visa. The countries in this section are the ones where you won’t need a visa to remain for a lengthy time period, although you will need a permit or visa to get proper residency rights necessary to actually move there.
Some nations with the longest visa-free stay durations for British passport holders include the following:
- Japan (90 days)
- South Korea (90 days)
- Costa Rica (90 days)
- South Africa (90 days)
- Mexico (180 days)
- Georgia (365 days – you can apply for residency once you are in the country)
Another option is to visit the Schengen Area. This is a collection of 25 EU member states and four non-EU countries that have agreed upon free movement between them. You won’t be able to work in this area without a visa, but you can remain there for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
How Can IAS Help?
There are undoubtedly some fantastic countries that British passport holders can choose to live in without needing a visa. However, this can be incredibly limiting, given that, post-BREXIT, most nations require a visa for British citizens to move there.
You will likely qualify for more foreign visas than you expect. Get help understanding which visas you are eligible for and in completing challenging applications from the experts at Immigration Advice Service. Our services extend beyond your successful visa application. We can help you to settle in with a residence permit, and even guide you through citizenship applications once you have lived in a foreign country for long enough.
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Magda
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