Most Western governments are busy raising walls around residency and naturalization. Portugal, once one of the easiest countries in Europe, has tightened its rules. Italy remains a bureaucratic maze, plagued by backlogs, regional inconsistencies, and endless red tape.
Spain, run by a socialist government, is almost shockingly open. Gridlock and a reluctance to push through tougher reforms have left the doors ajar. While Spain killed off its Golden Visa to score political points, it quietly made residency easier for almost everyone else. Call it a perverse upside of socialism.
With Pedro Sánchez in office until at least mid-2027 (assuming he survives the scandals that trail him like a bad cologne), there’s still a clear window to secure residency under today’s favorable rules—and keep the path open toward naturalization.
Today’s report is built around the stories of two Schiff Sovereign team members who, between 2020 and 2021, decided they wanted to change countries and both chose Spain.
Fast forward to now, and the first team member has just been approved for Spanish naturalization after only four years on the ground. As a citizen of a Latin American country, his case vividly demonstrates how Spain’s extraordinarily favorable fast-track system for Latinos, Filipinos, and other nationals of former Spanish colonies still works in practice.
The second team member, with no such colonial ties, is on Spain’s standard ten-year naturalization track. After five years on the ground he recently applied for permanent residency.
He chose the national version of the permanent permit, which secures his legal status in Spain today while preserving the option to later upgrade to the EU-wide version if he wants the flexibility to live and work in other European countries —almost as good as having a passport.
Most Western governments are busy raising walls around residency and naturalization requirements. Portugal, once one of the easiest countries in Europe, has tightened its rules. The Golden Visa was gutted in 2023, and naturalization now demands heavier paperwork and much longer waits — with applicants facing years of delay just to secure residency, let alone…
