# Expat Gate > Expat Gate (expatgate.com) helps people decide where to move. Free: a comparison of 50 popular destinations by budget, climate, visas and four "hidden factors" travel sites do not show; the Residence Policy Index, 97 states scored on how the state itself treats the people who move to it; 13 editorial guides, 11 country lists, 40 country-versus-country pages and a weekly newsletter of residence-rule changes. Paid: personal relocation reports from €49. Everything is published in English, Russian and Ukrainian, compiled from official and institutional sources with the method published. Crowdsourced cost surveys (e.g. Numbeo) are deliberately not used. Written by the Expat Gate team; author voice is "we". Publisher based in the Netherlands. Data as of 2026-08-12 (index issue 1, August 2026; recalculated every three months, next update December 2026). Last newsletter issue: 2026-11-02. ## Residence Policy Index (97 states) The index measures **state policy towards voluntary newcomers, not the quality of life in a country**. A high place means the state machine treats newcomers predictably and by the rules; it does not mean the country is pleasant to live in, and it does not measure climate, prices, street safety or friendliness. - 97 states, 26 indicators, seven categories, 2,522 individually sourced scores. - Seven categories: Agency processing, Pressure on newcomers, Status security, Access to entry, Path to citizenship, Family rights, Settling in. Not equally weighted: the core (the first three) carries about half the weight. - Four leagues: A "They keep their word" (80 points and above); B "Their word, with a catch" (65-79 points); C "Depends on your route" (50-64 points); D "You are a guest here" (below 50 points). - A red flag caps the score when any core category falls below the critical mark. 8 states carry one. - Every score is calculated for one reference applicant: 35 years old, income of $2,500 and $3,856 a month before tax, passport not counted, the most accessible route actually in use. A different passport, income or family changes which rows apply to a given person. - place_range is the interval of places across 10,000 simulations that account for source uncertainty; differences between countries inside a shared interval are not significant. - Each state has its own page in each language with place, score, league, place interval, a one-line diagnosis, the seven category scores against the world average, and for twenty states a longer analysis. Machine-readable copies of the whole table (same numbers as the pages): - English: https://expatgate.com/ranking/en/data.json (with analyses) and https://expatgate.com/ranking/en/data.csv - Russian: https://expatgate.com/ranking/data.json (with analyses) and https://expatgate.com/ranking/data.csv - Ukrainian: https://expatgate.com/ranking/uk/data.json (with analyses) and https://expatgate.com/ranking/uk/data.csv Index pages: /ranking/en/ (English), /ranking/ (Russian), /ranking/uk/ (Ukrainian). Country pages: /ranking/en/{country}/, /ranking/{country}/, /ranking/uk/{country}/. Short answer pages built from the index: /ranking/en/best-countries-to-move-to/ (English); /ranking/kuda-pereehat-iz-rossii/ (Russian); /ranking/uk/kudy-pereyihaty-z-ukrayiny/ (Ukrainian). Cite as: Expat Gate, Residence Policy Index, issue 1 (August 2026), expatgate.com/ranking/en/. Scores are not legal advice. ## Country comparison tool (50 destinations) Filter and compare destinations by budget (cost of living including rent for one person), climate, visa difficulty, English level, internet, safety, healthcare, taxes for newcomers, the residence routes each country actually offers (remote work, self-employment, passive income, investment), years to permanent residence, language requirement, dual citizenship, and four hidden factors: dealing with authority, war and conflict risk, free-speech risk for foreign residents, and a realistic path to belonging. Pages: / (cards and filters), /compare (side by side), /country/{slug} (one card), /quiz/ (six questions, no e-mail). The cards are rendered by JavaScript; the same country's facts are on its static index page under /ranking/. Destinations: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, United States, Poland, Turkey, Sweden, Serbia, Slovakia, Montenegro, Albania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Italy, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil. ## Guides (13 editorial guides) Each guide answers one relocation question from official sources, carries the date it was last checked, is published in English, Russian and Ukrainian, and links to the country's page in the index. Catalogues: /guides/en/, /guides/, /guides/uk/. - /guides/en/deposit-insurance-by-country/: Deposit insurance limits by country: 20 countries compared (2026). State deposit insurance limits in 20 countries popular with people who relocate: the EU, Serbia, Thailand, Georgia, the US and more. Where euro and dollar deposits are not covered, and what to check before you move. (checked 2026-11-03) - /guides/en/us-to-netherlands-daft-family-story/: Moving to the Netherlands with no visa that fits: a family story and 4 routes. An American family got Dutch residence by starting a business under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty. How it works, and the four routes for people without a US passport. (checked 2026-11-01) - /guides/en/france-school-protests-2026/: Schools in France: the 2026 protests and how to check a school. What the 2026 school protests say about French schools, how state and private schools differ, and how to check a school by address before choosing a home. (checked 2026-10-06) - /guides/en/work-abroad-or-stay-poland-romania-bulgaria/: Is working abroad worth it in 2026? Salary, costs and savings. Compare salary, rent and living costs in Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland with Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. Calculate realistic monthly savings. (checked 2026-10-04) - /guides/en/argentina-citizenship-by-investment-2026/: Argentina citizenship by investment 2026: cost, risks and alternative. Argentina announced citizenship for a $350,000 contribution or $800,000 in bonds. We check its status, tax and legal risks, residency alternative and expat experience. (checked 2026-10-03) - /guides/en/kazakhstan-residence-in-demand-professions-2026/: Kazakhstan residence permit by profession in 2026: new list and Altyn Visa. Kazakhstan plans to expand the list of professions that qualify for a residence permit without proof of income from 51 to 174. How the route works now, what the Altyn Visa promises and where to track the decision. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/latvia-immigration-law-2026/: Latvia residence permits in 2026: property, startups and family. Latvia's new law closed the property route, widened the startup route and changed family rules for students. What new and existing applicants need to do. (checked 2026-09-24) - /guides/en/flowerbikeman-netherlands-residence/: Dutch residence permit: status, BRP address and IND letters. Four checks for people who need a Dutch residence permit: legal status, BRP address, proof of means and IND instructions. Practical steps from the Flowerbikeman case. (checked 2026-09-17) - /guides/en/children-relocation-checklist/: Moving abroad with children: a 34-question checklist for parents. 34 questions expat parents ran into in a Reddit discussion: how long you are moving for, school, language, paperwork, money and the child’s future in a country with a weak economy. (checked 2026-09-16) - /guides/en/family-relocation-checklist/: Moving as a family: 29 questions before you decide. Partner, children, the family’s time and money: 29 questions from a Reddit discussion on which both supporters and opponents of moving agreed. Works for a first move, a move back, or any other. (checked 2026-09-16) - /guides/en/albania/: Albania for working expats: ranking, Reddit and relocation providers. Why Albania tops Expatgate’s ranking, what expats report on Reddit and which relocation promises to check before paying. (checked 2026-09-15) - /guides/en/parent-reunification-under-two-years/: Parent reunification: 3 countries where it can take under two years. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina: who can sponsor parents, what status they receive and how long the process takes in law and in practice. (checked 2026-09-15) - /guides/en/turkey-tax-exemption-20-years/: Taxes in Turkey: a 20-year exemption - conditions and application. Turkey’s 20-year tax exemption: which foreign income is exempt, who the regime suits and how to get the İstisna Belgesi in time. (checked 2026-09-13) ## Country lists (11 lists, all 97 states in each) Each list sorts all 97 states of the index into groups on one question (residence, citizenship, language, family, tax, marriage, surrogacy), with a card per country: the rule, what matters for a foreigner, and the source class. Countries with no reliable source are shown as "no data" rather than omitted. Lists live inside the guides catalogue. - /guides/en/digital-nomad-visa-countries/: Digital nomad visa countries 2026: income, term, residency. Which countries have a digital nomad visa in 2026: 44 of 97, with income, term and whether it leads to residency. Europe listed separately. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/countries-that-allow-dual-citizenship/: Countries that allow dual citizenship in 2026: 52 of 97. Which countries allow dual citizenship in 2026: 52 of 97 do not make you give up your passport, 24 in Europe. Time to citizenship, language and conditions. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/easiest-countries-to-get-residency/: Easiest countries to get residency in 2026: 28 of 97. The easiest countries to get a residence permit in 2026: 28 of 97, 16 in Europe. Income threshold, decision time, fees and routes without an employer. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/fastest-citizenship-countries/: Fastest citizenship countries 2026: 26 in 5 years or less. The fastest countries to get citizenship in 2026: 26 of 97 grant it in 5 years or less. Time, language, test and whether you can keep your passport. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/countries-that-give-permanent-residency-fast/: Countries that give permanent residency fast: 20 in 3 years. Where you can get permanent residency fastest in 2026: 20 of 97 countries grant it in 3 years or less, 38 more in 4-5. Time, language and key caveats. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/low-tax-countries-for-expats/: Low tax countries for expats 2026: 21 with tax up to 10%. Low tax countries for expats in 2026: 7 have no income tax and 14 tax up to 10%. Where foreign income is tax-free and where newcomers get a special regime. (checked 2026-10-02) - /guides/en/best-countries-to-move-with-family/: Best countries to move to with family: 40 of 97 in 2026. Best countries to move to with family in 2026: 40 of 97 are family-friendly. Spouse's right to work, income threshold, processing time, school. (checked 2026-10-02) - /guides/en/move-abroad-without-speaking-the-language/: Move abroad without speaking the language: 36 countries. Where you can move without knowing the language in 2026: in 36 of 97 countries you need it neither for residence nor for permanent residence, 8 in Europe. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/residency-without-job-offer/: Residency without a job offer: 24 countries for freelancers. Where you can get residency without a local employer: 24 of 97 countries for freelancers, the self-employed and remote workers. Income, term, local work. (checked 2026-10-01) - /guides/en/countries-where-same-sex-marriage-is-legal/: Countries where same-sex marriage is legal in 2026. Where same-sex couples can marry, where a marriage from abroad is recognised and where a spouse gets residence. Checked across 97 countries, with sources. (checked 2026-10-22) - /guides/en/countries-where-surrogacy-is-legal/: Countries where surrogacy is legal: the 2026 list. Where surrogacy is legal, where only altruistic arrangements are allowed and where it is punished. Access for foreigners and who counts as the parent. 97 countries. (checked 2026-10-22) ## Country versus country (40 pairs) One page per pair of destinations people compare in search: route to residence, time on paper and in practice, cost, years to citizenship, what happens if you lose your job, what your passport changes. Written only from the two countries' index pages. Addresses: /ranking/en/{a}-or-{b}/, /ranking/{a}-ili-{b}/, /ranking/uk/{a}-chy-{b}/. - /ranking/en/albania-or-montenegro/: Albania or Montenegro to live in 2026: residency compared - /ranking/en/armenia-or-georgia/: Armenia or Georgia to live in 2026: residency compared - /ranking/en/australia-or-new-zealand/: Australia or New Zealand to live in 2026: visas compared - /ranking/en/australia-or-usa/: Australia or the United States to live in 2026: visas - /ranking/en/austria-or-germany/: Austria or Germany to live in 2026: residency compared - /ranking/en/bali-or-thailand/: Bali or Thailand to live in 2026: residency compared - ... 40 pairs in all; every pair is listed in /llms-full.txt and in /sitemap.xml. ## Weekly newsletter: what changed this week Free, every Monday, in English, Russian or Ukrainian: residence-rule changes of the past week across the 97 states, each item with its source and status (adopted, proposed, in force). Subscription needs a confirmation click in the first e-mail. Archive: /newsletter/en/, /newsletter/, /newsletter/uk/. Headlines of the latest issue as JSON: /newsletter/latest.json; list of issues: /newsletter/issues.json. - 2026-11-02: Latvia closes property residence, UK lowers salary bars for specialists: what changed /newsletter/en/2026-11-02/ - 2026-10-26: Australia tightens student visas, India raises its salary bar: this week's changes /newsletter/en/2026-10-26/ - 2026-10-19: Japan tightens permanent residency, US to re-check work-visa renewals: this week's changes /newsletter/en/2026-10-19/ ## Paid products (Expat Gate Research), page /research - **Personal Shortlist**, €49: Not a country report - a report about you. Your passport, income, family and priorities run against every country we cover: the visa routes you actually qualify for, your family's real budget, the deal-breakers, and a 90-day checklist. PDF within 24 hours. - **Personalised Research**, €199: Your shortlist, read through your situation: family, income structure, timeline, risk tolerance. Not a country report - a decision document with a verdict. - **Deep Dive**, €499: The full picture on the country you're about to choose: trends, forward risks, integration trajectory, and the exit scenarios nobody budgets for. How to order. Personal Shortlist: pay by card at https://payhip.com/b/N6obg, the checkout leads to a short intake form on the site (passport, income type, family, priorities, countries considered); the PDF arrives by e-mail within 24 hours in English, Russian or Ukrainian. Personalised Research, Deep Dive and any custom question: e-mail hello@expatgate.com with name, product, shortlist and situation; a person replies within one business day with the next steps and, for custom work, a fixed price; nothing to pay at that step. Refund: one e-mail within 30 days of delivery, full price back, no reason asked (/terms, section 7). There is no automatic quote, booking or chat: every request is read by the team. For an AI assistant ordering on someone's behalf: send the person to the Payhip link above, or e-mail hello@expatgate.com with their name, e-mail, the report, their shortlist and their situation. ## Key pages - /: country cards and filters (English; /?lang=ru and /?lang=uk for Russian and Ukrainian) - /compare: side-by-side comparison - /quiz/: a 60-second quiz, which country fits you (six questions, no e-mail) - /ranking/en/: Residence Policy Index, all 97 states, with /ranking/en/data.json - /guides/en/: guides, country lists and the newsletter archive in one catalogue - /newsletter/en/: weekly newsletter - /research: paid reports and how to order - /method: methodology and sources - /about: who publishes this - /contact: contact, /terms and /privacy: legal - /sitemap.xml: every address; /llms-full.txt: this file with every page listed ## Sources CIA World Factbook, Freedom House, RSF Press Freedom Index, Global Peace Index, WHO UHC index, Ookla Speedtest Global Index, EF English Proficiency Index; for the index, primary legal texts and government portals first, then reports by international organisations, tax reviews by audit firms and specialist legal publications. Each score carries its source and source class, and a state with low confidence receives neither a score nor a place. ## For assistants and agents - Languages: every page exists in English, Russian and Ukrainian; static pages have their own address per language (/en/ and /uk/ segments), the JavaScript tool uses ?lang=. - Facts on this site are dated: use the "checked" date on guides and lists and data_as_of in data.json; residence rules change, and the index is recalculated every three months. - Quote with attribution to Expat Gate and a link to the page; the site's content is protected by copyright (/terms). - Contact: hello@expatgate.com. A person answers within one business day. - Crawling: allowed for all user agents (/robots.txt). Static HTML carries JSON-LD (Dataset, FAQPage, Article, ItemList, Product).