Relocate in Europe
What changes for people on the move. Checked against the source, every day.
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
Latest official data, read 7 November 2026 at 06:01 Paris time (CET). All 13 figures →
AP-68 Bilbao–Zaragoza motorway concession expires
Spain · in 2 daysDELE exam session including level A2
Spain · in 5 daysSFR switches off its 2G network
France · in 7 daysFinland
Changes to Finland's Citizenship Act take effect on 1 January 2027. Adults aged 18 to 64 who apply from 1 March 2027 will need to pass a test on Finnish society, rights and history, the Finnish Immigration Service says.
By The editorial team · 2 min read · 27 September 2026
This week’s analysis
In less than two years Finland, Portugal, France and Sweden have lengthened the clocks, added tests and raised the bar for staying for good. The rules differ, but they share a logic, and…
By Elin Marchetti · 4 min read
This week’s column
Across Europe the road to staying for good now runs through dates on documents. After four moves, my advice is old-fashioned: the first residence card you are given may be the most…
Column by Elin Marchetti · 3 min read
New this week · All news →
Portugal
Netherlands
Ireland
Denmark
The guide
Moving to Europe means one of two journeys: coming from outside the EU, or moving within it as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen. Here are the rules for each – the Schengen 90/180-day rule, EES, ETIAS, the EU Blue Card and free movement – before you choose your country.
Moving to Europe can mean two different things. If your passport is from outside the EU, you are coming to Europe from outside: short visits follow common Schengen rules, and a longer stay needs a visa or permit from your new country. If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you are moving within Europe under free movement.
Living in Europe as a foreigner starts with that distinction, so this guide follows it: choose your situation, read the rules that apply, then choose your country. Fourteen countries already have complete guides – Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Monaco – and more will follow.
If you plan to move to Europe from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, these are the EU rules that shape your move.
The 90/180-day rule decides how long you can stay before you need a national visa or permit.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Members | 29 countries: 25 of the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland |
| Ireland and Cyprus | Ireland opts out with its own visa and border policy; Cyprus takes part, but border controls with it have not yet been lifted |
| Short stays | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with a visa or visa-free depending on nationality |
| Counting days | The 180-day period starts when you enter; you may come and go, but stay no more than 90 days in total within it |
| Schengen visa | Generally valid for every Schengen country |
| Passport | Valid for at least 3 months after you intend to leave |
| Longer stays | A visa under national procedures |
Source: European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs) and Your Europe, read 23 September 2026.
The EES records the biometric data and entry and exit dates of non-EU short-stay travellers. Its phased rollout began on 12 October 2025; since 10 April 2026 it has been fully operational at all external Schengen border crossing points, with over 145 million entries and exits recorded.
| Traveller | EES registration |
|---|---|
| Non-EU short-stay traveller | Registered |
| Non-EU national with a long-stay visa or residence permit | Exempt |
| Non-EU family member of an EU/EEA citizen with a valid residence card from the relative's EU country | Exempt |
| National of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City/the Holy See | Exempt |
Source: European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs), read 23 September 2026.
ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is planned but not running yet.
| ETIAS | As officially stated |
|---|---|
| Status | Planned – not yet in force |
| Planned start | The last quarter of 2026; in April 2026 the Commission said the exact date would be communicated later |
| Fee | EUR 20 (the original proposal was EUR 7) |
| No fee | Applicants under 18 or over 70 |
Source: European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs), read 23 September 2026.
The EU Blue Card is for highly qualified work. For other jobs, the single permit combines work and residence in one application.
| EU Blue Card | Single permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Directive (EU) 2021/1883; national rules due by November 2023 | Directive (EU) 2024/1233 (recast), adopted in April 2024; national rules due by May 2026, replacing Directive 2011/98/EU |
| Where | 25 of the 27 EU countries – not Denmark or Ireland, which have national rules | Not in Denmark or Ireland |
| Requirements | Higher professional qualifications, a contract or binding job offer of at least 6 months, and a salary threshold of 1 to 1.6 times the average gross annual salary | – |
| Decision | – | Within 90 days, down from 4 months |
| Losing your job | 3 months to find work, or 6 once you have held the card for 2 years | 3 to 6 months of unemployment allowed while the permit is valid |
| Moving on | Visits of up to 90 days in 180 to other EU countries; after 12 months of legal employment, you may move with your family to work in another EU country on a new Blue Card | – |
Source: European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs), read 23 September 2026.
| In force now | Proposed – not in force | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Directive 2003/109/EC, amended by Directive 2011/51/EU | A recast, still under negotiation between the Council and the European Parliament |
| Residence | 5 years, legal and continuous, in an EU country | Periods in different EU countries could be added together |
| What you get | Rights similar to those of EU citizens | An easier right to move and work in other EU countries |
Source: European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs), read 23 September 2026.
EU freedom of movement is the backbone of moving within Europe: as an EU citizen, you have the right to move to any EU country to live, work, study, look for a job or retire. The table shows the EU rules for EU citizens.
| When | What applies |
|---|---|
| Always | Hold a valid national ID card or passport; you cannot be sent home for lacking one alone, though some countries may fine or detain you for not carrying ID |
| First 3 months | No registration or residence document required; some countries may require you to report your presence |
| After 3 months | You may have to register and get a registration certificate – issued immediately, for no more than nationals pay for an ID card |
| Work | You can start, including as self-employed, without waiting for the certificate |
| Not registering | A possible fine, but you cannot be expelled for this alone |
| After 5 years | Continuous legal residence gives you the right of permanent residence automatically; the document is optional, costs no more than an ID card and renews automatically |
| Family | Rights cover EU and non-EU spouses and children, civil and registered partners, parents, other relatives and families of jobseekers; non-EU family members get a residence card |
Source: Your Europe, read 23 September 2026.
| Group | Countries | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| EU (27) | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden | EU free movement |
| EEA (30) | The EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway | The EEA Agreement guarantees free movement of persons |
| Switzerland | In EFTA, but not in the EEA | Its own agreement with the EU, in force since 1 June 2002: the right to enter, live and work, employed or self-employed |
Source: European Union, EFTA and EUR-Lex, read 23 September 2026.
The EU social security rules (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) have applied since 2010 and also apply in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You are covered by one country's system at a time, with the same rights as its nationals; earlier insurance, work or residence elsewhere counts if needed; and pensions and family benefits can generally be paid to you in another EU country.
Revised coordination rules approved by EU countries in April 2026 are not in force until the European Parliament and the Council formally adopt them and they are published in the EU's Official Journal.
| Topic | What the EU rules say | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| A1 (posted abroad) | Shows you stay insured in your home country while temporarily posted abroad | The competent institution at home |
| S1 (posted and moving) | Lets you register for healthcare where you are posted, paid by the country that insures you | The institution where you stay insured |
| EHIC | Free of charge if you have health insurance in an EU country | Your national health insurer |
| U2 (unemployment benefit) | Export it for 3 to 6 months while job-hunting in one other EU country, after at least 4 weeks as a registered jobseeker (exceptions possible); register there within 7 days of leaving your home employment services | National employment services |
| Qualifications | Automatic recognition for doctors, general-care nurses, midwives, dental practitioners, pharmacists, architects and veterinary surgeons; otherwise a decision within 3 months of receiving your papers | The authority in your new country |
| Driving licence | Usually no need to exchange your EU licence; one with no expiry date may have to be exchanged after 2 years of usual residence, and old-style unlimited licences by 2033 at the latest | National authorities where you live |
| Pensions | Each country pays its share for your periods there, counting periods elsewhere towards eligibility, into your bank account in your EU country of residence | Each pension authority |
| Bank account | Legal residents of an EU country are entitled to a basic payment account; a bank cannot refuse you just because you do not live in its country | Any bank |
| Roaming | Roam like at home: no extra charges in other EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine, subject to fair use | Your mobile operator |
Source: Your Europe and European Commission (Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), read 23 September 2026.
There are no EU-wide rules on how your income is taxed when you live or work abroad. You are usually tax-resident where you spend more than 6 months a year, and that country can usually tax your worldwide income; bilateral tax treaties generally relieve double taxation.
A snapshot from Eurostat, with the countries in our guides for comparison. Inflation from 2026 uses a revised classification, so compare it with earlier years with care.
| Figure | Latest | Source and period |
|---|---|---|
| EU population | 451,990,314 (+705,756, or +0.16%, in a year) | Eurostat, 1 January 2026 |
| Non-EU citizens living in the EU | 30,600,204 (about 6.8% of the population) | Eurostat, 1 January 2025, latest available |
| EU unemployment rate | 6.1% (6.0% in July 2025) | Eurostat, seasonally adjusted, July 2026 |
| EU youth unemployment, under 25 | 15.1% | Eurostat, seasonally adjusted, July 2026 |
| EU GDP growth | 0.7% on the previous quarter (euro area 0.6%); 1.4% on a year earlier | Eurostat, Q2 2026 |
| EU annual inflation (HICP) | 3.2% | Eurostat, August 2026 |
| Sweden: unemployment and inflation | 8.9% and 0.3% | Eurostat, August 2026 |
| Norway: unemployment and inflation | 4.2% and 3.2% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Denmark: unemployment and inflation | 6.7% and 2.0% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Germany: unemployment and inflation | 4.0% and 2.9% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| France: unemployment and inflation | 8.3% and 2.6% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Italy: unemployment and inflation | 5.8% and 3.2% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Spain: unemployment and inflation | 10.0% and 4.6% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Switzerland: unemployment and inflation | 5.1% and 0.9% | Eurostat, June 2026 and August 2026 |
| United Kingdom: unemployment and inflation | 4.9% and 3.1% | Office for National Statistics, May–July 2026 and August 2026 – national measures |
| Ireland: unemployment and inflation | 5.0% and 3.4% | Eurostat, August 2026 and August 2026 |
| Netherlands: unemployment and inflation | 4.0% and 2.8% | Eurostat, August 2026 and August 2026 |
| Portugal: unemployment and inflation | 5.7% and 3.6% | Eurostat, July 2026 and August 2026 |
| Finland: unemployment and inflation | 9.9% and 2.4% | Eurostat, August 2026 and August 2026 |
Source: Eurostat, and the Office for National Statistics for the UK, read 23 and 24 September 2026.
The EU sets common rules, but you register, pay tax and find a doctor in one country. Fourteen countries have complete guides so far. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy are in the EU – though Denmark and Ireland do not apply the EU Blue Card, and Ireland is outside Schengen. Norway is in the EEA and Schengen, Monaco is outside both the EU and Schengen and its entry visas are issued by France, Switzerland is in Schengen and has free movement with the EU under its own agreements, and the UK is outside both the EU and Schengen.
14 countries · 218 guides
Fifteen guides for every country – a “who are you” guide for every kind of newcomer, the latest official figures, an address book and the embassies. In the same order as the menu, north to south.
Sweden15 guides
Norway15 guides
Denmark15 guides
Finland15 guides
UK15 guides
Ireland15 guides
Germany15 guides
Netherlands15 guides
France15 guides
Spain15 guides
Portugal15 guides
Italy15 guides
Switzerland15 guides
Monaco15 guides| Region | Complete guides | Coming next |
|---|---|---|
| Scandinavia | Sweden, Norway and Denmark – 15 guides each, plus Moving within Scandinavia | – |
| United Kingdom and Ireland | United Kingdom and Ireland – 15 guides each | – |
| Western Europe | France, the Netherlands and Monaco – 15 guides each | Belgium, Luxembourg |
| Central Europe | Germany and Switzerland – 15 guides each | Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia |
| Southern and south-eastern Europe | Italy, Spain and Portugal – 15 guides each | Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Romania |
| Nordic and Baltic | Finland – 15 guides | Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania |
Source: the Relocate in Europe guides, read 23 September 2026.
Moving to Scandinavia – start here
The complete country guides – UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Monaco
The complete country guides – Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal
As a non-EU national, up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area – with or without a visa, depending on your nationality. For a longer stay, you need a visa under the national procedures of the country you move to.
The Entry/Exit System is running and records your biometric data and entry and exit dates. ETIAS is planned for the last quarter of 2026 and not yet in force; the fee will be EUR 20, with none for applicants under 18 or over 70.
25 of the 27 EU countries – not Denmark or Ireland, which use national rules. You need higher professional qualifications and a contract or binding job offer of at least 6 months.
Not for the first 3 months, though some countries may require you to report your presence. After that you may have to register and get a registration certificate, issued immediately. Failing to register can mean a fine, but not expulsion on that ground alone.
As an EU citizen, the right of permanent residence is automatic after 5 continuous years of legal residence in another EU country. As a non-EU national, 5 years of legal and continuous residence can bring EU long-term resident status; a reform to count years across EU countries is not in force.
You pay social security contributions in one country at a time; an A1 certificate shows you stay insured at home while temporarily posted abroad. Income tax has no EU-wide rules: you are usually tax-resident where you spend more than 6 months a year, and tax treaties relieve double taxation.
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice. Checked on 23 September 2026 – rules change, so check with the authority named before you act.
Runs in your browser – nothing you type is sent or stored. Esc closes · / or CtrlK opens.