A startup visa lets a founder move to a country on the strength of a business idea rather than a job offer. What that takes varies sharply from one country to the next: some ask for an endorsement from an approved incubator or accelerator, others for a minimum investment, a business plan signed off by a government agency, or simply proof you can support yourself while the company finds its feet.
This archive collects our country-by-country coverage. Europe offers the widest choice, with schemes in Estonia, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain and France. In Asia, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong each run their own version. The United Kingdom folded its old Start-up visa into the Innovator Founder route in 2023, and Canada’s Start-Up Visa is closed to new applicants while a replacement pilot is prepared. The United States has never created a startup visa, which is why American founders fall back on other categories.
Pick the country you are targeting from the guides below. Our startup visa by country guide compares all open and closed schemes in a single table.
The Canadian Start-Up Visa is closed to new applicants, and the replacement Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) promised still hasn’t appeared. If you are researching the Canadian Start-Up Visa in the hope of applying, this guide sets out where the program actually stands in
Canadian Start-Up Visa: Closed, and What Replaces It (2026) Continue Reading »
The Startup Denmark visa is capped at a maximum of 75 permits a year, which is the first thing a founder comparing Denmark with Estonia, the Netherlands or Portugal ought to know, and the one figure most guides to the scheme leave out. The Startup
Startup Denmark Visa 2026: Quota, Costs and How to Apply Continue Reading »
Red-White-Red Card Austria requirements for start-up founders come down to two numbers that matter more than anything else on this page: €30,000 in required company capital, and 50 of a possible 85 points across four scoring categories. This guide breaks down exactly how qualifications, work
Red-White-Red Card Austria: Start-Up Founder Requirements, Points & How to Apply Continue Reading »
Key Takeaways The Japan startup visa is really two stages, not one: up to two years on Designated Activities status, then Business Manager status once the business qualifies. The Business Manager capital bar rose from ¥5 million to ¥30 million on 16 October 2025 —
Japan Startup Visa 2026: The New ¥30 Million Business Manager Rule Continue Reading »
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, not a country, and its main route for founders — the one this guide calls the Hong Kong startup visa — sits inside the territory’s General Employment Policy rather than standing alone as a dedicated scheme.
Hong Kong Startup Visa: Eligibility, Fees and Application Process (2026) Continue Reading »
