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.
How to apply for the Singapore Entrepreneur visa or EntrePass? Who is eligible for the Singapore EntrePass? Read on to know all about EntrePass? Singapore earned fame as a commercial and financial hub only because of entrepreneurial ventures. The country not only inspires its own […]
Singapore EntrePass For Budding Entrepreneurs Continue Reading »
Paris, the capital of France, is a good option for entrepreneurs who wish to set up their business in a foreign country. This is because France has shown keen interest to attract foreign entrepreneurs through its French Start-up Visa programme. As part of this initiative
French Start-up Visa: Why Paris a Good Option? Continue Reading »
Last Updated on August 30, 2026 A startup visa is a residence permit issued on the strength of a business idea rather than a job offer, and in 2026 roughly twenty countries run one. Which countries those are has changed more in the last three
Startup Visa by Country: Which Schemes Are Open in 2026 Continue Reading »
