Reference
Citizenship · residency · wealth glossary
Short definitions of the terms you meet when researching passports, residency and tax. See also Methodology and FAQ.
- Visa-free
- Entry with no permit applied for in advance; a valid passport is enough. This is the most favourable form of access.
- Visa on arrival (VOA)
- A visa applied for and issued at the airport or border on arrival, with no advance filing. It counts towards passport strength.
- Electronic travel authorisation (eTA)
- A permit filed online and approved quickly before departure, such as the US ESTA. It is not a visa and counts towards passport strength.
- Electronic visa (e-Visa)
- Still a visa, applied for online and open to refusal. Prosperous Intelligence does not count e-Visas towards passport strength.
- ESTA
- The United States' electronic travel authorisation system (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), for citizens of countries in the US Visa Waiver Program.
- ETIAS
- The European Union's electronic travel authorisation system (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), expected to operate in Q4/2026. When checked on 28/08/2026, it was not yet accepting applications.
- Passport strength
- The number of destinations a holder can enter without applying for a visa at a consulate in advance: visa-free entry, visa on arrival and electronic travel authorisation. It measures global mobility.
- Citizenship by investment (CBI)
- A programme granting citizenship and a passport to eligible investors, usually within 6–18 months.
- Residency by investment (RBI)
- A programme granting residence rights, such as a residence card or long-stay visa, to investors. Citizenship follows a longer path, usually several years.
- Golden Visa
- The common name for residency by investment programmes, especially in Europe: investors receive residence rights in exchange for an investment or contribution.
- High-net-worth individual (HNWI)
- A person with net assets of roughly USD 1 million or more, the group most engaged in citizenship and residency planning.
- Tax residency
- The status of being treated by a country as a taxpayer, usually determined by days present or the centre of vital interests. Tax residency is distinct from citizenship.
- Residence-based taxation
- Taxation based on where a person is tax resident. This is the most common model worldwide.
- Citizenship-based taxation
- Taxing citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. The United States is the prominent example.
- Non-domiciled status (non-dom)
- A favourable tax status for residents whose permanent home is considered to be elsewhere, usually exempting or reducing tax on foreign income.
- Multiple citizenship
- Holding two or more citizenships at once. Each country sets its own rules on whether this is allowed.
- Permanent resident (PR)
- A person with the right to live and work in a country long term without being a citizen. It is usually a stepping stone to citizenship.
- Schengen area
- A group of nearly 30 European countries that have removed internal border checks. A Schengen visa or residence permit generally allows travel across the whole area.
- The 90/180 rule
- Short-stay visitors to the Schengen area may stay up to 90 days in any 180 consecutive days, counted across the whole area; each day of stay is checked against the previous 180 days.
- Due diligence
- The vetting of an applicant's background and source of funds in citizenship and residency by investment programmes. The stricter it is, the more trusted the passport.
- Lump-sum tax
- A regime under which a fixed annual amount replaces ordinary income tax, offered by some countries to wealthy new residents.
- Exit tax
- A tax on unrealised capital gains when a person gives up residence or citizenship. It should be factored in before changing tax residency.
From terms to data
Look up passport strength, tax, safety and other criteria for each country; every index is put on a 0–100 scale.
