Long-term · 6 countries

Live there for good, or become a citizen

You get these after living in a country for some years on another visa. So we give no %. Here is what each one needs.

8 visas · official rules only

AU · 1 visa

Australia

All Australia visas →
Citizenship · AU-CITIZEN

Australian Citizenship

Time needed

To be confirmed with the Department of Home Affairs before applying.

Rules

To be confirmed with the Department of Home Affairs before applying.

Cost

To be confirmed with the Department of Home Affairs before applying.

How long it takes

50% of conferral applications were decided within 42 days.

Half of people waited longer than this

Applies to Application to decision, citizenship by conferral; September 2026.

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

90% of conferral applications were decided within 5 months.

1 in 10 people waited longer than this

Applies to Application to decision, citizenship by conferral; September 2026.

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

90% of conferral applicants reached the ceremony within 11 months of applying.

1 in 10 people waited longer than this

Applies to Application to citizenship ceremony, citizenship by conferral; September 2026.

immi.homeaffairs.gov.au ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

To be confirmed with the Department of Home Affairs before applying.

CA · 1 visa

Canada

All Canada visas →
Citizenship · CA-CITIZEN

Canadian Citizenship

Time needed

Physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) in the 5 years before applying.

canada.ca ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

To be confirmed with IRCC before applying.

Cost

C$653

Adult application: CAD 653, including the processing fee and the right of citizenship fee.

Applies to Adult (18 and over).

≈ USD 467 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

ircc.canada.ca ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

IRCC estimate for new citizenship grant applications: about 12 months.

The government's estimate, not a promise

canada.ca ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

To be confirmed with IRCC before applying.

DE · 1 visa

Germany

All Germany visas →
Citizenship · DE-CITIZEN

German Citizenship

Time needed

Usually 5 years of lawful habitual residence in Germany (Section 10 Nationality Act), plus other conditions.

gesetze-im-internet.de ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

To be confirmed with the local naturalisation authority before applying.

Cost

€255

€255 per person (€51 for minor children naturalised with their parents).

≈ USD 285 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

bmi.bund.de ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

To be confirmed with the local naturalisation authority before applying.

What you get

To be confirmed with the local naturalisation authority before applying.

NL · 2 visas

Netherlands

All Netherlands visas →
Permanent stay · NL-PR

Dutch Permanent Residence

Time needed

At least 5 consecutive years with a valid Dutch residence permit.

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

Civic integration exam passed at level A2 or higher, unless exempt.

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Cost

€254

Application fee: €254 (a different amount applies under 18).

Applies to 18 or older.

≈ USD 284 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

The IND must decide within 6 months.

Legal maximum, not the usual time

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

Permanent residence with no end date (the document is renewed every 5 years).

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Citizenship · NL-CITIZEN

Dutch Citizenship (Naturalisation)

Time needed

At least 5 consecutive years in the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a valid residence permit.

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

18 or older.

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Cost

To be confirmed with the IND before applying.

How long it takes

The IND may take up to 12 months to decide.

Legal maximum, not the usual time

ind.nl ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

To be confirmed with the IND before applying.

NZ · 1 visa

New Zealand

All New Zealand visas →
Citizenship · NZ-CITIZEN

New Zealand Citizenship

Time needed

To be confirmed with the Department of Internal Affairs before applying.

Rules

To be confirmed with the Department of Internal Affairs before applying.

Cost

NZ$641

NZD 641 for adults aged 16 and over (NZD 320 for children).

≈ USD 361 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

govt.nz ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

It takes 3 to 14 months to find out if your citizenship application has been approved.

The range the government publishes

govt.nz ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

To be confirmed with the Department of Internal Affairs before applying.

GB · 2 visas

United Kingdom

All United Kingdom visas →
Permanent stay · UK-ILR

Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement)

Time needed

Usually 5 years living and working in the UK on a work visa.

Applies to Work visas (shorter for some Tier 1, Innovator Founder and Global Talent visas).

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

To be confirmed with the Home Office before applying.

Cost

£3,226

Application fee: £3,226 per person.

≈ USD 4,326 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026 · in force from 8 Oct 2026

How long it takes

To be confirmed with the Home Office before applying.

What you get

Settlement: you can live, work and study in the UK for as long as you like and later apply for citizenship.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Citizenship · UK-CITIZEN

British Citizenship

Time needed

Lived in the UK for 5 years and held indefinite leave to remain (or settled status) for 12 months (no 12-month wait if married to a British citizen).

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

To be confirmed with the Home Office before applying.

Cost

£1,839

£1,839 (£1,709 application + £130 citizenship ceremony).

≈ USD 2,466 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

Usually a decision within 6 months; some applications take longer.

The government's target, not a promise

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What you get

To be confirmed with the Home Office before applying.