page_title: Permanent residency
section_title: Countries with permanent residency systems
hierarchical_section_title: Permanent residency / Countries with permanent residency systems
caption_attribution_description: English: Japanese entry and departure visas, and a Japanese permission for permanent residence issued in 2011 on a French passport. Français&#160;: Visas japonais d'entrées et de sorties, et un titre de résident permanent japonais émis en 2011 sur un passeport français.
context_page_description: Permanent residency is a person's resident status in a country of which they are not citizens but where they have the right to reside on a permanent basis. This is usually for a permanent period; a person with such status is known as a permanent resident. In the United States, such a person is officially referred to as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
  Permanent residency itself is distinct from right of abode, which waives immigration control for such persons. Persons having permanent residency still require immigration control if they do not have right of abode. However, a right of abode automatically grants people permanent residency. This status also gives work permit in most cases. In many western countries, the status of permanent resident confers a right of abode upon the holder despite not being a citizen of the particular country.
context_section_description: Not every country allows permanent residency. Rights and application may vary widely.
  All European Union countries have a facility for someone to become a permanent resident, as EU legislation allows an EU national who moves to another EU country to attain permanent resident status after residing there for five years. The European Union also sets out permanent residency rights for long-term resident third country nationals under directive (2003/109/EC). A novel approach was the granting of rights across the national borders of states adhering to the directive.
  As Hong Kong and Macau, both special administrative regions of China, do not have their own citizenship laws, the term "permanent residents" refer to persons with the right of abode in these territories. Most permanent residents of Chinese descent are Chinese citizens according to Chinese nationality law.
  Other countries have varying forms of such residency and relationships with other countries with regards to permanent residency.
  The regions that have some type of permanent resident status include:
  Argentina
  Australia
  Bahrain
  Belize
  Brazil
  Brunei Darussalam (called penduduk tetap)
  Canada (permanent residents were known as landed immigrants before 28 June 2002)
  Chile
  China (PRC) (called 永久居留权 (yǒngjiǔ-jūliúquán), programme started from 2004)
  The first time that there were over 10,000 foreign permanent residents in China was in 2016. China Daily wrote that while, by that year, the process had been made simpler, "Getting China's "green card" is considered one of the most difficult tasks in the world."
  Costa Rica
  Curaçao (called sedula)
  Dominican Republic
  Ecuador
  European Union:
  Austria (called Niederlassungsbewilligung) - Descriptions
  Belgium (B or C permit for non-EEA citizens) - Descriptions
  Bulgaria (called karta za postojanno prebivavašt v Republika Bălgarija čuždenec)
  Croatia
  Cyprus - Descriptions
  Czech Republic – (called trvalý pobyt) - Descriptions
  Denmark - Descriptions
  Estonia - Descriptions
  Finland (permit P) - Descriptions
  France (some types of titre de séjour, such as the carte de résident) - Descriptions
  Germany (called Niederlassungserlaubnis) - Descriptions
  Greece (called Πράσινη Κάρτα) - Descriptions
  Hungary - Descriptions
  Ireland (called Permanent residency card) - 
  Italy - Descriptions
  Latvia - Descriptions (called "Uzturēšanās atļauja")
  Lithuania - Descriptions
  Luxembourg - long term resident/résident longue durée
  Malta
  Netherlands (called Verblijfsvergunning voor onbepaalde tijd; class II, IV, or V permit) - Descriptions
  Poland (called Karta rezydenta długoterminowego UE) - Descriptions
  Portugal - (called residência permanente ) Descriptions to non-EU citizens
  Romania (called Permis de şedere permanentă) - Descriptions
  Slovak Republic (called trvalý pobyt)
  Slovenia - Descriptions
  Spain - Descriptions
  Sweden (called Permanent Uppehållstillstånd) - Descriptions
  Ghana
  Guatemala
  Hong Kong (through the Right of Abode, with or without Chinese citizenship)
  India ( called "Permanent Resident Status Scheme") - Descriptions
  Iran
  Israel (The term תושב קבע‎ toshav-keva refers to a permanent resident without Israeli citizenship.)
  Japan (called 永住許可 eijūkyoka)
  South Korea
  Macau (Residente Permanente, with or without Chinese citizenship)
  North Macedonia
  Malaysia (called pemastautin tetap)
  Mexico
  Nicaragua (called Résidents Permanents Nicaragua) Descriptions
  New Zealand
  Norway ()
  Panama
  Peru (A permanent residency option is available for those from countries which prohibit dual citizenship. Permanent residency only requires an annual fee, and no other supporting documents.)
  Philippines
  Russia (called "вид на жительство" vid na žítel'stvo, or ПМЖ pe-em-žé)
  Singapore
  South Africa
  St. Kitts and Nevis
  Switzerland (Permis d'établissement, Niederlassungsbewilligung or Permesso di domicilio, commonly referred to as a C permit (Permis C, C-Ausweis, Permesso C) (settlement permit))
  Republic of China (Taiwan)
  Thailand
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Ukraine (called "посвідка на постійне проживання"' 'posvidka na postijne prozhyvannya, or ППП "pe-pe-pe").
  United Kingdom (either throug
caption: Japanese permission for permanent residence issued in 2011 on a French passport.
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