Foreign citizens who want to move to Liechtenstein must meet several requirements in order to stay and work or conduct their businesses here. The most important one is related to obtaining a residence permit that will allow the applicant to legally reside in the Principality.
UK citizens who want to immigrate to Liechtenstein must also comply with a set of formalities if they want to move here, however, there is no change in the legal requirements these must meet in order to relocate, as Liechtenstein is not an EU member state.
Below, our lawyers in Liechtenstein explain the main procedures associated with immigrating here from the UK. You can rely on our legal help if you are planning to immigrate to Liechtenstein from UK.
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Visas under which immigration to Liechtenstein from UK is possible
Liechtenstein is a small principality located at the heart of Europe and even if it is not a member of the European Union, it has various agreements with it in terms of trade and immigration. However, Liechtenstein is a member of the Schengen Area which means that Schengen visa holders can travel here without too much hassle.
When it comes to immigration to Liechtenstein from UK or any other country, there are two types of residence permits that can be acquired:
- the first one is the temporary residence permit;
- the second one is the permanent residence visa.
Both of them can be obtain through one of the following legal routes:
- work;
- business;
- graduation from a local university (education);
- marriage.
Foreign investors interested in moving to Liechtenstein based on a golden visa should know that the government has not created such a program up to this moment.
Our law firm in Liechtenstein can offer the necessary details related to all the ways through which immigration is possible for UK citizens.
What is the best way to relocate to Liechtenstein from UK?
Considering there are no special requirements for immigration to Liechtenstein no matter the way a British citizen decides on, it is safe to say that a good choice is related to what suits best the interest of the applicant.
When moving to Liechtenstein based on employment, a work contract is required, while in the case of students, an acceptance letter from the university enrolled in will help. The creation of a business in which the UK citizen is a shareholder or manager will imply applying for residency in Liechtenstein.
It is quite simple to open a company in the Principality and UK investors will obtain plenty of financial benefits if they decide to move here by starting a business and our lawyers in Liechtenstein can provide extensive support in this case.
Documents to prepare for immigration to Liechtenstein from UK
A set of documents that needs to be prepared by UK citizens moving to Liechtenstein no matter the way they decide for is made of the valid passport and a clean criminal record. Birth certificates are required for the minor children of those who move here.
Apart from these, the following need to be provided:
- a copy of the employment contract (in the case of workers);
- information about the company to be opened in the case of UK businesspersons;
- the acceptance letter from the university enrolled in for students;
- the marriage certificate in the case of foreign spouses of Liechtenstein citizens.
An important aspect to note is that not under all work contracts UK citizens are allowed to live in Liechtenstein, as most of them are required to find places to stay in Switzerland, according to the Government of Liechtenstein.
For UK citizens, the main aspect to consider is that starting with January 1st, 2021, a minimum validity period of 6 months for their passports is required in order to enter Liechtenstein.
Our Liechtenstein lawyers can offer more information on the restrictions imposed by the local government on foreign temporary workers.
Important facts on immigration to Liechtenstein
There are several important aspects to consider about relocating to Liechtenstein, as the fact that the number of temporary residence permits are issued based on an annual specific quota. Also, minimum living period in order to obtain permanent residence depends on the immigration path chosen by applicants.
Here are the most important aspects to consider:
- there are 72 residence permits issued for employees from EEA countries;
- 17 residence permits are awarded to Swiss citizens every year;
- a foreign citizen needs to live in Liechtenstein for 5 years before applying for citizenship;
- in the case of foreign spouses of Liechtenstein citizens, the minimum living period is 3 years.
If you want to relocate to Liechtenstein from UK and need assistance, please contact us.