Many people who visit Europe and fall in love with its culture, history, and romance want to either relocate there or retire there permanently. But very few actually act on this desire because of the many obstacles.

Most European nations are more than happy to attract tourist dollars but turn their noses up at accepting new permanent residents from the US, South Africa, UK, or elsewhere. But one country in Europe not only makes it easy for people to move there but actually offers financial incentives to permanent European citizenship.

Portugal’s innovative Golden Visa program streamlines the path to European citizenship by lowering the bar for investment and actually making the application process fast, simple, and efficient.

One of the World’s Safest Places

Portugal recently ranked third on the Global Peace Index’s list of the world’s safest countries, behind only New Zealand and Iceland. And when you consider those are both island nations, Portugal is actually at the top of the list among nations bordering other countries.

Why is Portugal safer than every other European country? There are many theories but one of the most popular is that its culture has a history of being warm and inviting to outsiders. While it was once one of the world’s leading powers, in recent centuries Portugal has abandoned its quest for world domination and instead has been more than happy to take a back seat to other more imperialist nations.

Stable, Efficient Government

That laissez-faire attitude has been one of the guiding principles of the Portuguese government, allowing people to live the way they want while still providing all the protections and stabilities its citizens expect.

The result? One of the safest, most stable, and culturally rewarding places on Earth. Combined with a welcoming approach to emigration and it’s easy to see why Portugal is one of the best places for outsiders to invest, live, and thrive among its rich history and amazing natural beauty.