September 20th, 2023 at 06:00 pm
Countries with strictest immigration laws
You can relocate to many different nations around the world and begin a new life. Not all nations, meanwhile, facilitate immigration for foreigners. There are various reasons why strict immigration restrictions are in place; some nations are just more isolated and hostile to foreigners, while others face the threat of overpopulation. Furthermore, depending on your nationality, some countries make immigration more challenging.
However, you should always be ready before moving and know which nations are most likely to turn down your request for a visa or permanent residency.
The stringent citizenship criteria of these nations also played a role in their selection.
1 . Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia seeks to preserve its social structure and cultural values by enforcing stringent immigration regulations that prohibit foreign influence. Therefore, unless you have a job and a sponsor, moving to Saudi Arabia is challenging. There are strict regulations that you must abide by even if you are successful in obtaining a visa. For example, you are not allowed to switch sponsors, and your sponsor is typically responsible for keeping your passport secure while you have your Iqama (residence permit).
On the other hand, a new initiative to govern regulations for foreign workers was implemented on March 14, 2021. Employees now have greater freedom to pick their employers, move around the office more, and arrange their own entry and departure visas without the sponsor’s consent.
Even so, getting Saudi citizenship is still challenging, especially if you wish to marry a Saudi national. For instance, marriage is prohibited if you are not a Muslim, which implies that you cannot obtain citizenship through marriage. On the other hand, if you’ve resided in Saudi Arabia for ten years, you can become a citizen by naturalization.
2 . Kuwait
Kuwait has some of the tightest immigration laws; in order to obtain a visa, a foreign national must have a sponsor. In an effort to address the downturn in the economy and guarantee that Kuwaitis are employed in the same positions as foreigners, Kuwait recently declared its intention to reduce the number of foreign workers. Thus, it is possible that Kuwait will enact even more stringent immigration regulations in the future.
In addition, you need to be a Muslim by birth or conversion, have lived in Kuwait for 20 years, and have been a convert for at least five of those years in order to be eligible to apply for Kuwaiti citizenship.
3. Bhutan
Bhutan has one of the strictest immigration policies in the world and is one of the most remote nations. Also, Bhutan rarely grants residency permits, and you need to have been a resident for at least 20 years in order to seek citizenship. Having both of your parents be citizens of Bhutan is the simplest route to citizenship. If you are the sole child of a Bhuantese parent, you must apply for naturalization after residing in the country for 15 years.
Bhutan likewise has a strict policy on tourist visas; applying through a group organization is the only way to obtain a visa for travel there.
4 . China
Unless you have a Chinese citizen relative, it is almost impossible to obtain Chinese citizenship. You can still attempt to petition for naturalization under other “legitimate reasons” if you don’t have any relatives who are citizens of China, but your chances of being granted citizenship are extremely low. You can still, however, obtain a business or work visa and temporarily reside in China.
The citizens of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau are the only ones exempt from China’s severe national laws.
5 . Japan
Regarding citizenship and immigration, Japan has strict laws. You can typically enter Japan with a work visa. Nonetheless, there are fewer foreign workers than domestic ones, and there have been multiple accusations of mistreatment of working foreigners.
In terms of citizenship, you can become a naturalized citizen if you have resided in Japan continuously for five years. However, the requirements for naturalization in Japan vary depending on your country of origin and your present state of residence.
6 . Switzerland
Relocating to Switzerland is simple for EU/EEA nationals; however, it can be challenging for non-EU/EEA nationals. In order to obtain a long-term visa to Switzerland, one must possess sufficient funds or be highly qualified. Furthermore, you have to wait ten years before seeking citizenship, even if you are granted permanent residence status (permit C).
7 . Denmark
Denmark’s immigration restrictions are particularly strict, even for those who wish to marry a Danish citizen. For example, if you or your spouse are younger than 24, you are not eligible to obtain Danish citizenship by marriage. Furthermore, working immigrants in Denmark are subject to regulations depending on their experience and qualifications; in the absence of any appropriate skills, obtaining a residence card might be difficult.
8 . Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is a small country that is prone to overpopulation, hence it has the tightest immigration laws. Because of this, migrating to Liechtenstein and obtaining a resident permit is among the trickiest immigration procedures in all of Europe.
First off, there are only a certain number of residency licenses accessible in Liechtenstein since permits are issued through a lottery. Second, Swiss and EEA nationals are the ones who receive the majority of the permits. Therefore, you must be a highly skilled worker in order to obtain a permit.
In addition, you must have been a resident of Liechtenstein for 30 years and held a valid permanent residence permit for at least five of those years prior to submitting an application for citizenship.
9 . City of Vatican
Among the nations with the most difficult immigration regulations is the Vatican. An actual residence permit is not available to anyone who is not one of the following:
- A Cardinal
- A diplomat of the Holy See
- A church employee providing services.
Of the 800 or so people living in Vatican City, just around half are citizens of the Vatican. Therefore, being a service worker—the third category—is the only path to citizenship.
10 . Korea North
Without a doubt, one of the hardest places in the world to immigrate to is North Korea. Typically, the only way to enter North Korea as a tourist is to obtain a visa, which requires applying through a travel agency and adhering to stringent guidelines while in the country. Furthermore, only a very limited group of individuals—NGOs, for example—are permitted to reside and work in North Korea.
It is therefore very difficult to obtain North Korean citizenship unless you were born there or your parents were citizens. It is possible to become a citizen of North Korea by naturalization; however, the process is governed by the Supreme People’s Assembly, and it is hard to determine if you meet the requirements.