A Travel Perk Certain Residencies Around the World Can Afford You

Years ago, when apartheid still ruled, I had to produce a passport to enter the “Bantustan” territories, which the rest of the world regarded as the integral parts of South Africa. It was part of the crazy mythology that African ethnic groups belonged in these “countries,” forcing everyone to pretend they were sovereign states.

Indeed, there was a time when countries liked to make the biggest deal possible about formalities at their borders. I guess it was a form of “sovereign insecurity.” Making people jump through hoops to cross a border made governments feel better.

But that began to change in the late 20th century when the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) abolished internal border controls. European nations felt secure enough to forego those formalities. These days, once legally inside the region, you can go anywhere. You might be asked for ID occasionally, but most border crossings are invisible.

But all the focus on the EU obscures the fact that there are other supranational blocs whose residents don’t need to flash a passport either. In fact, there are nine such groups of countries around the world:

1. EU/EEA: The 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Unlimited travel and rights of residency within the bloc. 463 million residents.
2. MERCOSUR: Most of South America except Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana. Unlimited travel, and right of residency on proof of a clean criminal record. 404 million residents.
3. CARICOM: Most Caribbean Island nations other than Cuba along with Belize, Suriname, and Guyana. Unlimited travel, and right of residency for those with a skill certificate. 7 million residents.
4. ECOWAS: 15 West African states. Unlimited travel and rights of residency on application of a permit. 424 million residents.
5. Gulf Cooperation Council: All nations in the Arabian Peninsula except Yemen. Unlimited travel and rights of residency. 58 million residents.
6. Nordic Passport Union: Scandinavian countries except Finland, plus Iceland. Unlimited travel and rights of residency. 27 million residents. (A bit redundant since all of these countries are also part of the EU/EEA).
7. CTA: Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.Unlimited travel and rights of residency. 27 million residents.
8. Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement: Australia and New Zealand. Unlimited travel and rights of residency. 33 million residents.
9. Compact of Free Association: The country most jealous of its sovereignty—and with the fussiest border controls—the United States, together with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Unlimited travel and rights of residency (except for naturalized citizens of the Pacific territories). 340 million residents.

The upshot here is that if you become a legal resident or citizen of any of the countries in these settlement blocs, you can travel, live, and work pretty much anywhere within them. Something useful to keep in mind when you’re thinking about acquiring residency elsewhere.

PS: If you’re an American, I’ll bet you didn’t know you could go live on a tropical Pacific Island with just your U.S. passport…