Moving to Europe: Pros and Cons for Chinese Citizens

Europe is one of the traditional destinations for Chinese people settling abroad. From the migrants from Qingtian and Wenzhou in Zhejiang who went to France and Italy to make a living in the late nineteenth century, to today’s engineering students in Germany, master’s students in the UK, and shopkeepers and retirees in Spain and Portugal, every major European country now has a sizeable Chinese community. Generous welfare, good public healthcare and education, and a slower pace of life are the main reasons many families consider moving to Europe.

But Europe is not exactly open to ordinary Chinese passports: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal all require a visa in advance, the EU rolled out a new border system in 2025–2026, and Spain and others have scrapped residence-by-property. This guide compares the six countries from a Chinese citizen’s point of view – entry rules, long-stay routes, cost of living, Chinese communities, safety and climate – to help you decide which European country suits you and which route to take.

The six countries at a glance

The Chinese population figures use different definitions – ethnicity in the UK, nationality in Germany, Italy and Portugal, country of birth in France and valid residence documents in Spain – so they cannot be added up or compared directly.

Which European countries are visa-free for Chinese citizens? Schengen rules explained

The short answer: none of the six European countries covered on this site currently offers visa-free entry to ordinary Chinese passports. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal are all Schengen countries, so for tourism, family visits or business trips one Schengen (type C) visa lets you travel across the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The adult visa fee has been €90 since June 2024. You should normally apply to the country that is your main destination (where you will stay longest), or to the first country of entry if the stays are equal.

Entry/Exit System (EES): the EU began phasing in the EES on 12 October 2025 and it became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Non-EU nationals entering for a short stay have their name, travel document details, fingerprints and facial image recorded; the system logs entry and exit dates automatically and replaces passport stamps. Chinese visitors with Schengen visas must register too – expect longer queues on your first entry, and any overstay will be detected precisely. See the European Commission’s EES page for official details.

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS): ETIAS is an electronic travel authorisation similar to the US ESTA, meant only for travellers from visa-exempt countries. It is expected to launch at the end of 2026 (according to the French embassy in China), with an expected fee of €20. Holders of ordinary Chinese passports still need a Schengen visa; ETIAS neither applies to you nor replaces a visa. The French embassy in China warns that websites currently offering ETIAS applications are scams.

The UK is outside Schengen: you need a separate UK visit visa, which costs £135 (October 2026 fee); applicants in mainland China receive a 2-year multiple-entry visa under the China visa scheme. The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) does not apply to Chinese passports either.

Policy changes to watch in 2025–2026

• Spain: under Organic Law 1/2025, investor residence visas (the “golden visa”, including via property purchase) were abolished on 3 April 2025. Buying property no longer gives you residence.
• Portugal: since 2023 the golden visa no longer accepts property investment; only fund investment, research or cultural donations and job-creating business options remain. Organic Law 1/2026 of 18 May 2026 amended the nationality law: most foreigners now need 10 years of legal residence to naturalise (7 for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and the EU). It took effect on 19 May 2026; applications already pending stay under the old rules.
• Germany: dual citizenship has been allowed since 27 June 2024, and naturalisation is generally possible after 5 years’ residence. China, however, does not recognise dual nationality: a Chinese citizen who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses Chinese nationality.
• United Kingdom: a new Home Office fee table took effect on 8 October 2026; the government is pushing an “earned settlement” reform that would extend the wait for settlement on most routes from 5 to 10 years, which had not been written into the Immigration Rules as of mid-2026.

For how nationality affects your hukou, property and social insurance in China, see Dual nationality and Chinese nationality law.

Cost of living compared

The figures below come from the crowd-sourced site Numbeo, shown in Chinese yuan, with Shanghai as a benchmark. London is far ahead, followed by Milan, Paris and Berlin; Madrid and Lisbon have the lowest day-to-day costs, although Lisbon rents are now on a par with Paris.

Adding rent and living costs together, one person renting in central London spends about CNY 30,000 a month, Milan about CNY 19,000, Paris, Berlin, Lisbon and Madrid between CNY 16,000 and 18,000, against about CNY 11,000 in Shanghai. Public transport in Europe is cheap, but eating out, repairs and household help cost far more than in China. Plan large transfers out of China in advance – see Personal foreign exchange and moving money abroad.

Chinese life in Europe

Chinese communities in Europe differ widely in origin and occupation. In the UK and Germany they are mostly students, professionals and researchers; in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal the older generation largely came from Qingtian and Wenzhou in Zhejiang and built businesses in restaurants, wholesale, clothing and small goods. The garment industry in Prato, Italy, and the Chinese wholesale districts of Madrid and Barcelona are well known.

In big cities such as London, Manchester, Paris, Milan and Madrid, Chinese supermarkets, restaurants, lawyers and accountants are easy to find, and weekend Chinese schools are common. But compared with North America, Chinese-language services in Europe are much thinner, and outside the big cities you will rely on the local language. Learning it is the key to working, living long-term and fitting in.

Safety

Europe is generally safe, with lower violent crime than many regions, but pickpocketing and phone snatching are common in tourist cities such as Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid and London – especially on the metro, at railway stations and at sights. Chinese visitors are often targeted because they are assumed to carry cash. Phone scams in which callers pose as the embassy or as “police in China” are also frequent among Chinese residents in Europe.

Climate

The UK and Germany are mild but often grey and rainy, with short winter days; northern France is similar while the south is Mediterranean. Spain, Portugal and southern Italy have hot, dry summers, mild winters and plenty of sunshine, which makes them popular with retirees. Heatwaves have become frequent in recent European summers, and many older homes lack air conditioning – keep that in mind when choosing a flat.

Pros and cons

Which European country is best for you?

• Good English, want to study or work in finance or tech: the UK has the most study and job opportunities but is the most expensive – see Moving to the UK.
• STEM background and willing to learn German: Germany’s EU Blue Card and Opportunity Card are the friendliest options for skilled workers – see Moving to Germany.
• Study, the arts or the Talent Passport: French public universities are cheap and the Talent Passport covers many profiles – see Moving to France.
• Trade, clothing or a family business: Italy has a mature Chinese business network – see Moving to Italy.
• Stable passive income, retirement or remote work: Spain’s non-lucrative and digital nomad visas, or Portugal’s D7 and D8 visas, fit best – see Moving to Spain and Moving to Portugal.

What to do in China before you leave

1. Choose the country and visa categoryMatch your income, education, language skills and family situation to a main route
2. Passport and police certificateMake sure your passport covers the whole visa period and obtain a criminal record certificate
3. Notarisation and legalisationNotarise degree, birth and marriage documents and get apostilles
4. Funds and insurancePrepare proof of funds and buy health insurance that meets visa requirements
5. Apply and arriveSubmit at the visa centre, then get your residence card and registration after arrival

How to handle each step is covered in the Leaving China checklist. European visa rules change often, so keep an eye on our news.

FAQ

What are the requirements for moving to Europe?

Europe has no single “immigrant visa”. You usually start with a study, work, self-employment, passive-income or family residence permit, apply for long-term residence after a set number of years (around 5 in most countries), and then for citizenship once you meet language, integration and residence requirements. Almost every route requires a police certificate, health insurance and legalised degree or marriage documents.

Which European countries are visa-free for Chinese citizens?

None of the six countries covered here – the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal – is visa-free for ordinary Chinese passports. Schengen countries require a Schengen visa and the UK its own visa; ETIAS is only for visa-exempt travellers and does not replace a visa.

Can I work in Europe on a Schengen visa?

No. A short-stay Schengen visa only allows tourism, family visits, business meetings and similar activities. Any paid work requires a work visa or residence permit from the country concerned. Working on a tourist visa can lead to deportation and a record in the Schengen system.

Can I get residence by buying property in Europe?

Spain abolished investor residence visas on 3 April 2025, and Portugal’s golden visa has not accepted property since 2023. You can still buy a home to live in or as an investment, but not as a route to residence. Be very careful with anyone still selling “residence by property”.

Sources

1. European Commission: Entry/Exit System (EES) (accessed October 2026)
2. Embassy of France in China: Travelling to Europe (EES and ETIAS) (accessed October 2026)
3. Wikipedia: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (backup source) (accessed October 2026)
4. European Commission: Applying for a Schengen visa (accessed October 2026)
5. German Federal Foreign Office: Adjustment of the Schengen visa fee (11 June 2024) (accessed October 2026)
6. GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor (accessed October 2026)
7. GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 (accessed October 2026)
8. GOV.UK Ethnicity facts and figures: Population of England and Wales (Census 2021) (accessed October 2026)
9. Destatis: Foreign population by selected citizenships (accessed October 2026)
10. INSEE: Immigrants by country group of birth (accessed October 2026)
11. Wikipedia: Chinese people in Italy (citing ISTAT; backup source) (accessed October 2026)
12. Spanish Permanent Observatory on Immigration: Foreigners with valid residence documents, 30 June 2025 (accessed October 2026)
13. Wikipedia: Immigration to Portugal (citing AIMA data; backup source) (accessed October 2026)
14. BOE: Organic Law 1/2025 (abolition of investor residence visas) (accessed October 2026)
15. Make it in Germany: EU Blue Card (accessed October 2026)
16. Wikipedia: German nationality law (backup source) (accessed October 2026)
17. Numbeo: Cost of living in London (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
18. Numbeo: Cost of living in Berlin (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
19. Numbeo: Cost of living in Paris (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
20. Numbeo: Cost of living in Milan (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
21. Numbeo: Cost of living in Madrid (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
22. Numbeo: Cost of living in Lisbon (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
23. Numbeo: Cost of living in Shanghai (accessed October 2026)
24. Portugal: Organic Law 1/2026 of 18 May 2026 amending the Nationality Law (Diário da República text, copy published by the Regional Government of Madeira) (accessed October 2026)