“Having a temporary or permanent residence in certain EU countries

will give you greater visa-free travel in and of itself. There are several countries throughout the world that will grant visa-free access to permanent residents of the EU, even if their passport doesn’t give them access.

It really differs based on which country your residence is in and whether it is temporary or permanent.

In general, having a Schengen residence permit will not only grant you visa-free access to more countries than are available on your passport but it also gives you more legitimacy when applying for visas in countries that still require you to obtain one.”