Which countries offer a digital nomad visa?

By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Getting a digital nomad visa and working from a different country is becoming increasingly popular. Research cited by TwoTicketsAnywhere.com shows that there are 35m digital nomads worldwide, with UK nomads making up 8 per cent of the total.

If you’re thinking of taking the digital nomad visa route, we’ve got you covered for destinations around the globe.

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What is a digital nomad visa? A Digital Nomad Visa allows business owners and employees to work for their current business in another country via telecommunications on a temporary basis. Digital Nomad Visas normally last between six months and two years. They’ve been introduced in response to a drop in tourism numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Telecommunications technology has revolutionised over the past three years, making it easier for those who have digital-based jobs to work from wherever they like.

What rules apply to a digital nomad visa? For your visa to be approved, you’ll generally need the following: · A clean criminal record · A return ticket to your home country · Valid ID and travel documents · Passport-sized photos · Proof of income/employment These do vary, so make sure you check with the host country before you apply.

Will I have to pay income tax in the country that I’m working from? It depends on where you’re working from, but you may just be paying UK income tax. In some cases, you’ll be paying a reduced income tax rate in the country you’re staying in.

Do I have to work for a company to get a digital nomad visa? No, they’re often open to freelancers and the self-employed too. You may have to provide proof of clientele or register as a sole trader in the country you’re going to be residing in.

Can I bring my employees and/or family with me? In many cases, you can. You may have to file separate paperwork and pay extra though.

>See also: Top tips for working abroad

Which countries have a digital nomad visa?

Tens of countries around the world offer variations of these visas, but often by a different name. We’ve rounded up the countries which currently offer a digital nomad visa and which ones are being implemented.

Each country’s listing contains a link with more information and a link to the application process, unless you need to go to your nearest consulate or embassy. Navigate with the quick links in the tables below.

Europe

Albania Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Latvia Malta Norway Portugal Romania Serbia Spain

Caribbean

Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Bermuda Curaçao Dominica Grenada Montserrat The Bahamas

The Americas

Mexico Belize Costa Rica Panama Argentina Brazil Colombia Ecuador Uruguay

Africa

Cape Verde Mauritius Namibia Seychelles

Asia

Abu Dhabi Armenia Dubai Malaysia Taiwan Thailand

Yet to be implemented

Andorra Goa Italy Japan Montenegro North Macedonia Philippines South Africa South Korea Sri Lanka

>See also: 7 actions to improve your company’s cyber security while working remotely

Albania

https://e-visa.al/

Berati, old town in Albania

Name of visa: Visa Type “D” – Long stay visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes – by two years initially, then by five more years after that, after which workers can apply for permanent residency

Requirements:

Valid employment contract with a foreign company

Service contract with a foreign contractor

Proof of sufficient income to support their stay and their dependents

Health insurance

Clean criminal record

Albanian bank account where they will receive their funds from income sourced abroad

Contract of accommodation in Albania

Minimum salary: Not stated

How to apply: Online at https://e-visa.al/apply

Croatia

https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-digital-nomads/286833

Split, Croatia

Name of visa: Digital Nomad Visa – despite the name, this doesn’t serve as a Visa, but a residence permit

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? No – to stay longer than a year, digital nomads must leave Croatia for at least six months before applying again.

Visa fee: €46.45 fee for applying online (£40); €55.74 (£48) when applying at a consulate. Other fees apply.

Requirements:

Proof of purpose, i.e. a work contract that states you can work remotely

Copy of a valid passport/travel document

Government-issued background check from your home country (apostilled/legalised, officially translated)

Certificate of length of stay (if you have lived somewhere other than your country of nationality for the previous 12 months)

Health insurance

Croatian temporary address

Passport photo 30×35 mm

Minimum salary: €2,549.31 per month (£2,212)

How to apply: Online at https://digitalnomadscroatia.mup.hr/Pages/Zahtjev2 , at any Croatian embassy or consulate; or if a Visa isn’t needed, the closest police station. Once checked, applicants will receive a letter in the post or a phone call.

Cyprus

http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/CRMD/crmd.nsf/All/BF9908B541BFF7D3C22587EA003CD306?OpenDocument

An alley in Nicosia old town, Cyprus

Name of visa: Digital Nomad Visa Scheme

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes – subject to re-submission of required documents to the Civil Registry and Migration Department in Nicosia, at least one month before the residence permit expires

Visa fee:

Issuance or renewal of a temporary residence permit: €70 (£61)

Registration to the Aliens’ Registry (only in cases of initial registration): €70 (£61)

Requirements:

Passport – valid for at least three months after arrival in Cyprus

Two passport-sized photos, following the Schengen visa photo requirements.

Completed, signed and notarised application form

Proof of remote work (work contract or other business document)

Proof of income (bank statements or payslips)

An up-to-date CV

Letter of intent

Proof of €30,000 in health and accident insurance available during your entire stay

Address of accommodation

Clean criminal record

Minimum salary: €3,500 per month (£3,082) after tax

How to apply: Set up an appointment at their nearest Cypriot embassy or consulate.

Czech Republic

https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens/long_stay_visa/long_stay_visa.html

Prague, Czech Republic. Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) and Old Town Tower at sunrise

Name of visa: Long Term Visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes, for a maximum of one year

Requirements:

Passport – valid for a minimum of six months after your return date

Application form, which can be downloaded from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, here: https://www.mzv.cz/public/45/84/57/525242_423344_zov_EN.pdf

Two identity photos, taken within the last six months

Proof of enough financial means – at least €5,061 (£4,458) in your bank account

Zino trade licence

Proof of accommodation for your entire length of stay in the Czech Republic

Clean criminal record

Health insurance that covers at least €60,000 (£52,852) of your medical expenses in the Czech Republic

Minimum salary: 1.5x subsistence minimum – €2,507 (£2,179) at the time of writing

How to apply: Via an appointment at the nearest Czech embassy

Estonia

Digital Nomad Visa vs E-Residency | Eligibility & How to Apply (e-resident.gov.ee)

Toompea hill with tower Pikk Hermann and Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, view from the tower of St. Olaf church, Tallinn, Estonia

Name of visa: Two types: Type C Digital Nomad Visa and Type D Digital Nomad Visa

Length of stay: Type C: 90 days; Type D: One year

Can I extend my stay? No – new applications must be made while in Estonia

Visa fee: €80 (£69.50) for a C Visa; €100 (£87) for D Visa

Requirements:

Passport, valid for at least three months after the return date – must have two blank pages.

Application form – can be filled in online here: Viisa eeltaotlemise vormi avaleht (vm.ee)

Two passport-sized photos, in line with the Schengen visa photo criteria.

Work contract

Letter from your employer, stating that you can work remotely

Proof of sufficient financial means. (bank statements issued in the last six months)

Proof of accommodation in Estonia – can be a rental agreement or temporary accommodation such as a hotel

Proof of health insurance valid for the entire length of your stay, covering €30,000 (£26,425)

Minimum salary: €4,500 (£3,913) gross of tax in the six months preceding the application

How to apply: At an Estonian embassy; at a Police and Border Guard office in Estonia; or at a VFS office

Germany

https://www.germany-visa.org/freelance-visa/#2

Hamburg townhall and Alster river at spring

Name of visa: Two types of Freelancer Visa: Visa for freelance employment (Freiberufler) and Visa for self-employment (Selbständiger)

Length of stay: Three months

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Visa fee: €75 (£65)

Requirements:

Completed national entry visa application form

Valid passport

Two recently taken biometric photographs.

Public or private health or travel insurance

Recommendation letters from the previous employer

An up-to-date CV

Portfolio of previous work

Professional authorisation, if planning to practice a profession that requires prior experience in the field, e.g. medicine or law

Certificates of former education

Enough financial means, demonstrated through bank statements

Profit/loss statement from intended freelance activity

Evidence of a freelance plan.

At least two letters of commitment from future customers/employers, showing their intent to employ you when you enter Germany

Minimum salary: €9,000 per year (£7,926)

How to apply: Via appointment with your nearest German embassy

Greece

https://uk-gr.gvcworld.eu/en

Acropolis of Lindos. Athens, Greece

Name of visa: Greece digital nomad visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Visa fee: Visa fee €75 (£65); administrative fee €150 (£130)

Requirements:

Passport, valid for at least six months after your return date, with two blank pages.

Application form

Two passport-sized photos

A cover letter of declaration, stating the reason for your stay in Greece

Proof of employment, stating work as a digital nomad

A clean criminal record

Proof of accommodation in Greece

Proof of health insurance

A return flight ticket

A medical certificate

Minimum salary: €3,500 per month (£3,081)

How to apply: Via appointment with your nearest Greek embassy or consulate

Hungary

http://www.bmbah.hu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=1714&Itemid=2100&lang=en

Budapest cityscape, Hungary

Name of visa: White Card residence permit

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Visa fee: €110 (£95.50)

Requirements:

Passport, valid for at least six months after the visa expires

Completed visa application form

Two passport-sized photos following Schengen guidelines

Proof that you will work remotely for a company registered outside Hungary

Proof of health insurance for your entire stay in Hungary, covering medical costs

Proof of accommodation

Minimum salary: €2,000 per month (£1,760)

How to apply: Via an appointment at your nearest Hungarian embassy or consulate

Iceland

https://island.is/en/get-long-term-visa-for-remote-workers

Hikers under the Northern Lights in Iceland

Name of visa: Long-term visa for remote work

Length of stay: Three-six months

Can I extend my stay? No – you can re-apply after 12 months

Visa fee: 12,200 ISK (£73)

Requirements:

Passport, valid for three more months after your visa expires

Iceland digital nomad visa application form

One passport-sized photo – cannot be older than six months and must follow the Schengen visa photo requirements

Health insurance for the entire length of your stay in Iceland.

A letter from your employer proving that you will be working remotely for a foreign employer or performing self-employed work

Clean criminal record

Minimum salary: 1,000,000 ISK (£5,980)

How to apply: Via postage to the Directorate of Immigration in Kópavogur, or in person

Latvia

https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/en/article/obtaining-long-stay-visa-remote-work

Riga, Latvia. Decorated facades of old houses on Meistaru Street

Name of visa: Long-stay visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Requirements:

A valid travel document (when submitting documents to the Administration by mail, a copy of the passport must be submitted);

Completed and signed visa form ( fill out the e-form );

Photograph (not older than months);

A copy of the document certifying that the foreigner has a health insurance policy (valid in the Republic of Latvia and Schengen member states, the minimum liability limit of the insurer specified in the policy must not be less than €42,600 (£37,033) during the insurance period);

Documents confirming the expected place of residence in Latvia;

A document issued by the tax administration of a member state of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which certifies the income obtained in the last six months from the activities of a self-employed person in the amount of not less than the average monthly gross wages of the employees in the previous year, applying a factor of 2.5 (in accordance with the Central the last published information of the statistical office – €3433)

A document confirming the payment of the state fee

Minimum salary: 2.5 times’ the national Latvian salary €3,433 per month at the time of writing (£2,984)

How to apply: Online here or at your nearest consulate

Malta

https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/

Vibrant fisherman boats in Malta

Name of visa: Malta Digital Nomad Visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Visa fee: €300 visa fee (£261); €27.50 (£24) for a residency card

Requirements:

Passport, valid for at least three months after your planned departure, with two blank pages.

Two passport-sized photos following Schengen guidelines.

Application form, which can be found on the Residency Malta Agency website .

Cover letter stating why you want to stay in Malta; and the length of your stay

Proof of employment

An up-to-date CV

Proof of accommodation (hotel booking; host invitation – if planning to stay with friends or relatives; confirmation by an organised tour operator; rental agreement

Proof of sufficient financial means. (bank statement from the last six months)

Medical documents

Minimum salary: €2,700 per month (£2,377)

How to apply: Via email to the Residency Malta Agency – [email protected]

Norway

https://www.udi.no/en/

Train from Oslo to Bergen in Norway

Name of visa: Independent contractor visa / Skilled workers visa

Length of stay: Two years

Can I extend my stay? Yes – up to six years

Visa fee: €600 (£521.50)

Requirements:

Valid passport

Proof of self-employment

Bank statements proving income

Contract with at least one Norwegian client

Address of accommodation

UDI checklist

If it’s your own business, it must be your own sole proprietorship – no limited companies

Minimum salary: €35,719 (£31,454)

How to apply: Via appointment with your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate; or at a police station if in Norway

Portugal

https://portuguese-chamber.org.uk/news/new-one-year-digital-nomad-visa/#:~:text=Officially%20called%20the%20%E2%80%9Cresidence%20visa,in%20the%20EU%20or%20EEA

Table with view a view over the river in Porto, Portugal

Name of visa: Portugal Temporary-Stay Digital Nomad Visa

Length of stay: One year (temporary visa)

Can I extend my stay? Yes – up to five years (with residency visa)

Visa fee: Approximately €180 (£156.50) visa fee; approximately €320 (£278) residence fee

Requirements:

Must come from a country not in the EU or EEA

Must be self-employed or employed by a company based outside Portugal

Temporary stay visa application form

Cover letter explaining the purpose of your application

Valid passport (with at least six months of validity)

Two passport-sized photos

Proof of regular income meeting minimum requirements

Proof of accommodation in Portugal for at least a year

Certificate of criminal record (certified by Apostille)

Proof of valid health insurance (for the first four months of your stay)

Proof of visa fee payment

Minimum salary: Must earn at least four times the Portuguese minimum wage per month – roughly €3,040 (£2,643)

How to apply: Submit an application at the Portuguese consulate

Romania

https://evisa.mae.ro/Home?lang=en-US

Unirii Square, Bucharest

Name of visa: Long-stay visa (symbol D)

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes – can renew for another year

Visa fee: EUR 120 (£107)

Requirements:

The applicant derives income from a foreign company and is able to work using information or communication technology

The applicant can also be the owner of a company incorporated outside of Romania and can work remotely

Medical insurance with a coverage of at least EUR 30,000 (£26,500) for the entire duration of the stay

Proof of accommodation in Romania, usually in the form of a rental agreement

Minimum salary: At least three times the average gross monthly income in the country (EUR 3,700, £3,217) for the last six months prior to submitting the visa application and for the entire duration of the stay;

How to apply: Create an account on the Romanian eVisa platform and apply from there. Alternatively, you can go through the foreign ministry website or through the local Romanian Embassy.

Serbia

http://www.mup.gov.rs/wps/portal/en/information/temporary+residence/temporary+residence

View from Belgrade fortress Kalemegdan to the delta of Danube and Sava

Name of visa: Temporary Residence

Length of stay: Up to one year

Can I extend my stay? No

Visa fee: $110 (£90)

Requirements:

• A valid personal or official passport

• Proof of means of subsistence during the planned temporary residence

• Registration of either short-term or residential address in the Republic of Serbia

• Proof of health insurance during the planned residence

• Proof of prescribed administrative fee payment

• Two photos (35x45mm, color, full face)

• Filled out application form

You’ll also need to register your business and get a self-employment work permit through the Serbian National Employment Service .

Minimum salary: At least $3,500 (£2,830) a month

How to apply: Apply online at http://www.mup.gov.rs/wps/portal/en/information/temporary+residence/temporary+residence

Spain

https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/londres/en/Paginas/index.aspx

Man and woman in flamenco costume performing a dance in Seville

Name of visa: Remote work visa

Length of stay: One year

Can I extend my stay? Yes –can be extended to five years.

Visa fee: €73.26 (£63.50)

Requirements:

You must prove that you’re an international worker who wants to settle in Spain

If you’re earning additional income in Spain, it can’t make up more than 20 per cent of your overall income

Must have employment record of at least three years and/or have graduated from university

Must have a health insurance policy for at least one year. If it’s a private policy, it must be with a company authorised to offer insurance in Spain

Minimum salary: Income must be at least 200 per cent of Spain’s minimum income (£25,700 at time of writing)

How to apply: Visit your nearest Spanish consulate or you can start your application in Spain as a tourist. You can fast-track your application to be processed in 20 days rather than three months.

Anguilla

https://ivisitanguilla.com/entry-requirements/

Anguilla Island, Caribbean Sea

Name of visa: Digital Nomad

Visa fee:

Up to three months

Individual traveller – $400 (£327.50)

Couple – $600 (£491)

Family – $400 (£327.50) for the main application and $250 (£204.50) for each additional person

3 – 12 months

Individual traveller – US$2,000 (£1,637.50)

Family – $3,000 (£2,456) for up to four persons and US$250 (£204.50) for each additional person

Length of stay: Up to 12 months

Can I extend my stay? No

Requirements:

Valid passport

Remote job/university enrolment

Entry visa (in some cases)

Health insurance

Clean criminal record

How to apply: Online at https://evisa.gov.ai/

Antigua and Barbuda

https://nomad.gov.ag/ui/index.php

St. John’s, Antigua. Port and skyline at twilight

Name of visa: Nomad digital residence visa

Visa fee: Single – USD$1500.00 (£1,217)

Couple (Applicant + 1 dependent) – USD$2000.00 (£1,600)

Family (Applicant + up to 3 dependents) – USD$3000.00 (£2,400)

Please Note: A family of more than three dependents will incur an additional fee of $650 (£528) per additional dependent.

Length of stay: Two years

Can I extend my stay? No – the visa can only be issued once.

Requirements:

Must be 18 years or older

Must be employed outside of Antigua and Barbuda and can work remotely

Must have a clean criminal record

Minimum salary: $50,000 (£40,500)

How to apply: Online at https://nomad.gov.ag/ui/applicationPreForm.php . Once submitted, it’ll take five to seven business days for your application to be processed.

Barbados

https://www.visitbarbados.org/barbados-welcome-stamp

Green monkey – monkey from Barbados eating fruit provided at an animal sanctuary

Name of visa: Welcome Stamp

Visa fee: Individual – $2,000 (£1,600) Family Bundle – $3,000 (£2,400)

Length of stay: Up to 12 months

Can I extend my stay? Yes

Requirements:

Passport sized photograph Principal Applicant and all other members of the Family Group over the age of 18 (if applicable).

Bio data page of passport – Principal Applicant and all other members the Family Group (if applicable).

Proof of relationship of Principal Applicant to all other members of the Family Group.

Minimum salary: At least USD$50,000 (£40,500) over the 12 months you intend to have the travel stamp.

How to apply: Online at

Which countries offer a digital nomad visa?

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