by Charlie
Portugal
Due to its relatively affordable cost of living, pleasant climate, and relaxed tax policy, Portugal has gradually become the center of digital nomads in Europe, as well as the European center of Web3, with a large number of Web3 practitioners in Lisbon, for example.
In the past, digital nomads mainly applied for D7 visas in Portugal, but in October 2022, Portugal officially opened the “digital nomad” visa.
Upon successful application, digital nomads can usually live and work legally in Portugal for up to one year, and there are also two-year visas available, except that they need to apply for a permanent residence at the Immigration Office upon arrival in Portugal.
With this visa, you can freely enter other Schengen zones. When it expires it can be renewed for up to five years as long as you meet the conditions and have no criminal or bad record in the area, and after five years of residence you can apply for permanent residency.
How to apply? The following conditions are required:
- Citizen of a country outside the EU;
- Minimum remote income of €3,040 per month (with spouse + 50%, with dependent children + 30%);
- No criminal record;
- Proof of accommodation (rented or purchased) in Portugal for one year;
- a permanent contract to work remotely for a company outside Portugal;
- health insurance covering the entire duration of the trip.
Of these, remote income is central to the entire digital nomad visa application, and applicants must demonstrate a stable and sufficient remote income. The most readily recognized form of proof is a stable income voucher, or if the applicant is a shareholder in a business, then this can also be demonstrated by way of company dividends.
Generally speaking, Portugal digital nomad visa application cycle can be completed within four months, just also have mainland passport applicants said that the current application in the country is relatively difficult, card more strict, the difficulty lies in the provision of sufficient proof of tax.
Estonia
Estonia is one of the Baltic States, whose territory consists of the mainland part and around 2,222 islands in the Baltic Sea, with a temperate continental humid climate.
Long known as a digital nation, Estonia was the first country in the world to introduce an official Digital Nomad Visa, which permits a stay of one year and allows digital nomads to work remotely for any employer registered outside of Estonia.
Visa holders will be given an Estonian digital resident ID, which allows them to complete the registration of overseas companies, bank card applications, etc. online, which is more friendly to independent developers and has a well-developed local IT industry, and with this visa, they can also pass through the Schengen area.
There is a €100 fee for the visa, and applicants will need to work remotely as an employee of a company outside of Estonia, own a business outside of Estonia, or be a freelancer working with a foreign client by submitting proof of a monthly income of at least €4,500 for the first six months and thereafter.
If the length of stay is greater than 183 days/year, the visa holder is required to pay taxes in Estonia, calculated by the rule that after first paying taxes in the applicant’s country of citizenship, the remainder is then taxed in Estonia at around 22%.
According to one person who has taken out an Estonian digital nomad visa, he was asked the following question during his visa application interview:
- Why are you applying for this visa?
- Why don’t you apply for a tourist visa?
- Tell us about your company’s current business.
- Tell us about your personal experience.
- What are you planning to do when you go over there?
Spanish
The Spanish digital nomad visa is valid for one year, with a renewable residence permit for up to five years and the possibility of applying for permanent residence after five years of residence.
This visa is available to people who work remotely for a business outside Spain, provided that they do not receive more than 20% of their income from the Spanish business.
The application conditions are:
- 1. the applicant must be a freelancer with foreign clients or an employee of a company located outside of Spain and have held the position for at least one year prior to applying for the visa, and must have worked remotely in their current position for at least three months prior to applying (it is permissible for freelancers to have clients in Spain but they cannot account for more than 20% of their clients or their total income);
- 2. earn 2,334 euros per month (twice the Spanish national minimum wage, with a 25% increase in the minimum income requirement for each family member the applicant brings with them);
- 3. must have an undergraduate, postgraduate, vocational training or business school degree and be considered a highly qualified professional or have been working in the industry of their specialty for the last three years;
- 4. not have lived in Spain for five years.
In the first four years of first residence, the tax is only 24% on an annual income of less than 600,000 euros.
Some Spanish digital nomads spit out the local bureaucracy, slow process, low efficiency, low popularity of English, urban environment is not clean enough, high taxes IT industry wages are low (to about 2,000 euros), the advantages of good weather, good food, more vacations, more Chinese.
Republic of Croatia
On January 1, 2021, Croatia introduced the digital nomad visa, which allows foreigners to work remotely and enjoy a sojourn here. The government exempts digital nomads from personal income tax, and holders can bring immediate family members with them.
The visa authorizes a stay of between six months and one year and is not renewable upon expiration, but a new application can be submitted six months after the expiration date.
Visa processing costs €75-155, and applicants must be working as a freelancer, employee or entrepreneur for a company outside of Croatia, and are required to submit proof of income for the past six months, demonstrating that they have earned at least €2,539.31 (about $2,737.43) per month, or have at least €30,471 (about $32,849) saved in an account.
Additionally, you cannot obtain permanent residence in Croatia with a digital nomad visa, as you must leave the country for six months after the expiration of your residency permit; if you cannot be exempted from the visa or do not already have a valid visa to enter Croatia, you cannot apply online, but only through your local embassy.
Romania
Romania has one of the fastest fixed broadband internet speeds in the EU and the local cost of living is relatively affordable. Visa holders are allowed to reside in the country for at least one year, with the possibility of a one-year renewal.
In Romania, a person will not be considered a digital nomad tax resident if he or she does not reside in the country for more than 183 days in a consecutive 12-month period.
This visa requires the applicant to provide proof of working remotely as a company, freelancer or business owner established outside of Romania, with an income requirement of €3,700/month, and must have insurance coverage of at least €30,000 for the duration of their stay in Romania.
Currently, Romania is an EU country, but not a Schengen country, but it should soon join the Schengen countries as well.
Hungary
Budapest has long attracted adventurous remote workers, and since Hungary is part of the Schengen zone, visa holders will be able to travel visa-free to 27 countries in the Schengen zone.
The Hungarian Digital Nomad Visa is only available to non-EU nationals and allows holders to stay in the country for one year, with the option to renew for another year. However, it is an individual residence permit and does not allow spouses or family members to apply together; spouses of married people must apply for a separate white card and meet the requirements as well.
Third-country nationals who can enter Hungary without a visa can use the online application. If an entry visa is required, a visa must be applied for at the local Hungarian embassy or consulate. Proof of working as a freelancer, employee or business owner of a company outside Hungary, as well as proof of a six-month income of 2,000 euros are required.
German
While Germany does not have a specific visa for digital nomads, it does offer the Freelance Visa – a residence permit that allows foreign freelancers and self-employed individuals to reside in Germany for six months to three years.
This visa requires applicants to pay a visa fee of €100 and proof of self-sufficiency in terms of income. Germany requires remote workers to pay taxes and it is advisable for freelancers with multiple clients to apply.
The application process is more complicated than digital nomad visas in other EU countries due to German language requirements and the need for work-related documentation, as well as the need to register with the German tax office and submit documents including bank statements, a portfolio and proof of professionalism (e.g. diploma professional qualifications).
Norway
Norway offers independent contractor visas for digital nomads and remote workers, which allow foreigners who are not from the European Union or the European Economic Area to live and work in Norway for up to two years, but require applicants to have their own sole proprietorship registered outside of Norway and must have at least Norwegian clients. Visa holders must pay local taxes and apply for a VAT number while living in Norway.
The application is subject to a visa fee of 600 euros, proof of self-employment in a business established outside Norway, proof of income of at least 35,719 euros per year, and contracts with Norwegian clients.
Norway has also introduced a digital nomad visa for Svalbard, Norway’s most northerly territory, where glaciers, reindeer, polar bears, arctic foxes and the northern lights can be seen. …. The Svalbard Digital Traveler Visa is valid for life and once obtained, you can stay as long as you want.
Maltese
Malta is a small island country in Europe that is currently estimated to have around 1,000 digital nomads, most of whom are EU nationals. Malta’s digital nomad visas are generally valid for one year and are renewable, and can be used to bring spouses, family members and pets.
The visa costs €300 (including family) and requires the applicant to be working as an employee or freelancer or owning a business outside Malta, earning at least €2,700 per month and providing proof of income and bank statements for the last three months.
Currently, digital nomad visas can only be applied for through embassies and cannot be applied for directly online.
Cyprus
Cyprus’ digital nomad visa gives British citizens, as well as other non-EU citizens, the right to live and work remotely on the island for 12 months, which can be extended for up to 24 months, and to bring their spouses and dependents with them.
Visa holders must stay in Cyprus for at least 60 days a year and may not leave the country for more than three months at a time. If one resides in Cyprus for more than 183 days in a year, he/she will be considered a tax resident. Taxes are payable to Cyprus unless one is a tax resident elsewhere.
Cyprus has increased the number of visas from 100 to 500. There is a processing fee of €70, an employment contract or business documents for remote work, and proof of income of €3,500 per month after taxes (€4,200 per month to be earned if bringing a spouse, €4,830 per month if bringing a spouse and one dependent, with the minimum income requirement increasing by 15% for each additional dependent), in addition to €30,000 in health and accident insurance.
Georgia
Georgia allows residents of 95 countries to enter and stay in Georgia without a visa for up to 365 days, and after 180 days in a year they will become tax residents, paying only 1% tax if their annual income is less than $155,000.
Applying for a Georgia Digital Traveler Visa can be done entirely online and the entire process takes less than two weeks. There is no fee to apply for the visa, and proof of a $2,000 monthly income or $24,000 in savings is required.
Greece
Digital nomad visas for Greece are valid for one to two years and can be accompanied by spouses and family members. The visa holder’s remote work is not taxable even if the stay in Greece exceeds 183 days if there is no economic link to Greece.
If an entry visa to Greece is required, a Digital Nomad visa must be applied for from the country of residence and is valid for 12 months. If it is possible to enter Greece without a visa (e.g. with a US, Canadian and Australian passport), it is sufficient to apply for a two-year residence permit in Greece. Greece is part of the Schengen zone and visa holders can enter 27 European countries without a visa, but must stay in Greece for at least six months during the validity of the visa.
The applicant must submit proof of remote work and demonstrate an income of at least €3,500/month (with a spouse they are required to earn €4,200/month; with a spouse and one dependent they are required to earn €4,830/month; a 15% increase is required for each dependent).
In the case of self-employed persons, the company must be registered outside Greece and the application must indicate the company’s business activity and its address.
Czech Republic
The Czech visa is valid for one year and allows the holder to renew it as a residence permit, which is valid for two years. Spouses and immediate family members can be brought along, but they are not allowed to seek local employment in the country during their stay.
There is no fee to apply for the visa, and applicants need to be citizens of one of the following countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, and must be working or hold a degree or have relevant work experience in an IT or STEM field, work remotely as an employee of a company with at least 50 employees, or be a freelancer, and earn $2,730 per month (1.5 percent of the national minimum wage in the Czech Republic is the minimum wage). 1.5 times the national minimum wage in the Czech Republic).
Latvia
The Latvian Digital Nomad Visa will allow remote workers to live in the country for one year and can be renewed for another year. After two years of living the holder can apply for permanent residency, and after five years of legal residency they can apply for Latvian citizenship, which is a huge benefit for digital nomads seeking to obtain an EU passport.
There is also good news for third country nationals (rather than EU nationals), with the option of visa-free travel to 26 Schengen zone countries during their stay in Latvia. However, there may be regulations on how long the visa holder must stay in Latvia during the validity period.
The Latvian digital nomad visa requires that the applicant be a citizen or resident of an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) country (e.g., the U.S., Israel, Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Japan, New Zealand, Turkey, etc.); proof that the applicant has been earning income remotely for at least six months through a work contract or business document with the same business, which must also be registered in an OECD country; and that the applicant earns a monthly Income of at least EUR 2,857 per month.
Icelandic
The cost of living in Iceland is high, and proof of monthly income of more than $7,700 and personal savings of around 6,500 euros is required. Permission to stay is granted for six months, and family members may be brought along, with the partner earning at least $10,000 per month. Applicants are required to be employed outside of Iceland, own a company or be self-employed working remotely.
It is important to note that this visa is only available to digital nomads of non-EU or EEA nationality who can travel to Iceland visa-free (no entry visa required) and who have not held an Icelandic visa in the last 12 months. Citizens who meet the citizenship requirements can travel visa-free to more than 100 countries around the world, including Iceland, including applying for a digital nomad visa for Iceland.
Italy (under development)
Italy’s Digital Nomad Visa is currently in the deliberation phase and it does not appear that there will be a limit to the number of digital nomad visas issued each year. Information already available includes income requirements (amount to be announced), working remotely for a company located outside of Italy, for a client or owning a business, and qualifying as a highly skilled worker, which could mean holding a master’s degree.
The self-employed visa is one of the currently viable options and requires proof of income of more than €8,500 per year. It is valid for two years and can be extended, and licensed freelancers enjoy a 70% reduction in tax liability on any income generated in Italy.
Montenegro (under development)
Currently, Montenegro does not have an official digital nomad visa, but it is on the way to be launched.
According to the disclosure, the digital nomad visa for Montenegro is valid for 2 years and can be extended for another 2 years. During these 2+2 years, digital nomads are exempt from paying income tax in Montenegro. However, after a stay of 4 years one has to spend 6 months outside Montenegro before applying for this visa again.
The required information is also the usual elements: possession of a passport valid for at least six months; proof of possession of travel insurance; proof of income; presentation of proof of accommodation in Montenegro; proof that they are employed by or have a contract with a company outside Montenegro.
