In the past, going to other countries in search of work was a big circumstance. With hundreds of companies promoting remote-friendly work procedures for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic and beyond, there’s never been a more suitable time to be a digital vagabond.
Amid these concerns, many countries relaxed lockdown constraints at the exact time the summer holiday season traditionally commenced. Many avoided flying, choosing for staycations, and in mid-August 2020, global flights were down 47% on the previous year. Even so, hundreds of thousands still holidayed abroad, only then to be caught out by sudden quarantine measures. In mid-August for example, 160,000 British holidaymakers were still in France when quarantine measures were levied. On August 22, Croatia, Austria, and Trinidad and Tobago were added to the UK’s quarantine list, then Switzerland, Jamaica, and the Czech Republic the week after – causing continued confusion and panic.
Amid these moral panics, Barbados has reframed the discussion about travel by undertaking a “Barbados Welcome Stamp” which permits visitors to stay and work remotely for up to 12 months. Prime Minister Mia Mottley described the new visa as been driven by COVID-19 making short-term visits difficult due to time-consuming testing and the possibility for quarantine. But this isn’t a problem if you can visit for a few months and work through the quarantine with the shore on your doorstep. This sensation is rapidly spreading to other countries. Bermuda, Estonia, and Georgia have all launched remote work-friendly visas.
Here are a few examples of long term visas that can work for digital nomads and remote workers.
German Freelance “Freiberufler” Visa
This visa particularly for freelancers is perfect for digital nomads! The German Freelance “Freiberufler” Visa can be extended for up to 3 years. To qualify for this one, the local tax office must consider your freelance job “liberal” versus a commercial profession, and this will decide whether you qualify. After qualifying, note that you will have to pay taxes to the German government. A subset of the freelancer visa is the artist visa, which is only functional in Berlin and of course, for artists, which can range from painters, musicians, writers. Ultimately, it will be up to your case manager if you qualify as an artist and then you’ll get to make art in one of the coolest cities in Europe, which also happens to be a digital nomad favorite!
Dubai Remote Work Nomad Visa
Dubai is one of the safest sites in the world to travel to and has a brilliant digital infrastructure. In 2020, Dubai launched its remote work and travel visa. For a fee of $287, you’ll be able to access housing, telecoms, and utilities – making it easy to start living in the UAE capital. You’ll also need medical insurance with UAE validity, at least 6 months on your passport, and proof of employment from your employer.
Czech Republic Long Term Visa
If you’d like to stay long term in Prague, one of the best cities for digital nomads, the Czech Republic’s Long Term Visa with the objective of a business. With this long term visa, you can stay for a year. You will have to have a housing plan sorted out prior, as you will have to verify you have set accommodation to qualify. With a low cost of living and fast wifi, the Czech Republic, in general, is a great option for digital nomads.
Spain’s Self Employment Visa
The Self Employment Visa that Spain proposes is a great option for digital nomads who are self-employed and it is pretty common for digital nomads to be self-employed freelancers. Like the previously mentioned visas, this one will grant you up to a year’s stay. When applying, you will need to prove you have sufficient funds to “establish and maintain employment indefinitely” and you’ll have to pass a background check. Then, you can join in on the digital nomad scenes in Barcelona or Madrid!
Mexico Temporary Resident Visa
A Mexico temporary resident visa allows you to stay in the country for a year on average, and after that, you can renew it annually for another 3 years. You will need to furnish documents proving that you had a monthly income of over USD 1,620 over the last 6 months or a bank account balance of over $27,000. The digital nomad set in Mexico is growing, with Mexico City being the biggest hotspot.
Barbados Digital Nomad Visa
Following the remote work boom, Barbados has announced a 12-month working holiday visa which allows visitors to work remotely from the island. The visa costs $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for families.
Bermuda Digital Nomad Visa
Similar to Barbados, Bermuda has released a 12-month remote work visa, which allows visitors to stay in the country for up to a year while working online. The visa currently costs $263.
Australian Working Holiday Visa
An Australian Working Holiday Visa is a great long term visa allows you to stay for a year! However, you must be between 18 and 35 years old to qualify for this visa. This visa can be extended to a “Second Working Holiday Visa” for a second year if you complete 3 months of specified work in the country, typically some kind of farm work in rural Australia. The line is blurry here if digital nomads can simply get by with an e600 Visitor Visa – a long-stay visa that can let you stay for up to 12 months, as well. There are plenty of places to work and meet fellow digital nomads in Melbourne and Sydney.
Estonia’s Digital Nomad Visa
This visa will be the first of its kind a visa specifically geared towards digital nomads. Estonia’s digital nomad visa was intended to launch in early 2019, but unfortunately, we’re still awaiting it. When established, it will allow digital nomads to stay for a year in this developed country. Estonia is actually one of the world’s most digitally developed countries. They already have a very unique e-residency program that allows people to create and run an EU-based business online from anywhere in the world. For this very digital country, a digital nomad visa makes purpose as a next step.
Before COVID-19, office workers were geographically tethered to their offices, and it was specifically business travelers and the lucky few digital nomads who were capable to take their work with them and travel while working. Since the onset of the pandemic, many digital nomads had to work in a single location, and office workers have become remote workers giving them a peek of the digital nomad lifestyle.
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