The rise of remote work has come with the growing popularity of digital nomad visas. The latest surge began in 2020, when many countries locked down to slow the spread of a deadly, fast-spreading virus. Office staff were sent home, and video calls, messaging apps, productivity trackers, and shared documents were rolled out en masse. It became undeniable that you can get a lot of work done from anywhere, be it your office, your kitchen table, a café, or another country altogether.
In August 2020, Estonia launched the world's first official digital nomad visa. The aim was to recoup lost tourism income by inviting remote workers to do their foreign jobs from Estonian soil. Plenty of European countries have since followed, among them Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Malta, and Romania.
There are a few Caribbean countries that have programmes too, including Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas. Asian governments have moved fast too, and there are digital nomad visas for Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
More than 18 million workers in the United States now identify as digital nomads, up 150 percent from just 7 million in 2019. Worldwide, the picture is blurrier: estimates go from about 40 million to as many as 80 million, and it depends a lot on how exactly you define the term.
What are digital nomad visas?
Who's eligible for a digital nomad visa?
A digital nomad visa is a special permit that lets you live in a foreign country and keep working remotely, without all the usual residency requirements. These visas are intended for remote employees, freelancers, contractors, and entrepreneurs who earn income abroad, typically from employers or clients outside the host country. The work has to be something you do over the internet, such as software development, consulting, writing, or running an online business.
What's required to apply for a digital nomad visa, and how long are they valid for?
A tourist visa usually allows 30 to 90 days and bans remote work, but a digital nomad visa lets you stay longer and work legally. Most programmes want proof that your income comes from employers or clients outside the host country, and you'll normally have to clear a set income threshold. Initial stays tend to run from six months to two years, and many permits can be renewed.
At a minimum, you'll need a valid passport, evidence of steady income, health insurance, a clean criminal record, and proof of accommodation.
Can you get permanent residency via a digital nomad visa or bring dependants?
Most digital nomad programmes don't lead directly to permanent residency, though a few are exceptions, such as Portugal and Spain, where the clock starts ticking toward residency after five years. Family members can usually come too, though the income bar rises, often by 25 to 50 percent per dependant. Age is rarely a hard limit, although Turkey caps applicants at 21 to 55.
What tax obligations do digital nomads have?
In most countries, whether you owe local tax comes down to how long you stay. If you stay for fewer than 183 days, you usually keep your tax residency in your home country. If you stay longer, the host country may start taxing you. Several countries exempt foreign-sourced income from tax, among them Croatia, Costa Rica, the UAE, and Panama. Thailand changed course in 2024 and overhauled how it taxes money brought into the country, so remote workers who become Thai tax residents can now owe tax on the foreign income they remit there. A relaxation has been proposed since, so check the current rules before you commit.
New digital nomad visas in 2026
The newest arrival is Sri Lanka, which opened its first digital nomad visa in February 2026 after years of promises. The income bar is one of the lowest in the Asia-Pacific region, below what many long-running hubs require, Thailand and Malaysia included.
Sri Lanka digital nomad visa
Duration: One year, renewable each year
Key benefits: A low income bar for the region, and the chance to bring your spouse and children
Who qualifies: Remote workers aged 18 or over who earn at least USD 2,000 a month from clients or employers outside Sri Lanka. The same threshold covers a family with up to two children, and rises by about USD 500 a month for each extra dependant
Application process: Online through the Department of Immigration and Emigration; health insurance and proof of accommodation are among the required documents
Foreign income stays untaxed as long as you don't tip into Sri Lankan tax residency, which kicks in at 183 days in any 12-month period. Connectivity can be patchy outside the main towns, so line up a reliable setup before you count on it for work.
New digital nomad visas in 2025
In 2025, a fresh wave of countries introduced digital nomad visas. The Philippines, Bulgaria, Taiwan, El Salvador, and Slovenia all launched programmes during the year.
Philippines digital nomad visa
Duration: 12 months, extendable once by a further 12 months
Key benefits: No Philippine income tax on foreign earnings
Who qualifies: Remote workers aged 18 or over who earn their money from employers or clients abroad. You'll need foreign-sourced income, valid health insurance, a clean criminal record, and proof that your work is genuinely remote. The visa is open only to nationals of countries that both host a Philippine Foreign Service Post and offer Filipinos a comparable visa
Application process: Through Philippine embassies and consulates
Executive Order 86 created the legal basis for this visa in 2025, but the Department of Foreign Affairs was still finalising the fine print well into 2026, including the official income floor. Immigration advisers cite around USD 24,000 per year as a working benchmark, so check the latest guidance before you rely on it.
Read more about Moving to and Living in the Philippines
Bulgaria digital nomad/freelancer visa (Type D)
Duration: 12 months, renewable
Key benefits: A flat 10 percent income tax once you're resident, among the lowest rates in the EU, plus full Schengen access
Who qualifies: Non-EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who work remotely for companies outside Bulgaria and earn at least EUR 31,000 a year (about USD 34,000). Freelancers and business owners qualify too, provided they have no Bulgarian clients and can show a year of prior work for foreign clients
Application process: First obtain a Type D long-stay visa from a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, then apply for the digital nomad residence permit within 14 days of arriving
Bulgaria opened applications at the end of December 2025 and adopted the euro in January 2026, so the income bar is now set at 50 times the national minimum monthly wage. The country is also one of the most affordable bases in the EU. Spend more than 183 days there, and you become a Bulgarian tax resident, at which point that 10 percent flat rate kicks in.
Read more about Moving to and Living in Bulgaria
Taiwan digital nomad visitor visa
Duration: Six months to start, now extendable up to two years. The separate Taiwan Employment Gold Card is valid for one to three years
Key benefits: No Taiwan income tax on foreign earnings for shorter stays. The Gold Card is a combined work permit and residence permit that can lead to permanent residency
Who qualifies: Nationals of visa-exempt countries who earn at least USD 20,000 a year (ages 20 to 29) or USD 40,000 a year (ages 30 and over) and hold an average bank balance of around USD 10,000 over the prior six months. The Gold Card targets higher earners and experienced professionals
Application process: Through Taiwan's overseas missions and its online visa system
When Taiwan launched the visa in January 2025, it capped stays at six months. An extension of up to two years followed in January 2026.
Read more about Moving to and Living in Taiwan
El Salvador digital nomad visa
Duration: Up to four years in total; one year to begin with, then renewable
Key benefits: No tax on foreign-sourced income, and duty-free import of household goods worth up to USD 20,000 and a vehicle worth up to USD 25,000
Who qualifies: Remote workers who earn at least USD 1,460 a month, or USD 2,190 for a family of three or more, and work for employers or clients outside El Salvador
Application process: Through Salvadoran embassies and consulates; processing takes about 45 days
Read more about Moving to and Living in El Salvador
Slovenia digital nomad visa
Duration: Up to one year, non-renewable, though you can reapply after a six-month gap
Key benefits: A Schengen base in central Europe, and family members can join you
Who qualifies: Non-EU and EEA nationals who work remotely for employers or clients outside Slovenia; Slovenian clients are not allowed
Application process: Apply at a Slovenian embassy or, if you're already in the country legally, directly to the local administrative unit before your current permit runs out
Slovenia opened this permit on 21 November 2025. The income bar is tied to the national average wage, set at twice the average net monthly salary, which worked out to roughly EUR 3,300 a month through 2026 and is recalculated as wages move.
New digital nomad visas in 2024
Several major economies launched digital nomad visas in 2024. Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia all joined in, and emerging markets like Kenya and Kazakhstan announced their own programmes, though details on the latter two are still thin on the ground. Of the 2024 crop, Thailand's five-year, multiple-entry visa had the longest reach.
Italy digital nomad visa
Duration: One year, renewable each year as long as you still meet the requirements
Key benefits: Schengen access and a clear route to EU long-term residence after five years of continuous stay; after 10 years, citizenship becomes possible. Many holders can also tap Italy's impatriate tax regime, which exempts half their income for up to five years
Who qualifies: Non-EU citizens who earn at least EUR 28,000 a year (about USD 30,000), have at least six months of remote-work history, hold contracts with foreign employers or clients, and carry comprehensive health insurance
Application process: Apply in person at an Italian consulate, then collect your residence permit within eight days of arriving in Italy; processing runs one to three months
Read more about Moving to and Living in Italy
Japan digital nomad visa (Designated Activities)
Duration: Six months, non-renewable; you can reapply after six months out of the country
Key benefits: No Japanese income tax on foreign earnings, and spouses and children can come along on a matching visa
Who qualifies: Nationals of around 49 countries that have a tax treaty or visa-exemption deal with Japan. You'll need to earn at least JPY 10,000,000 a year (about USD 67,000) and apply under the Designated Activities status
Application process: Apply through a Japanese embassy or consulate with proof of your income, health insurance, remote-work contracts, and a valid passport. Holders don't get a residence card and can't join Japan's national health insurance, so private cover is essential
Read more about Moving to and Living in Japan
South Korea workation visa (F-1-D)
Duration: One year at a time, renewable up to a maximum of three years
Key benefits: A formal, registrable residence status, and family members can join you
Who qualifies: Remote workers aged 18 or over who have spent at least a year with a foreign employer, or who own a business abroad, and can work remotely from Korea
Application process: Apply in person at a Korean embassy or consulate; processing usually takes one to two weeks
Korea ran this visa as a pilot from January 2024 before making it permanent on 30 June 2026. The move raised the maximum stay from two years to three and softened the income rules. Rather than a flat figure, the threshold is now pegged to Korea's gross national income per capita, from about one times it (roughly USD 37,000) for younger applicants or those settling outside the capital region, up to twice that for everyone else.
Read more about Moving to and Living in South Korea
South Africa digital nomad visa
Duration: Up to three years
Key benefits: No South African tax on your foreign earnings for shorter stays, and a low cost of living
Who qualifies: Remote workers who earn at least ZAR 650,796 a year (about USD 37,000) and can prove their foreign employment and income
Application process: Through South African diplomatic missions or VFS visa centres. Your paperwork should prove your foreign employment, your income, your health cover, and a clean criminal record.
Spend fewer than six months in any 36-month window, and you're exempt from registering as a South African taxpayer. Stay longer, and you'll need to register with SARS, the national revenue service.
Read more about Moving to and Living in South Africa
Turkey digital nomad visa
Duration: Typically around a year and renewable, though the exact length isn't sharply defined
Key benefits: Tax-free treatment of foreign income for stays under 183 days, and dependant permits for family members
Who qualifies: Applicants aged 21 to 55 from one of roughly 36 eligible countries, mostly in Europe and North America, who earn at least USD 36,000 a year and hold a university degree
Application process: A two-step route; apply online for a Digital Nomad Identification Certificate, then visit a Turkish consulate in person to collect the visa
Read more about Moving to and Living in Turkey
Destination Thailand Visa
Duration: Five years, multiple-entry, 180 days per visit, extendable once by another 180 days
Key benefits: A long five-year window with multiple entries, and the option to bring family
Who qualifies: Remote workers with an overseas employer, or freelancers whose clients are outside Thailand, who can show funds of at least THB 500,000 (about USD 14,000)
Application process: Apply online through Thailand's official e-Visa system or at a Thai embassy; processing usually takes more than two months
The Destination Thailand Visa carries no special tax break. Spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year, and you become a Thai tax resident, and the foreign income you bring into the country can then be taxed. Since 2024, you'll also need to show that the THB 500,000 has been in your account for at least three months, not just that it was there before you applied.
Read more about Moving to and Living in Thailand
What next?
What started as a pandemic experiment has become a standard immigration option. More than 60 countries now have some form of remote-work visa, and new ones keep arriving. Income thresholds, visa lengths, eligibility rules, and tax treatment vary a lot from one country to the next, so expect to do your homework. For anything tricky, such as lining up documents or planning a stay that spans several countries, professional advice is money well spent.
For help with applications and tax planning, see our directory of Worldwide Relocation Companies.
