Where would you like to work from? Near the Prague castle? In the hip surfing town of Tarifa in southern Spain? Or in the fairytale-like towns of Slovenia? You have an opportunity to work from anywhere you want. All you need to do is choose one of the countries with digital nomad visas and apply for it.
In this article, we’ll cover the benefits of a digital nomad visa, the general requirements to have one, and the top European countries for digital nomads.
Key Takeaways
- Digital nomad visa offers benefits such as remote work eligibility, long duration of visa, and access to public services.
- The top countries offering European digital nomad visas include Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Malta, and Greece.
- Before applying for a digital nomad visa, find a remote job, learn the most common expressions in the hosting country’s language, make a short trip to that country to be sure that you like it, and get travel insurance and eSIM.
What is a Digital Nomad Visa?
A digital nomad visa is a type of visa that allows its holder to reside in a foreign country while working for an employer located in another country. According to Nomad List, there are over 65 million digital nomads in the world. To understand what attracted these people to become digital nomads, let’s list some of the benefits they receive:
- Remote work eligibility: Remote workers and freelancers can hold their jobs while relocating to another country.
- Long duration: Compared to tourist visas, a digital nomad visa has a longer duration of stay. Depending on the country you choose to reside in, the validity of your visa may vary from 6 months to 2 years. After the expiration, you can renew your visa, if you still meet the eligibility criteria.
- Access to public services: With a digital nomad visa, you can open bank accounts, benefit from public services, get an insurance plan, or purchase a property.
General Requirements for Digital Nomad Visas in Europe
The main digital nomad visa requirements in Europe are the following:
- To be a foreign citizen
- To have a valid travel document
- To have a clean criminal record
- To have health insurance
- To have an employment contract with an employer outside the country they’re applying for
- To earn at least the minimum amount of money that is determined as a cost of living for the country they’re applying for
Depending on the country you choose, the requirements may be a little different.
Top European Countries Offering Digital Nomad Visas
Here are the top European countries offering digital nomad visas in 2024 along with their main requirements and benefits.
Portugal
Portugal has launched its digital nomad visa program in 2022. The program is for non-EU citizens who want to reside in Portugal and work for a company outside this country.
As an applicant, you can also add your family members to the application.
The visa lasts one year. You can renew it if you still meet the eligibility criteria. The applicant fee is €180 and you must have a financial statement that proves that you have at least €3,280 monthly income. If you include your family members in the application, the minimum amount of monthly sufficient funds will increase.
Digital nomads here pay 0% tax on global income and 20% tax on income earned in Portugal.
Croatia
Croatia has launched its residency program for digital nomads in 2021. Designed for non-EU/EEA citizens who work for a foreign company, the applicants can include their family members in the application as well.
The visa has a one-year duration and is renewable. The application fee is around €60 and you should have at least €2,500 monthly income. Remote workers currently don’t pay income tax in Croatia.
Spain
In Spain, a digital nomad visa came in 2023. Created for non-EU citizens, it offers one year of residency. After expiration, you can renew your visa for up to 5 years. As an applicant, you can include your dependents in the application.
The application fee is €80. You should have at least €2,334 income per month. If your income is below €600,000, you should pay 15% tax during the first 4 years in Spain. After 4 years, you must pay the usual 24% tax.
Malta
Launched in 2021, Malta’s nomad residence permit was designed for non-EU remote workers who want to move to Malta. Here digital nomad visa has a 1-year length and can be renewed if you still meet the requirements.
The applicant's dependents can also be included in the application. The application fee is €300. As an applicant, you should earn at least €2,700 per month to be granted this visa. Nomads don’t have to pay income taxes in Malta as long as they pay back home.
Greece
In 2022, Greece introduced its digital nomad visa program, providing remote workers and freelancers the opportunity to reside and work in the country. To be approved, you need to pay a €75 application fee and have at least €3,500 monthly income. The visa will be granted for one year and is renewable. You can also add your relatives to the application.
If you plan to stay in Greece for less than 6 months, you should not pay taxes. However, after 6 months, you’ll be considered a tax resident. Greece has a progressive income taxation system and residents pay from 18% to 45% of income taxes. As a digital nomad, you will get a 50% reduction on income tax for the first seven years.
If you want to learn more about the best countries offering European digital nomad visas, contact our professionals who have great experience in helping expats obtain digital nomad visas.
Best European Countries for Digital Nomads
If you’re dreaming about working remotely in Europe, here are the best countries to consider:
Portugal
Living in Portugal is affordable both for a single person and a family. Numbeo states, that usually, a single person spends €670.4 per month (without rent), and a family of 4 spends €2,362.5 per month (without rent).
The good news for freelancers and remote workers is that the Agenda Portugal Digital aims to provide its residents with a digital infrastructure that allows them to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by technology.
According to InterNations, Expats Insider, Portugal has a very high level of quality life, in 2023 ranking 7th worldwide.
Spain
According to Numbeo, a single person’s estimated monthly costs in Spain are €710.5 (without rent) and for a family of 4 the costs are €2504.7 (without rent).
The Spain Digital 2025 Agenda aims to prepare 100% of the radio spectrum for 5G by 2025, which is very attractive for freelancers and remote workers.
InterNations, Expats Insider states that in 2022 Spain ranked in the 1st place for a Quality of Life Index and Leisure Options Subcategory.
Having a beautiful culture, warm and friendly people, and a good climate, Spain is a good place to try and keep a work-life balance.
Greece
Compared to many Western European countries, Greece has an affordable cost of living. According to Numbeo, estimated monthly costs for a single person are €810.6 (without rent) and for a family of four are €2,778.9 (without rent). The rise of coworking spaces and high-speed internet provide good conditions for remote workers.
According to InterNations, Expats Insider, expats love Greece! In fact, an expat from the USA puts in “In Greece, you’re actually able to enjoy life.”
Having a welcoming culture, high quality of life, and mild climate, Greece is one of the best cheap countries for digital nomads.
Practical Tips for Digital Nomads in Europe
- Find a job before you submit your application: You may think that finding a remote/freelance job is easy and that you can find one after submitting your application, but believe me, it’s not. Make sure that you find a reliable job.
- Study the language: Before arriving in your future country of residence, make sure you know at least some popular expressions in their language. People in European countries like Greece or Spain like it when you talk to them in their native language.
- Make a short trip to your destination country: Before applying for a European digital nomad visa, make sure that you have enough knowledge of the culture of the country you’re going to reside in.
- Get travel insurance: As you’re going to a new country and probably will travel around as well, it’s advisable to have travel insurance. You’ll never know what can happen during your trips and having insurance coverage is a good idea.
- Get an eSIM: Although there are many spots with free Wi-Fi in Europe, having your own stable internet connection is a must.
- Maintain your work-life balance: Don’t overwork and at the same time don’t overlook your work. Try to write a to-do list, write what you need to do for your job, and also which places you want to visit in your country.
FAQ
How long can I stay in Europe with a digital nomad visa?
The residency period may vary depending on the European country in which you want to stay. On average, the period ranges between 6 months to 2 years and can be extended.
Can my family join me on a digital nomad visa?
Not all digital nomad visas allow you to include your family members in the application. For example, if you want to receive a digital nomad visa for Latvia or Hungary, your family members should submit an individual application. However, countries like Spain and Greece enable you to include your family members (spouse or dependent relatives) in the application.
What kind of work can I do on a digital nomad visa?
Having a European digital nomad visa, you can look for jobs from anywhere in the world! You’ll just need a stable internet connection. The most popular digital nomad jobs for 2024 are specialties related to digital marketing (SEO specialist, SMM specialist, copywriter, etc.), tech jobs (web developer, QA engineer), and creative jobs (content creator, graphic designer).
Is it easy to renew a digital nomad visa in Europe?
If you continue to be eligible for a European digital nomad visa, it’ll be easy for you to renew your residence permit.
Do digital nomad visas provide access to public services like healthcare?
Yes, having a digital nomad visa will give you access to public services like finance and healthcare, but depending on the country, the details may vary. For digital nomad visa holders, it’s advisable to have health insurance with at least equal coverage to their Healthcare System.
Are there any tax benefits to having a digital nomad visa?
Yes, there are many tax benefits for digital nomads. Depending on the country, you’ll pay different amounts of taxes. For example, digital nomads must pay PIT in their country of residency, but the amount of PIT isn’t the same in every country. For Antigua and Barbuda, it’s 0%, for Bulgaria it’s 10%, for Hungary and Latvia it’s 15%.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve covered the best countries offering European digital nomad visas, the requirements that you need to meet to be eligible for working remotely in Europe, and practical tips for digital nomads.
We explored top destinations for expats in Europe, like Portugal, Spain, and Greece, each offering unique benefits such as affordable living costs, high quality of life, reliable digital infrastructure, and vibrant communities.
Before moving to another country, it’s advisable to make a short trip to make sure that you want to reside and work from there.
