Freelancer Visa
Berk Boyraz
I typically prefer hanging out in a place longer than just a few weeks or months to really get a feel for the local culture and way of life. When you put down roots and stay put for a year, you notice much more than you do in the tourist whirlwind. You get to know your neighbors, find hidden spots, and have the time to really get into a groove before moving again. Before, this wasn't possible as a digital nomad but now thanks to these visas, it's easier than ever.
Europe was the first continent to attract remote workers with their various visas and now countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa have caught on. Asia has been slow to the game but more and more remote worker visas are starting to come out of the region.
Since this list is ever growing, I've divided it by region so you can navigate to the area you're most interested in, if you have a specific region in mind. In this article, you'll see the following freelance visas outlined. Do note, these are visas that are currently open for applications.
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A lot of the visas on this list ask that you first apply from an embassy or consulate in your home country and then finish up the process once you land in-country but most seem to have exceptions in letting you do the entire process in-country as well.
Once you arrive in Germany, you would finish the process by registering your address, opening a bank account, registering yourself at a tax office, getting proper health insurance and applying for a freelance residence permit (the visa is only valid for 3 months while you do this).
To be completely transparent, I had difficulty finding information on the official Czech Republic website about this visa in particular. It seemed all long-term visas were lumped together. I would recommend contracting the local Czech embassy or consulate nearest you for the most up-to-date information.
Before Portugal announced it's D8 visa (outlined below), digital nomads relied on this D7 visa. This visa wasn't made for remote workers but instead is meant for retirees and those that earn stable passive income. Now that the D8 visa has launched, it's unclear if remote workers can still apply for the D7. Although I'd recommend the D8 if you're a remote worker, I've left the D7 on this list so you can fully understand your options when planning a move to Portugal.
Portugal has boomed in popularity with remote workers in the past couple of years. Once a relatively well-kept secret, Portugal now accepts the most remote workers into its borders. This is a double-edge sword in my opinion.
If you're seeking a country that's farther off the grid, I'm not so sure Portugal is the European spot for you anymore. If though, you want a destination where it'll be easier to make friends with people from all over the world and have a tight-knit community of other online workers, you should short-list it. Living in Portuguese towns or cities like Cascais might be perfect for you.
The minimum monthly income for this visa is reflected based on the minimal wage of a Portuguese employee. If you're close to this cut off point, double check the current minimum wage in the country as this number will fluctuate.
Although for many of the visas on this list I'll provide a direct link to where you can apply for the specific visa, Portugal's D7 visa is best handled differently. It seems from research and speaking with people who have been rewarded this visa that each embassy has slightly varying requirements. If you think this could be the visa for you, just like any visa on this list, it's best to reach out to the nearest embassy or consulate.
For the D8, there is a short-stay option and a long-stay option. The main difference is that with the short-stay visa, you can only stay in the country for 1 year but with the long-stay you can stay up to 5 years (if you're able to renew the visa after 2 years).
Estonia is yet another country that added a freelance visa this year, which is unsurprising since they already offer electronic residency (e-residency) for remote workers who want to start a business in Estonia from abroad.
Along with the Caribbean nations, Estonia had the easiest government page to understand, with clear guidelines of the requirements and how to apply. That alone makes those countries big contenders in my book!
Croatia recently implemented their own digital nomad visa starting in January 2021. To be able to apply, you'll need to contact the nearest embassy or consulate from your home address or your address of residency.
A few differences with this visa is while it does offer residency valid for 1 year, as of now, you'll be unable to renew your stay. Meaning, after 1 year, you'll need to leave the country. It's always possible that this law changes since the visa is so new but as for now, that's the guideline.
To be able to apply for this visa, you must also work online but cannot have any Croatian clients or intentions of working for or with any Croatians. You're not required to pay tax in Croatia with this visa so I'm assuming that's why you can't have any Croatian clients, to keep the lines from being blurred.
Welcome to the beautiful European island of Malta! Now it's possible to move to this sunny paradise if you currently work online. This visa is open to people working remote for another company or self-employed workers. The only stipulation is that your company or your clients are not from Malta.
This visa seems to be pretty straight forward so long as you pass these requirements. You can reach out to the nearest Malta Embassy to get started with the visa. Once you have applied, it takes around 30 days for your visa to be processed.
Iceland is one of those countries that I think is on most people's bucket list. The views alone are enough to push a lot of people in for a visa. Imagine being able to stay in Iceland for up to 180 days- now you can!
That's right, unlike most of the visas for remote workers that allow you to stay for a year or longer, Iceland caps your stay at 180 days. Hey, it's still better than nothing! If you love being behind the camera, there's not much better than being a photographer in Iceland.
Greece is one of those countries on most people's bucket list. The dreamy islands, incredible architecture, crystal clear water, and of course, mouth-watering Greek food call countless traveler's to their shores year after year. But now, thanks to their newly launched digital nomad visa, you don't just need to squeeze all that Greece has to offer into one too short holiday, you can call any of the islands or mainland home.
Currently, Greece's Digital Nomad Visa allows you to work remotely from the country for up to 1 year. If you'd like to stay longer, you can apply for a Digital Nomad Residence Permit. The Residence Permit is valid for 2 years and is renewable for another 2 continuously.
Currently, the best way to apply for this visa is to reach out to the consulate or embassy in your current country of residence. You can simply email them letting you know you're interested in applying for the visa and they should reply within 10 days outlining the next steps you need to take. Likewise, you could call them to learn more details about the visa application process.
Romania recently included remote workers to the list of people who can apply for their Long-Stay D/AS Visa. This has always served as the long-stay visa for those that don't fit into the typical long-stay options. You can think of this as the "other" checkbox for Romanian legalities.
Just like with a majority of other countries offering digital nomad visas, the main requirement to be able to apply for this visa is that you work online for clients or companies that are not Romanian. If you don't work for a Romanian company or have Romanian clients as a freelancer, you're one step closer to be able to apply. The rest of the requirements are a little less unclear. One of them is that you need to prove you've worked online for at least 3 years. It's uncertain if you need to simply prove you've worked in some means remotely or if you need to have worked in the same industry or for the same company.
To apply for this visa, I recommend reaching out directly to the Romanian embassy or consulate in your country of residence. They'll be able to help you apply and answer any specific questions you'll most likely have.
Yet another European country doing their best to entice remote workers to reside in their country is Hungary. While most people simply think of Budapest when they think of Hungary, there's a lot more to this country than just it's capital city. Although, Budapest is a vibrant, fun city that you should certainly consider as your home base when choosing where in Hungary you'd like to stay. You'll likely meet other foreigners living in Budapest working as English teachers.
Anyways, the White Card! This is the name Hungary has given to it's visa for those that make income outside of Hungary but would like to reside within the country's borders. They're pretty lax on how you make money, just so long as you don't do have business within Hungarian itself. You could be a business owner, have shares in a country, or be an employee. So long as you just need wifi and your computer/phone to do your work, your foot is almost in the door.
This is similar to Belgium's Self-Employed Visa (Long-Stay Type D Visa). With that visa, you can move to Brussels or another place in Belgium as a self-employed business owner but it feels as though it's geared more to people who have services to offer within Belgium, not working remotely for companies outside of Belgium.
Once you send in your application for this visa, it's time to start planning where you'll live in Spain. With so many great options, it might be tough to settle on just one city. Lucky for you, you don't have to! To start your search though, we recommend Madrid, Barcelona, Cdiz, Crdoba, and Gran Canaria.
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