Countries with Freelance Visas for Nomad Businessmen
Working from a location, that is not your home country is becoming more and more common. Travel is cheap, technologies develop, and more businesses, as well as employers, are fine with switching to working in a rather digital office. The recent events during lockdown have shown it is totally possible, and such remote working culture has developed immensely. Surely if you are reading this, then you also have considered moving somewhere in search of sun, new impressions, or personal growth while still remaining responsible and what’s even more important – maintaining your source of income.
If you are a business owner then moving to another country might be fueled by additional motivation – maybe you want to explore the market hands-on, get inspired by other businesses, or just figure out something else that your super idea has been lacking to become even more successful. And you know what? Any of those reasons are legit, and here you will get some impression about countries that will legally welcome you in pursuit of your dreams.
Can I do my remote business in any country?
Just to make sure – the world is your oyster, and the number of countries that support digital nomads is growing. This list will give you an impression, but the actual number of countries is probably much broader! Just set your mind to the ideal location and research online – maybe you can be lucky, and the visa for digital nomads has been introduced already!
What should you take into consideration?
There is a big difference in moving somewhere for pure enjoyment versus for a job (both for a local company or as a self-employed professional). The difference lies in your legal rights while residing in a particular country, and obtaining a proper visa will ensure a lawful residency. Therefore, researching and getting the right type of paperwork done for the type of activity you intend to do is paramount. After all, you want to have an enjoyable working experience away from home instead of legal problems for not paying attention to details, right? Read on to get an impression of what could be there out on the table and what will that require from you!
- Estonia
Probably the least likely country of choice is also probably one of the coolest ones regarding the conditions for the digital nomads. It has long aimed at being considered the world’s leading digital society, and it totally shows in the solutions they are introducing. As of August 2020, you can apply for a Digital Nomad Visa. It will come with a set of requirements (just to name a few – having a contract with a company outside Estonia or managing your own company registered somewhere else), but the technicalities are supposed to be easy and quick. Short term visa (up to 90 days) will cost you 80 €, but the long term one (up to 365 days) just 100 €. The best news is – with this visa you will also have a limited number of days that you can spend in other Schengen countries. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
More information: https://e-resident.gov.ee/nomadvisa/
- Germany
Germany has long been the top destination associated with business and high work ethics. For some time already they offer several types of visas available for people from all over the world. Before reading forward – be aware that their system loves bureaucracy. Be ready for a tough checklist before becoming one of their own. Besides the freelancer visa (much easier to get) for business owners, they offer obtaining a visa for the purposes of self-employment. Both of those will take about 6 weeks to make and cost 100 for you.
Check out their page to find out more information about particular requirements: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305249/en/
- Czech Republic
Arguably one of the best cities for digital nomads is Prague, and it is located in the Czech Republic. If you would like to stay in this beautiful city filled with young people from all over the world, the Czech Republic’s Long Term Visa with the purpose of business. With this one, you can stay there for up to one year, and it will take at least 120 days to form. Just make sure to read the requirements carefully – an in-person visit is required, and most documents have to be translated in the Czech language!
More information: https://www.mzv.cz/consulate.newyork/en/visa_and_consular_information/visa/long_term_visa_over_90_days/business_visa.html
- Spain
Are you dreaming of working from the cosmopolite Barcelona or one of the beautiful beachfront destinations in Spain? It is apparently quite a common and uncomplicated procedure to get a Self Employed Residency permit. You will need to prove you have funds to sustain your living and intended business activity, they will do a background check, and in around 45 days you might get a permit to stay there for a year. Later you might even extend the permit for another two!
More information (not available in English): http://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/es/informacioninteres/informacionprocedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja030/index.html
- Mexico
Temporary Resident Visa of Mexico is intended for people interested in staying there for a period from 180 days to 4 years. Generally, this is possible, but the main criterion they will need to make sure of is your financial status. Basically, you will have to prove that you have had an income of about 18 000 EUR in the last year and have been employed with a tax-free salary of at least 1000 EUR in the last six months.
More information:
https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/leamington/index.php/non-mexicans/visas/115-temporary-resident-visa
- Bermuda
This paradise island has released a Digital Nomad visa for professionals that would like to stay there for up to 12 months of remote work. As a result of the depleted economy after pandemics, the local government has decided to grant more accessible access to otherwise empty and unused spaces in all counties to a greater number of internationals. Which is one of the reasons why it is supposed to be very easy to make and will cost you US$263!
More information: https://forms.gov.bm/work-from-bermuda/
- Australia
Quite many people look for chances to stay in this country at least for a while – great people, great beaches, and a whole lot to explore. If you have been considering this too, then you will need to get one of two visa types done. If you are between the ages of 18 and 31 and want to stay there for 12 months or less, then you might apply for a relatively easy Working Holiday Visa. If you want to stay permanently and have a profession from their Skilled occupation list, then you might be eligible for Skilled Independent Visa. Keep in mind – both of these are age-restricted and may take up to 15 months to get done!
More information: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder
To sum up – working from anywhere in the world nowadays is as easy as never before. If you have decided to move somewhere for some time, whatever the reason may be, just decide what the things you find the most important and check the list again to see which of the options would be the best for you are. Of course, you could also choose by checking the weather forecast and go for the most stunning of these locations, but that’s already a different story…
The information about Freelance Visas has been taken from Pickvisa.com. For updates, you can follow Pickvisa.com Blog Posts.
