The Coronavirus pandemic has taught humankind many lessons, amongst others, that a person does not need to be present in an office in order to work.
The number of people working remotely spiked up during the pandemic, and though it dropped after the majority of the world started being vaccinated against COVID-19, it remains quite high compared to pre-pandemic numbers.
Many employees finally realized that office presence does not necessarily mean productivity, and one performs better from the comfort of their own home, while relaxing on a beach, in a cafeteria right across a busy Tokyo or New York street, or elsewhere in the world, VisaGuide.World reports.
Being presented with the opportunity to work outside office premises, many employees have packed their laptops, booked a one-way ticket to their favorite destination, and worked while enjoying places that otherwise they would not have had the time to.
These working tourists, who call themselves digital nomads, have not only created the perfect “work environment” for themselves, and their mental and physical health but are also great financial contributors to the countries where they travel while working, as they are bringing money to these countries from outside.
Seeing the great profit and benefits that come along with digital nomads, many developed countries had started introducing special visas for them in the few years before the pandemic, but their number has increased even more since 2020.
According to VisaGuide.World, so far, 38 world countries have established visas especially for Digital Nomads, offering them benefits in order to move to their territory for specific amounts of time, and work from there.
In order to create a ranking of the best Digital Nomad Visas offered worldwide, VisaGuide.World has created the Digital Nomad Index, which evaluates the Digital Nomad Visa offered in each world country, by taking into account several factors, as the taxes that apply to such workers, internet speed, minimal income requirement, costs of living in each country, etc.
Spain Has the World’s Best Digital Nomad Visa
Spain is not only a beautiful country with lots of beaches, a rich history, and tasty cuisine. It also offers digital nomads the chance to obtain a visa under fewer requirements than other countries, while also offering them several benefits that other countries offer them at lower levels.
In spite of not having celebrated its first anniversary since it was launched yet, the Spanish Nomad Visa has triumphed amongst other countries, leaving many fellow European countries, with much older visas, way behind. The country introduced its digital nomad visa only in January 2023 as part of the Startup Act, which intends to encourage entrepreneurship and foreign investment.
According to Lum Kamishi from VisaGuide.World, there are several factors that make Spain’s policy on digital nomads’ entry and stay the most convenient in the world for those wishing to work while abroad, emphasizing its high internet speed, reasonable taxes, and a relatively high normalized score.
What makes the Spanish Digital Nomad visa the most appealing in the world, is not only the low income requirement that applies in this country and the moderate costs of living compared to the other countries in this list. It’s also simple things that increase the quality of life for a digital nomad, like good internet speed, the possibility to live there for a year without paying taxes, and the low taxes in the second year.
According to VisaGuide’s Digital Nomad Index, a person could manage to live in Spain with a minimal amount of €641, which makes it the 14th most affordable country with a digital nomad visa to live in. This also means that there are 24 other countries that are way more expensive.
In this regard, Anguilla has the highest minimum living costs, which amount to €4000, followed by the Bahamas with €1,309 and Iceland with €1,181.
In spite of that, Spain requires applicants for such a visa to have a minimal income of €2,140, which is higher than in only seven other countries, in addition to another eight countries which do not have a set minimum income requirement.
In terms of this requirement, the highest is marked in Cayman Islands, where nomads need to have an income of at least €8,333 in order to obtain a visa of this nature, followed by Iceland, where the minimum income is €7,000 and Montserrat €5,833.
Spain is also the happiest country on this list, and one of the happiest countries in the world. They say that happiness, like the flu, can spread from person to person. If you wanna be happy, you should go live amongst happy people.
In addition, Spain enjoys the widest popularity as a tourist destination amongst world countries that offer Digital Nomad Visas, followed by Mexico, which is half less popular.
Argentina, Romania, UAE & Croatia Listed in the Top Five
One South American country, one Middle Eastern, and two European Union members complete the list of the world’s best five countries to live in as a Digital Nomad.
All these countries stand out amongst others for different reasons. Argentina stands out for its no-tax policy, while Romania offers high internet speed and a long tax-free duration. The United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, provides high-income opportunities and a tax-free environment. Croatia combines a long tax-free duration, good internet speed, and a moderate cost of living.
Commenting on the ranking, Besart Bajrami, founder of VisaGuide.World, a well-established information authority on travel visas and migration policies worldwide, points out that the occupation of the second position by Argentina is no surprise.
The South American country has established itself as a favorite destination amongst many digital nomads, since it first introduced its digital nomad visa in May 2022, by offering a tax-free stay of one year, low costs of living, and having a quite high happiness score.
Listed third is Romania, which launched its visa at the end of 2021. The country has the highest internet speed on this list, making it a heaven for professionals like web developers and data analysts.
It costs a person only €540 to live in Romania, though the authorities expect visa applicants to prove they make at least €3,300, which is an expectation higher than in half of the other countries.
The country has a moderate tourism popularity, and yet, it is home to the majestic Carpathian Mountains, picturesque countryside and the serene Danube Delta, incredible castles, including Bran Castle commonly associated with the Dracula legend, and numerous charming medieval towns.
In the last decades, the United Arab Emirates has emerged as a favorite destination not only for tourists wishing to visit and internationals aspiring to settle there and become long-term residents but also for digital nomads who wish to experience what’s it like to live in the second wealthiest Middle Eastern country and even one of the wealthiest in the world.
Listed fourth in VisaGuide’s Digital Nomad Index, UAE offers remote workers the chance to work tax-free, with minimal living costs under €1,000 (€917), though the minimum required amount is €5000, one of the highest required amongst the 38 world countries offering Digital Nomad Visas.
Croatia, the newest EU and Schengen Area Member, completes the top five, luring nomads with its 6,278 km coastline, 78 islands, 524 islets and 300 days of sunshine. It is followed by Portugal listed sixth, Uruguay seventh, Malta eighth, Norway ninth, and Andorra tenth.
15 European Countries Offer Visas to Digital Nomads, & 7 of Them Rank in the Top 10
To no surprise, out of the 15 European countries that have digital nomad visas, seven rank in the top ten. Europe is, in fact, a pioneer in the field of digital nomad residency policies, with countries like Estonia being the first to introduce such legislation, to make it possible for foreigners to live in their territory while working for companies and clients located elsewhere.
Digital nomad visas offered by European countries often offer a combination of factors that make them attractive to digital nomads. This includes high internet speeds, well-developed infrastructure, cultural richness, diverse landscapes, and easy access to neighboring countries.
European countries such as Spain, Romania, and Croatia, listed here, also provide a favorable environment for remote work, established digital nomad communities, and various cultural events.
The ranking of European countries in VisaGuide’s Index goes as follows:
- Spain (1st)
- Romania (3rd)
- Croatia (5th)
- Portugal (6th)
- Malta (8th)
- Norway (9th)
- Andorra (10)
- Montenegro (12)
- Czechia (17)
- Hungary (18)
- Estonia (20)
- Georgia (24)
- Greece (28)
- Iceland (36)
- Cyprus (37)
The reason why countries like Greece, Iceland, and Cyprus have been placed at the end of the index are mainly the high minimum income requirement these countries ask for, while Greece and Iceland have a serious problem with internet speed, listed amongst the worst performing.
Seychelles, Cape Verde, & South Africa Have the Best Digital Nomad Visas in Africa
While Africa is not as widely recognized for digital nomad visas as some other regions, some countries in the continent are beginning to offer such programs. In particular, South Africa listed 21st, Cape Verde listed 22nd, and Seychelles 27th, perform better than the rest.
According to VG Digital Nomad Index, the strongest features of visas for remote workers that these three countries offer are as follows:
- South Africa offers nomads the possibility to live with a minimum amount of €506, though it requires them to have an income of at least €3,000.
- Cape Verde, on the other hand, has a half-lower minimum requirement of only €1500, with its living costs set at €606.
- Seychelles has not minimum income amount set for those wishing to obtain a visa to work remotely from this country, though they need at least €860 monthly to face the expenses of life there.
In spite of these three countries luring foreigners with their offer, Africa is still emerging in this market, and the availability of digital nomad visas varies. The continent has the potential to be alluring for nomads seeking diverse experiences and a less crowded remote work destination. Yet, challenges such as internet infrastructure and political stability might often influence the overall attractiveness for digital nomads.
Caribbean Attracting Digital Nomads With More Than Only Tropical Beaches
Caribbean nomad visas, such as those in Aruba, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda, are alluring for several reasons, aside from the fact that they offer tropical paradise with beautiful beaches and a relaxed lifestyle.
Currently, nine Caribbean countries offer digital nomad visas, all of them with no or low taxes, allowing remote workers to enjoy the picturesque surroundings while working. The visa programs often emphasize simplicity in application processes, making it attractive for nomads seeking a change in scenery.
The Caribbean countries offering nomad visas and their ranking in the digital nomad index are as follows:
- Aruba (11th)
- Curacao (15th)
- Barbados (23rd)
- Dominican Republic (25th)
- Montserrat (26th)
- Bahamas (30th)
- Antigua and Barbuda (34th)
- Cayman Islands (35th)
- Anguilla (38th)