Visa for digital nomad
Introduction
Working online and being a Digital Nomad is a big advantage, but it is also a disadvantage in some cases when it comes to the visa to stay in a country. The first important point is to know if you want to regularly move from one country to another, or if you want to stay in a chosen country for the long term. It should also be understood that this choice may change over time.
What is the main problem ?
The major problem is that by working online completely independently, it is almost impossible to obtain a work visa in the country. This is possible when you work as a Freelancer but you justify an employer. In other cases, this is not possible. It is therefore rarely possible to prove a real online activity. Income is also income that comes from foreign countries
First system
The first system is to stay on a tourist visa. This is a very common solution, ideal at the beginning, but which can sometimes be tiring in the long term. Being digital is a way of life, but it doesn’t mean being nomadic. You can be a digital nomad by staying most of the year in a foreign country. Many countries offer visa waivers. Some countries allow tourist visas of up to 3 months, renewable twice a year. Of course, this depends on your passport. Let’s take an example of a European passport. It is possible to stay in Japan or Korea on a tourist visa for up to 3 months, possible twice a year, i.e. up to 6 months. What is very interesting to stay a while in these countries. In others, it will only be 1 month. There is also the system of visa runs, but I advise against using this process often.
Second system
The second system consists of obtaining a special digital nomad visa. This type of visa is developing more and more. The advantage is that it is often possible to stay at least 1 year in the same country, the disadvantage is that it very often requires the justification of a high income of a few thousand dollars. Countries such as Estonia, Georgia, Croatia or even Indonesia can offer this type of visa. Very interesting, but to justify a large sum. You may also not be interested in the countries that offer this type of visa.
Third system
The third system is to find specific visas that can allow you to stay for a given period. For example, there are student visas which offer the possibility of staying in a territory for a given period, often around 1 year. These visas can be interesting provided that they do not take all the time for studies, because there is also online work. So it depends on the country. There are also some visas like in Thailand, where by paying a sum, you can stay in the territory for a given period, this is the elite visa.
What to choose ?
To choose the best, there is no answer for everyone, it depends on expectations of people as well as income levels. If the wish is to navigate regularly without constraint and without expense, the tourist visa will be the best. If the income allows it, and the desire is to have a Digital Nomad visa, there are solutions. If you want a trouble-free visa for several years with an online business abroad to land on, the elite thailand visa can be very good.