Our pick of the top digital nomad visas around the world

Being a digital nomad isn’t a new concept, but with the coronavirus pandemic leading to many professions going fully remote, there are now even more folks living and working out of a suitcase in industries previously chained to the 9-5 office grind.

It’s not just workers that are benefitting from the change, either – destinations themselves are now actively encouraging remote workers to visit, with the number of digital nomad visa countries on the rise.

Thinking about trying it yourself? Here’s our picks of digital nomad visa countries around the world…

Read next: How to be a digital nomad

Digital nomad visa countries in Africa

Length of stay: One year, with the option to renew

Cost: Free

Visa requirements: Digital nomads in Mauritius will need to earn minimum of US$1,500 (£1,200) a month. You’ll need to supply documentary evidence about your stay including a copy of your airline ticket, health insurance and a letter of accommodation for the length of your stay, proof of income and bank statements from the past three months.

Where to apply: business.edbmauritius.org

More information: residency.mu.

This Indian Ocean island nation, found off the coast of East Africa, is known for its gorgeous beaches and lush greenery. In between emails, the top things to do include trekking through the Black River Gorges National Park, hiking the historic Le Morne Brabant and visiting Bois Cheri tea plantation.

Read next: 8 places you must see in Mauritius

Length of stay: Six months (non-renewable)

Cost: US$120 (£95)

Visa requirements: You will need to demonstrate proof of income above US$2,000 per month, and submit a medical certificate and radiological report. You’ll also need health insurance for the length of your stay, six months of bank statements, and a motivation letter from your employer.

Where to apply: nipdb.com/nomadvisa

On our ‘Good to Go’ list for 2025, Namibia is one of the destinations we think you should be heading to this year – and with a digital nomad visa, you’ll have even more time to explore attractions like Sossusvlei, the salt and clay plan surrounded by dunes, Etosha National Park with its abundance of wildlife, and Fish River Canyon, the world’s second biggest gorge.

Read next: Namibia trip planner: 6 of the best in-depth routes

Digital nomad visa countries in the Americas

Length of stay: One year (renewable)

Cost: Varies by nationality, but generally around US$125 (£100)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to provide an employment contract, or contract for provision of services, and prove that you earn more than US$1,500 (£1,200) per month, or show that you have access to more than $US18,000 (£14,500) in funds. You’ll also need health insurance covering your stay.

Where to apply: formulario-mre.serpro.gov.br

More information: gov.br

Brazil is among the most popular digital nomad visa countries, and you’ll find remote workers all over the country, particularly in cities like Florianópolis, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (another destination on our Good to Go list!). There’s so much to do, from exploring the Amazon rainforest to seeing the awe-inspiring Iguaçu Falls – and you can put your route together to see it all (in between Zoom calls) with our Brazil trip planner.

Length of stay: One year (renewable)

Cost: US$100 (£80)

Visa requirements: You must show proof of income of at least US$3,000 (£2,400) and have medical insurance for the duration of your stay. You’ll need to submit bank statements as evidence, and all documents submitted must be be accompanied by an official translation in Spanish.

Where to apply: tramiteya.go.cr/dgme

More information: visitcostarica.com/digital-nomads

Remote workers can embrace the ‘pura vida’ mindset in Costa Rica, one of the top digital nomad visa countries. No matter what kind of traveller you are (or how hard you intend on working remotely…), there’s something for everyone, from wildlife and volcanoes to culture and foodie experiences.

Read next: Trip planner: Sustainable Costa Rica

Length of stay: Up to two years

Cost: US$52 (£40) (application fee), US$170 (£135) (visa fee)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to demonstrate a monthly income equivalent to three times the Current Legal Monthly Minimum Wages, which, at the time of writing, works out at around US$1,150 (£930), and show some kind of contract with a company abroad indicating you work for or with them. You’ll also need health insurance.

Where to apply: tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co

More information: cancilleria.gov.co/v/nomadadigital

Another destination on our ‘Good to Go’ list, Colombia has plenty to offer, from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Cartagena and Santa Cruz de Mompox to the Andean peaks and lush Amazon. Discover it all on our dedicated Colombia destination page.

Read next: 10 of the best things to do in Bogotá, Colombia

Length of stay: Two years

Cost: US$50 (£40) (application fee), US$270 (£220) (visa fee)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to earn more than three times the unified basic salary in Ecuador, which, at the time of writing, works out at around US$1,380 (£1,100), and provide bank statements from the previous three months to demonstrate this.

Where to apply: serviciosdigitales.cancilleria.gob.ec

More information: ecuador.travel/en/nomad-visa

Given the idea behind Wanderlust magazine came to founders Paul Morrison and Lyn Hughes on a flight to Ecuador, the destination will always have a special place in our (and our reader’s) hearts. Digital nomads will fall in love with it, too, with unforgettable wildlife experiences on the Galápagos Islands, the chance to whale watch in Machalilla National Park, and numerous adventure options in the Andes.

Read next: Trip planner: How you can explore the best of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

Length of stay: Up to one year

Cost: Around US$10 (£8)

Visa requirements: No minimum income requirement. You’ll need to sign an affidavit to say you have the means to support yourself financially.

Where to apply: gub.uy

More information: liveinuruguay.uy/digitalnomadpermit

With no minimum income requirement, Uruguay is one of the few digital nomads visa countries opening itself up to practically everyone. Those who do choose to come here will find a country of rolling hills, best explored by horseback like a true gaucho, alongside gorgeous beaches and a thriving foodie scene in the capital Montevideo.

Read next: Exploring Uruguay’s UNESCO-listed Colonia del Sacramento

Digital nomad visa countries in Asia

Length of stay: One year

Cost: US$430 (£350)

Visa requirements: You must earn more than US$60,000 (£48,000) per year, and demonstrate this with an employment contract saying as much from a company outside of Indonesia. You’ll also need to provide three months’ worth of bank statements.

Where to apply: evisa.imigrasi.go.id

Made up of more than 17,000 islands, digital nomads have plenty of options outside of Bali. Explore Central Java, where you’ll find the Stairway to Nirvana; unlock a world of culture in Jakarta; see orangutans in Sumatra – the year-long visa gives you enough time to really explore.

Read next: Indigenous Indonesia: 6 best places to soak up authentic Sulawesi

Length of stay: Six months (non-renewable)

Cost: US$19 (£15)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to earn at least US$64,000 (£51,000) to be eligible for this visa, with an employment contract or an income certificate. You’ll also need health insurance,

Where to apply: mofa.go.jp

From the bustling metropolis of Tokyo and the cultural capital of Kyoto to lesser known cities like Takamatsu and Fukuoka, six months hardly feels like long enough to explore Japan – but at least you’ll be able to make a start.

Read next: The best places to see Japan’s cherry blossom

Length of stay: One year

Cost: TBC

Visa requirements: Applicants will need to show proof of their remote work, have ‘sufficient’ income generated outside the Philippines, and have health insurance valid for the length of the digital nomad visa.

Where to apply: TBC

The Philippines announced it would be issuing digital nomad visas later this year in late April. Visas will be issued 60 days after the executive order, which was issued 24 April, with the exact details of the visas released 30 days prior. So while we don’t have the costs or details around where to apply just yet, you won’t have to wait long.

Spend those 60 days daydreaming of where you’ll explore while working remotely – and where you’ll go. In the press release announced the visas, the Philippines News Agency noted that popular ‘workcation’ spots include Boracay, Siargao, Cebu, Palawan, and La Union, but with more than 2,000 inhabited islands to explore, there are plenty of places both on and off the beaten path.

Length of stay: One year (renewable for one more year only)

Cost: Free

Visa requirements: You will need to have worked remotely for at least a year before applying, and earn more than twice the GNI per capita of the previous year, which, at the time of writing, is US$59,400 (£47,600). You’ll also need medical insurance.

Where to apply: overseas.mofa.go.kr

More information: visitkorea.or.ko

Our destination of the year in 2024, the launch of South Korea‘s digital nomad visa last year was welcome news. Remote workers are able to explore for up to two years, taking in sights like Gyeongju, the museum without walls, the port city of Busan, or the hiking and beach hotspot Jeju-do.

Read next: South Korea trip planner

Length of stay: Six months (renewable)

Cost: US$50-US$100 (£40-£80)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to earn more than US$10,000 (£8,000) a month to apply, and you will need to submit either an employment contract or valid freelance contracts. You’ll also need valid health insurance.

Where to apply: boca.gov.tw

The newest digital nomad visa country on this list, Taiwan began offering the option to work remotely from its shores from 1 January, 2025. Having celebrated its 400th anniversary last year, the destination has a fascinating history, which you can explore over the course of six months.

Read next: Teahouses, temples and treasures of Taiwan

Digital nomad visa countries in Europe

Length of stay: Up to one year

Cost: US$49 (£39) (admin fee), US$33.50 (£27) (biometric residence permit)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to submit proof you earn at least US$3,000 (£2,400) a month, or that you have US$36,200 (£29,000) in savings. You’ll also need health insurance for your stay.

Where to apply: digitalnomadscroatia.mup.hr

More information: mup.gov.hr

Thrown into the spotlight thanks to Game of Thrones, many flock to Croatia’s Dubrovnik to snap a photo on the Jesuit Staircase or by Lovrijenac Fort. But the country has far more up its sleeve, from the Roman ruins of Zadar to the often-overlooked capital Zagreb, and you’ll be able to explore it all over the course of a year.

Read next: See Croatia’s hidden side

Length of stay: Up to one year

Cost: US$84 (£67) or US$105 (£84)

Visa requirements: You’ll need to earn more than US$3,700 (£2,950) per month to be eligible, and you’ll need to submit either your employment contract or freelancer contracts for clients outside of Estonia. You’ll need to submit six months’ worth of bank statements, too.

Where to apply: eelviisataotlus.vm.ee

More information: visitestonia.com

Moving from the Balkans to the Baltics, Estonia was the first country in Europe to offer a digital nomad visa. In fact, the entire country runs digitally, with basically everything except marriage, divorce, and real estate transactions done online. Although that’s not to say there isn’t a lot to see IRL, including the UNESCO-listed Old Town and the Telliskivi Creative City within Tallinn, the seaside resort of Haapsalu and the wetlands of Lahemaa National Park.

Read next: 8 reasons to visit Estonia

Length of stay: One year (renewable)

Cost: US$95 (£75)

Visa requirements: You will need to earn more than US$4,000 (£3,200) per month to be eligible for a long-stay visa for remote work, and will need to submit either an employment contract or, if self-employed, a tax document from your country showing you earned more than this amount over the past six months. You’ll also need to submit documents around where you intend to live, and have health insurance.

Where to apply: epak.pmlp.gov.lv

More information: pmlp.gov.lv

Elsewhere in the Baltics, the digital nomad visa from Latvia offers you the chance to explore former European capital of culture Riga, the music capital, Liepāja, and the resort city of Jūrmala over the course of a year.

Read next: 9 things you must do in western Latvia

Length of stay: One year (renewable up to three times)

Cost: US$315 (£250)

Visa requirements: You will need to earn at least US$44,100 (£35,700) per year to be eligible, and you’ll need to submit either an employment contract, freelance work contract or show that you are self-employed and a partner or shareholder in your business. You will also need have a rental contract, or purchase agreement, for your length of stay.

 Where to apply: nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt

It may be among the smallest countries in Europe, but Malta is bursting with historical sites, having been continuously occupied for more than 7,000 years. And with 300 days of sunshine annually, you’ll get to explore the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino without having to worry about the weather ruining your enjoyment of the Valletta, Mdina or the Three Cities.

Read next: 12 historic hotel stays in Malta