Many Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan have introduced digital nomad visa programmes to facilitate remote professionals’ arrival at their shores. — 123rf
IN the wake of the US Presidential Election, Americans’ interest in digital nomad visas and moving abroad has risen, the New York Times reported.
When it became apparent that Donald Trump had won a second term as president, Google searches for terms like “best countries to move to” and “how to move to Canada” peaked in the United States.
Digital nomadism has been around for about 30 years, but it is only recently that regulations to facilitate these professionals were drawn up and implemented by some countries worldwide.
For example, countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan have introduced digital nomad visa programmes to facilitate remote professionals’ arrival at their shores, albeit with specific strict rules, particularly on monthly earnings.
Digital nomad visas are permits that allow remote workers to reside and work in a foreign country for extended periods ranging from several months to five years.
More than 50 countries offer digital nomad visas – including New Zealand, Japan and Kenya – but conditions and fees differ.
Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Norway are among the most popular digital nomad destinations in Europe. South American countries like Argentina and Ecuador are also popular digital nomad destinations for their relatively cheaper living costs.
Spain invites a range of remote workers, from freelancers to company employees who earn twice the national minimum wage, around US$2,450 (RM14,619) a month. The application fee costs US$80 (RM360) and the visa is valid for one year, with an option to renew.
In Portugal, the minimum monthly income is higher, at US$3,500 (RM15,743). Once the one-year visa is granted, applicants have the option to renew four times.
Here are a few countries with digital nomad visas; a full list can be found on Citizen Remote, a website that helps remote workers move abroad.
> In Thailand, the new digital nomad visa has been implemented as a strategy to boost the country’s tourism.
The Destination Thailand Visa allows remote workers, freelancers, and digital nomads to stay in the country for up “to 180 days per visit, on a multiple-entry basis, within five years”.
> Indonesia’s digital nomad policy, which is officially known as the Remote Worker Visa (E33G), allows foreign nationals to live and work remotely in the country for up to a year, with the possibility of extending an additional year based on several specific conditions including employment by a company outside Indonesia and minimum annual earnings of US$60,000 (RM270,000).
> In Taiwan, to qualify for its digital nomad visitor visa, foreigners must prove that they have similar visas in other countries, or make specific earnings based on age brackets: US$20,000 (RM90,000) for those aged 20 to 29 and US$40,000 (RM180,000) for those aged 30 and older.
Only nationals listed under the Foreign Ministry’s visa-exempt countries can apply – Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, among others.
> As a global business hub, Dubai is no stranger to hosting digital nomads. In 2020, the emirate introduced its Virtual Working Programme which targets remote working professionals.
Standing as a one-year programme, it requires applicants to have valid health insurance with United Arab Emirates coverage, proof of employment with a year’s contract, or company ownership for at least a year. It also outlines a requirement for monthly income to be at US$5,000 (RM22,500) minimum.
> Welcoming nomads before the Pantheons, Greece’s Digital Nomad Visa aims at attracting remote workers from non-European Union countries, leveraging the country’s culture, climate and tourism zones. It allows digital nomads to live in and work remotely for up to a year for a non-Greek company. Applicants must prove they have a stable monthly income of at least €3,500 (RM16,000).
> Costa Rica’s law on special visas for remote workers and digital nomads was created in 2021 to boost the country’s economy, which was reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar to other countries, it also allows nomads to stay for up to a year, with the option to apply for an extension for another year.
Solo applicants must show proof of a monthly income of US$3,000 (RM13,500) while those who wish to bring their families must earn US$4,000 (RM18,000). – Agencies
