Portugal has been attracting foreign talent for many years through the D7 Visa, which allows anyone to live and work in the county as long as they can earn more than the minimum wage in Portugal. Now the Government introduced a new instrument for remote workers, known as Digital Nomad Visa. 

What is the Portugal Digital Nomad Visa?

The Digital Nomad Visa - officially a “residence visa for the exercise of professional activity provided remotely outside the national territory” -is for people looking to relocate temporarily, offering the opportunity of living and working in Portugal, but without a long-term commitment. It is focused on attracting remote workers and entrepreneurs to the country, based on two different needs: 

- The short stay visa is aimed at remote workers looking to stay temporarily in Portugal for up to one year. 

- The residency permit is for digital nomads who are looking to secure a residency visa in Portugal, which can then be renewed for up to five years.

What are the conditions for applying?

- proving a professional work relationship with another country (independent contract, employment contract, partnership agreement);

- Average monthly income of 2820 euros for 2022 and 3040 euros for 2023 onwards;

- Proof of tax residency.

What is the situation worldwide? 

Since 2020, due to the pandemic, at least 30 countries worldwide have launched some kind of visa tailored to remote workers, including Malaysia, Croatia, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Countries all over the world are making it easier for applicants to obtain temporary residency either while working for a foreign company or as freelancers, recognising the potential of prospective new residents and also as a way to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the industries. 

In Europe, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Hungary, Iceland, Greece, and the Czech Republic already offer visa programs, while several others, including Spain and Italy, are setting up similar digital-nomad visa schemes.