10 Visas to Take You From Nomad to Resident
10 Visas to Take You From Nomad to Resident
The word “nomad” can imply a desire to roam. But not every digital nomad wants to keep roaming. Maybe you have children and want a greater degree of stability for them. Maybe you’ve found a country that has the standard of living, tax rates, or culture that make you want to stick around. Or maybe you’re just tired of moving all the time and are considering permanent residency.
In most countries, permanent residents don’t vote and don’t have a passport from their country of residence, but they enjoy all (or most) of the other rights of citizenship. If you’re a digital nomad ready to put down roots, these 10 countries offer digital nomad visas with a pathway to permanent residency.
Albania
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The visa: Albania’s Unique Permit program offers a one-year visa, renewable for up to five years, at which point you can apply for permanent residency.
Requirements: Demonstrate you work remotely for a company or client outside Albania, earn at least $315 per month, and have a bank account in Albania. If you stay in the country for 183 days or more, you do become a tax resident and are subject to Albania’s taxes.
Armenia
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The visa: One-year temporary residence permit renewable for up to three years, at which point you can apply for citizenship
Requirements: Work remote and register in Armenia as a sole proprietor. There’s no income requirement or minimum stay, but as a company in Armenia, you will be subject to Armenian corporate taxes and regulations.
Greece
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The visa: One-year visa, with an option to apply for a renewable two-year residence permit after one year, permanent residency after five, and citizenship after seven
Requirements: Demonstrate that you work remote (and only for clients based outside of Greece), bring in a monthly income of $3,800, and have a clean criminal record and clean bill of health.
Italy
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The visa: One-year renewable visa, with the option to apply for permanent residency after five years
Requirements: Italy’s digital nomad visa doesn’t come easy — you have to be considered “highly skilled,” which includes a college degree and a professional license and/or documented achievement in your field. You also have to have experience as a remote worker, proof of housing, a clean criminal record, and at least $30,500 annual income.
Latvia
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The visa: One-year renewable visa, with the option to apply for permanent residency after two years and citizenship after five
Requirements: You’ll need an employment contract or business registration in an OECD country (including the US), proof of remote work, and proof of at least $3,100 monthly income. One thing to note is that unlike many other similar visas, Latvia’s visa doesn’t allow you bring family members along, so it’s better for solo travelers.
Mexico
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The visa: 180 days to four years, after which you can apply for permanent residency
Requirements: To acquire Mexico’s Temporary Resident Visa, maintain a bank balance of $43,000 for one year, make $2,595 per month (all from clients outside the country), and own property in Mexico worth over $346,000.
Norway
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The visa: One-year renewable visa, with an option to apply for permanent residency after three years
Requirements: Provide proof that you run your business remotely, earn at least $38,000 per year, and have a college degree. Unlike similar visas requiring nomads to work exclusively outside their new country, Norway requires you to have a contract with a client in Norway.
Portugal
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The visa: One-year renewable Temporary Stay Visa, or four-month Residency Visa with application for a two-year residency permit when you get there; with either, you can apply for permanent residency or citizenship after five years
Requirements: Work fully remote on a permanent or freelance contract, earn at least $3,800 per month, and have somewhere to live in Portugal. Portugal offers two visa options for digital nomads: a shorter-term Temporary Stay visa or a longer-term Residency Visa.
Spain
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The visa: One-year visa, with an option to apply for a three-year renewable residency permit and to apply for permanent residency after five years
Requirements: Work fully remote for a company or clients outside of Spain, although up to 20% of your work can be for clients inside Spain. You’ll also need a college degree or at least three years’ experience in your field and earn around $2,700 a month (twice Spain’s minimum wage) or more.
Uruguay
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The visa: Six-month visa renewable for another six months, with option to apply for permanent residency after 183 days.
Requirements: Uruguay’s digital nomad visa might be one of the world’s easiest to acquire and one of the quickest paths to permanent residency. To receive the visa, you have to work remotely for clients outside Uruguay, have a clean criminal record, and sign an affidavit you’ll be able to support yourself. And the application is fully online.
Brett Andrews is an expat influencer and co-founder of Expatsi, a company that's helped thousands of expats on their moving abroad journeys. Brett and his partner Jen developed the Expatsi Test to recommend countries to move to, based on factors like budget, visa type, spoken languages, healthcare rankings, and more. In a former life, he worked as a software developer, IT support specialist, and college educator. When he's not working, Brett loves watching exploring new countries, reading unusual books, and pondering the wisdom of The Big Lebowski.
