In the pre-COVID world Bali was the number one place for freelancers and digital nomads. They were either living there permanently or spending cold winters on this heavenly island. Which is logical. For 500-800 EUR a month it was possible to rent a luxurious villa with service; have access to most exotic and delicious fruits and fresh seafood and work on the beach while listening to the hum of the ocean. And the most appealing thing is the easy visa application process (or none at all for some passport holders).
But then COVID came and changed everything. With travel restrictions, so many countries that live off tourism are experiencing difficulties. On the one hand it’s very sad as the absence of tourism means people are without jobs and income.
On the other hand, seeing that the world is largely going online, a lot of countries introduced long-stay visas and even residence permits for freelancers and digital nomads. And it’s not just the faraway exotic countries, but many European as well.
Germany has a special freelance visa, called the Aufenthaltserlaubnis für selbständige Tätigkeit that costs 100 EUR and allows foreign freelancers and self-employed to stay in the country for 6 months and up to 3 years. You’ll need to prove financial self-sustainability, have an address in Germany, health insurance. The application is done at the immigration office.
Estonia introduced a one-year digital nomad freelancer visa. To be eligible, a person has to have his/her own independent business or work remotely for a company that’s outside of Estonia and a monthly income of 3504EUR for the last 6 months. The application is filled out online and the cost is 80 EUR for a short-stay and 100 EUR for a long-stay visa.
On the other side of the world, some of the Caribbean countries now have their freelance visas as well. The financial requirements are a bit steeper than in Europe, but in exchange you get a to live in paradise
Antigua & Barbuda has 365 different beaches and has just introduced a visa called Nomad Digital Residence (NDR). It’s valid for 2 years (so you have two days per beach). The requirements include:
- A location independent business or remote work
- Annual income of at least 50 000 USD
- Health insurance policy
The application is filled out online and the cost is 1500 USD for one person, 2000 USD for a couple and 3000 USD for a family of 3 or more.
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Barbados has the “Barbados Welcome Stamp” that initially allows freelancers to stay 12 months and subsequently extend it.
The requirements are:
- Remote work or business
- Annual income of at least 50 000 USD
- A mandatory COVID-19 test and a 48-hour long quarantine
The application is filled out online and the visa costs 2000 USD.
The Cayman Islands (top destination for diving holidays) has launched the Global Citizen Certificate that allows freelancers to stay on the islands for up to 2 years.
The requirements include:
- Being employed by an entity outside of the Cayman Islands
- A notarized bank reference letter,
- Health insurance
- An annual income of at least 100 000 USD for individuals and 150 000 USD for couples.
The application is also online and the visa costs 1469 USD.
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And who knows, maybe, while exploring one of the 365 beaches of Antigua & Barbuda or just chilling (sorry, working) by the waterside in the shadow of palm trees, with you exotic cocktail with a little umbrella by your side, you’ll be able to spot on the horizon the most famous freelancer of the Caribbean sea – Captain Sparrow;)
