Countries Open to Expats and Digital Nomads in July 2021 (Covid-19 update)

Countries Open to Expats and Digital Nomads in July 2021 (Covid-19 update) – that will be the topic of today’s article.

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Introduction

It is no new dream for many workers to be able to work while traveling. Who doesn’t want to work remotely on a beach or a cozy island? No doubt, if you have worked remotely, the fantasy of doing your work elsewhere than on your couch is definitely a reoccurring one. After all, with a strong internet connection, you can work from any corner of the world. And when conventional workers discovered this, digital nomadism was born.

The onset of the Covid 19 pandemic started a new era in the commercial and tourism world. For the commercial world—most employees accustomed to a face-to-face work system had to adapt to a new way of working from home.

Nonetheless, the covid 19 eras are slowly fading away, and workers are now returning to their workplace to continue their remote work. Peradventure, you are one of those workers, and you wish to participate in digital nomadism and want to know the countries that are available for it. Keep reading!

Digital nomadism is more of a lifestyle than a job. It is the combination of work, money, tourism, and to add it all up, it makes your work more fun. Plus, workers that have jobs with affiliation with creativity would be perfect for this.

Now, what’s a better way to get inspiration than the cool breeze from a beach in Costa Rica? In this article, we’ve got you covered! And we will walk you through the countries that are open to expats and digital nomads. Please read the full article to get a glimpse of what we’ve unleashed.

What is a Digital Nomad Visa, and Which Countries Offer it?

To understand how a digital nomad visa works, the definition of what a digital nomad is necessary. A digital nomad is a remote worker with a nomadic lifestyle and uses the internet to work remotely outside the country they normally live in.

Now that the definition of a digital nomad is set in stone, you can understand digital nomad visas better. Digital Nomad Visa is a document that gives you the right to work remotely in a country that you don’t permanently live in.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world has changed and is still evolving. More so, no sector has experienced this change other than the travel sector and where we work. Countries with tourism-dependent revenue keep suffering from it, and not many people are willing to travel yet.  Nonetheless, tourism moves the income of many countries, which inspired the approval of new work visas, including the digital nomad visa and visas for tourism by expats.

A-List of Countries Open to Expats and Digital Nomads in July 2021

As of the 9th of July, 2021, 25 countries offer digital nomad visas and are open to expats. Here is a list of the countries that are open for tourism and digital nomadism.

Countries Open for Digital Nomadism

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Cayman Islands
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Curacao
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Dubai
• Estonia
• Germany 
• Mexico
• Australia
• Portugal
• Spain
• Montserrat
• Mauritius
• Romania
• Greece – (to begin soon)
• Thailand – (to start soon)
• Indonesia – (to start soon)
• Cape Town–(to start soon)
• Sri Lanka– (to start soon)

A Detailed Guide of Countries Offering Digital Nomad Visas in July 2021

ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

Antigua and Barbuda offer a visa called the nomad digital residency. This visa is specific to digital nomads that are capable of supporting themselves and family members. The visa spans two years, and to benefit from it, and you would need to get a health insurance plan.

The Requirements

• You have to make an average of $50,000 a year.
• You need a location for accommodation that isn’t your office.
• You are to work for an organization outside Antigua and Barbuda.

How to get an “NDR” Nomad Digital Residency Visa

To get the visa so you can be a digital nomad in Antigua and Barbuda, there are three brief steps you have to follow.

• First, you fill up their online application form here.
• Tender a police background check and your proof of employment.
• Lastly, you pay a sum of 1,500 for one, 2,000 for two (a couple), and 3,000 for a family of three or more.

BARBADOS

Barbados is another country on the list of digital nomad accepting countries. Not too long ago, the country started to offer a Barbados welcome stamp. This stamp provides a one-year working vacation visa for digital nomads. The visa price, more so, is $2000 for a person and $3000 for families.

Requirements

• You must own a location-independent business. If you don’t, you should work remotely for an organization that isn’t based in Barbados.

• You have to have a minimum annual income of $50,000.

• Lastly, a compulsory Covid19 test must be taken. Plus, a mandatory two days quarantine at arrival.

How to Get Barbados Welcome Stamp

• The first step is to fill their online application form.
• Next, you pay for the stamp. The stamp goes for about $2000.

Bermuda

Bermuda launched a new visa program, “work from Bermuda, for digital nomads and remote workers. The program aims to permit workers and students alike to work remotely on their beautiful island stress-free.

The country claims that they are set to admit workers as long as they have electric car rentals, multiple co-working spaces, a vacation that would allow digital nomads and expats to have a nice time for the period of one year on the island. A fascinating part of this offer is it doesn’t have any minimum income requirement.

The Conditions for the Visa Program

• You must own a location-independent business. If you don’t, you should work remotely for an organization that isn’t based in Bermuda.
• You tender proof of your travel insurance.

How to get it

• Go online and fill up their application form.
• Submit all of the required paperwork and pay a sum of $263 as a Visa fee.

Cayman Islands

The department of tourism of Cayman islands recently launched a specific visa for digital nomads that is called the “Global Citizen Concierge Program (GCCP).” This visa allows digital nomads to work and live in their country for two years.

For the Cayman Islands, the minimum income requirement is a bit more than that of other countries that permit digital nomadism. If you haven’t moved or you still plan to move, the income requirement might serve as a push to becoming a six-figure earner.

Digital nomads that have the Cayman Islands as a country of interest must have a minimum income requirement of $100,000 if you are alone and a minimum income requirement of $150,000 if you are a couple.

More so, since this program was just launched recently, a full detailed list of requirements hasn’t been released yet. Nonetheless, here are some conditions we managed to find.

• You must be a remote worker for an organization/company outside the country.
• A notarized bank reference letter would be needed.
• You would also need a health insurance policy.

How to get into the Global Citizen Concierge Program (GCCP)

• You will have to fill up their online application form.
• Also, you will have to pay a sum of $1,469 as an application fee.

Croatia

Croatia has boarded the digital nomadism train and offers digital nomads a visa for 12 months with no extensions. Application is open to workers who work remotely outside Croatia and in third-world countries.

To get a Visa, You Will Need to do the following;

• Fill up their online application form
• Prove that you work on communication technology for an organization outside Croatia
• Submit your passports and purchase health insurance that covers Croatia.
• Have in your bank account an amount of $4,544.81

Czech Republic

This country offers digital nomads a visa called Zivno. The visa allows digital nomads to stay in this country for a period of one year with a possibility of a one-year extension.

How to get Zinvo

• You will have to have a trade license from a selected list.
• Tender a proof of a year accommodation
• You have to have a minimum of $5 in your bank account.
• You would also have to pay a sum of $80 every month as tax.

Curacao

The beautiful island of Curacao is now open for digital nomadism. They offer an initiative called the @home in curacao program.

How to get it

• You need to tender proof of contract with a country outside Curacao.
• You have to be a partner or have shares in a foreign organization/company.
• Good
• You will need to submit your passports as well, purchase tour travel insurance with covid19 expenses inclusive.

The application fee for this program is just $300. So why not head to a cozy tropical island?

Costa Rica

For a decade now, Costa Rica has become a stable economic state with a lot of social programs and a tax system that favors expats and digital nomads. This country now offers a visa “Rentista.” To earn this residency Visa, digital nomads are to release proof of a monthly income of about $ 2,500 from a foreign organization. Plus, it has to be corroborated with a foreign banking institution for at least two years.

How to Get Rentista

Interested digital nomads should earn a minimum income of $2,500 monthly or deposit $60,000 in any Costa Rica bank.

• Register online by filling out their application form on their site.
• Translate or convert all of the documents to Spanish and verify them in the country you wish to depart.
• You would also have to pay a sum of $250 for the residency visa.

Dominica

Dominica, not the Dominican Republic, just launched a new visa program, “Work in Nature.” This visa program is open to freelancers and digital nomads. It allows them to literally “work in the nature” of this Caribbean island for a period of 18 months.

Conditions for Eligibility

• You must have a clean criminal record from the country you are leaving.
• Earn or make a sum of $50,000 annually.
• Be open to working remotely
• You would also have to pay the visa fee. The visa fee for an individual is $800, while it is $1,200 for families. Along with this visa fee, you are required to pay an additional non-refundable sum of $100.

Dubai

Dubai came on board with digital nomadism when, earlier this year, it released a remote work and travel visa program—with the visa costing just $287.

How to Get the Remote Work and Travel Visa

• You will have to tender UAE-validated health insurance.
• Sample proof of employment from your foreign country.
• This last step might be a bit difficult for freelancers as they may not have these documents. Monthly salary statement and a one-year contract.

Estonia

Amongst all of the European countries, Estonia is the first European country to initiate the e-residency program. This program allows digital nomads to register an EU-based business.

Also, this year, Estonia launched a visa residency program that allows foreign digital nomads and freelancers to live in the country for a year.

Conditions to be Met

• You have to either own a location-independent business (i.e., freelancer) or work remotely for a foreign company outside Estonia.
• Plus, you have to have made a minimum sum of €3,504 for the last 6 months before the application for you to be eligible.

How to Get the Visa

• Firstly, you fill up their online application form.
• Get an appointment with any Estonian embassy around you to submit your form.
• Lastly, you will have to pay $80 if you wish for a short stay and $100 for a longer stay.

Germany

Germany’s “Freiberufler” is one of the best visas for digital nomads as it permits up to 3 years of stay.

To be Granted the visa

• The local tax office has to agree to your freelance job as being liberal. Afterwards, you can begin the conversation about eligibility.
• You have to agree to pay taxes to the German government.

Note, Germany has another visa as well; this visa, “Aufenthaltserlaubnis für selbständige Tätigkeit,” allows digital nomads and freelancers to work remotely and live in Germany from 6 months to 3 years.

How to Get your Visa

• You will have to submit German-approved health insurance.
• You will have to get a local address in Germany.
• You also have to submit veritable proof of being financially stable.
• Pay a sum of €100 as a Visa fee.
• Lastly, this one is a little tricky, but you would have to work with German-based clients. The government wants to see that you help their local economy.

Mexico

Mexico is one of the best countries for digital nomads out there and is heavily pervaded with them. Plus, it offers a temporary residency that allows digital nomads and freelancers to live and work in their country for one to three years in a row.

Conditions

• You own a location-independent enterprise/business or work remotely for a foreign country.
• You also need to have a minimum of $27,000 in your bank account or earn at least $2,000 monthly to qualify for the program.

How to get their visa

• Like other countries that allow digital nomadism, Mexico requires that you fill up their online application form.
• Plan an appointment with a Mexican consultant as you have to submit your documents in person.

Australia

Australia offers a visa program called “Australian Working Holiday Visa.” This visa allows you to live and work in the country for a year.

Furthermore, the visa program has an age limit. Only people between the ages of 16 and 35 can qualify. There is not much about this visa program. It is advisable to reach out to any Australian embassies in your area and make certain information about this visa program as some specific details are attached to the visa program.

Portugal

Portugal, unlike other countries, doesn’t only offer a temporary resident visa to digital nomads, but a resident permit. This type has the potential of being extended up to 5 years. Plus, the fascinating thing about this visa is that, after five years, you can apply for permanent residency.

What you will need

• You will have to tender proof of sustainable income.
• Get a travel and health insurance
• Allow the authorities to do a criminal background check
• Earn a minimum of €600 monthly.

Spain

Spain offers a visa for digital nomads who work remotely in a foreign country to live and work in Spain. Spain provides a self-employment visa. This visa allows freelancers and digital nomads from foreign countries and other EU countries to live in Spain for a year.

Requirements for the self-employment visa

• You have to pass the background check
• You have to tender proof that you have enough funds to sustain yourself.

Spain offers another type of visa. This visa is the “start-up law visa.” This program permits citizens from other countries to enter Spain to work, live, and make start-ups in the country for a year.

Lastly, Spain offers one more visa. This visa is called the Non-lucrative visa. All that this visa entails is that you are not allowed to work. The government seeks to admit foreign citizens that are retired and self-sufficient. The visa lasts for a year, but there is a possibility for an extension.

Montserrat

Montserrat offers digital nomads a new program called Montserrat Remote Work Stamp. This stamp allows digital nomads to live and work on this island for a year. Plus, if you are happy with your stay, you can request an extension.

To be qualified, you need to

• Pay a sum of $500
• Tender veritable proof that you work for a foreign company or own one.
• Get a health insurance
• Have a minimum of $70,000 as annual income.

What makes this visa program more fascinating is you just have to wait for seven days to get approved.

MAURITIUS

Mauritius is an island that just boarded the digital nomadism train. Eligible digital nomads can live and work on the island for a year and renew the visa when a year expires. Plus, for now, the application is free.

All the countries above have approved digital nomadism. However, some countries intend to support digital nomadism soon. The government has started, and you should be expecting these countries to open to digital nomads soon. The countries are:

• Cape Town
• Greece
• Indonesia
• Romania
• Thailand
• Sri Lanka

Countries That Open for Expats

More so, apart from countries open to digital nomads, there are also countries that are open to expats even in this covid 19 era as of July 2021. Here is a list of all the countries available to tourism and expats:

Africa Travel Update

• Egypt
• Mali
• Burkina Faso
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Somalia
• South of Sudan
• Sudan

Asia Travel Update

• Mongolia
• Nepal
• Thailand
• Afghanistan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Pakistan
• Tajikistan
• Uzbekistan

Eastern Europe Travel

• Albania
• Armenia
• Belarus
• Bulgaria
• Bosnia
• Croatia
• Estonia
• Georgia
• Latvia
• Moldova
• Lithuania
• Poland
• Serbia
• Ukraine

Americas and the Caribbean

• Belize
• Brazil
• Canada
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Mexico
• United States —Only open from specific countries.

Conclusion

Many countries are open to expats, and by the end of the year, the governments of several countries will render their country available to expats. Nonetheless, for the ones that are opened as of July 2021, it is important that expats and digital nomads put the prevalence of Covid-19 in mind. Most countries would require proof of vaccination and a mandatory 48 – 72 hours quarantine period. So if you’re ready to take a trip, be prepared as regards Covid 19.

More so, it is important to do adequate research before selecting your country of choice. As outlined above, ensure that you fit all of the requirements as that’s the only way you can be thoroughly prepared and get the visa you want.