Portugal to open up digital nomad visas for people to stay up to a year

Portugal to open up digital nomad visas for people to stay up to a year
Source: Hotels.com

When the pandemic hit and a lot of people shifted to working remotely, it was because we were all stuck at home trying not to get each other sick. But now that COVID guidelines are loosened, people who are still working remotely have the chance to do that from anywhere in the world. So some countries are trying to court these full-time remote workers to come to stay a while – and pump some money into their economy while they’re at it.

That’s why, at the end of this month, Portugal is opening up new digital nomad visas for people who want to work and stay there for up to a year. The guidelines around it are pretty lax – all you have to do is show proof of tax residency and a work contract. The last three months of your income must also be more than four times the country’s minimum wage, which is currently €705 (US$689) monthly.

Portugal has been a favorite destination for people seeking visas for a while now since the country has relaxed regulations for people trying to get European citizenship, and the cost of living is attractive. Now, you can try it out for a year before you decide to go all in with citizenship (unless the EU steps in and cracks down on these “golden visa" programs first).

Key comments:

“Digital nomadism is a trend that has been gaining traction since the early 2020s and with the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working became a reality for many workers," said the managing director of investment migration company Global Citizen Solutions, Patricia Casaburi. “This visa will simplify procedures for citizens from other countries who want to come to Portugal and the country will benefit from attracting a new labor market and more human resources."

“Portugal is the next California," said Latitude Residency & Citizenship managing partner Ezzedeen Soleiman. “You have tremendous talent going there, tremendous wealth going there."