Digital nomad visas — remote-work residence routes

Digital nomad visas are a recent visa class (most launched 2022–2024) designed for remote workers with income from foreign sources. Examples include Portugal's D8, Spain's Digital Nomad Visa (Startups Law 2022), and the UAE Virtual Working programme.

Typical characteristics

Income must come from outside the destination — a core eligibility criterion.
Minimum-income thresholds vary: typically EUR 2,500–3,500 monthly or 4× minimum wage.
Typically 12-month initial validity, renewable for 2–5 total years.
Some lead to permanent residence (Portugal, Spain after 5 years); others do not.

Portuguese Republic(1 route)

D8 visa (digital nomad / remote work)
Residence visa for remote workers employed by or freelancing for companies outside Portugal.

Kingdom of Spain(1 route)

Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)
Residence permit for remote workers and international freelancers under the Startup Law (Ley de Startups).

United Arab Emirates(1 route)

UAE Virtual Working Programme
1-year residence for remote workers employed by companies outside the UAE.

🇵🇹Portuguese Republic(1 route)

🇪🇸Kingdom of Spain(1 route)

🇦🇪United Arab Emirates(1 route)

Portuguese Republic(1 route)

Kingdom of Spain(1 route)

United Arab Emirates(1 route)