Portugal issued around 200 visas to digital nomads in two and a half months and according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs most of these remote workers are from Brazil, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America
Digital nomads – people who work exclusively remotely – are part of the variants of the new work paradigm. Between October 30, 2022, and mid-January 2023, around two hundred temporary stay visas and residence permits were issued for digital nomads which, in practical terms, symbolize remote workers.
Law nº 18/2022 of August 25 came into force on August 26, 2022 and in October of that same year it was rectified (Rectification Statement nº 27/2022, of October 21), introducing changes to the Foreigners’ Law and creating a new since it enshrines the right of citizens whose nationality is not from one of the countries that make up the European Union or the European Economic Area to live and work abroad from Portugal, during an initial period of 12 months. With this new measure, digital nomads applied for their visas and almost two hundred were issued in just two and a half months.
It is necessary to highlight the requirements for digital nomads to be able to access this new visa:
- Carry out a professional activity remotely from Portugal but outside the national territory
- Earning more than four times the national minimum wage – in practical terms and as of today, this represents €3040 gross.
After a year of staying in the country carrying out remote activities, digital nomads can remain in Portugal if they apply for a residence permit, which can last up to 5 years. For this initial, simplified visa, remote workers of foreign nationality must deliver to the respective Portuguese consulates or alternatively to the Foreigners and Borders Service – SEF:
- Document attesting tax residency
- Proof that the average monthly income for the last three months was higher than the monthly average of four national minimum wages (€3040 gross)
- Employment contract, proof of employment contract, promise of an employment contract or statement from the employer attesting to the employment relationship (for employees, insofar as self-employed workers do not follow this criterion)
Until October 2022, when this new visa was created, remote workers mostly appealed for the D7 visa, initially designed for foreigners who were enjoying their retirement or people with passive income, that is, for citizens of other nationalities outside the European Union or the Schengen area whose income was not derived from an employment contract.
Portugal recently entered the Top 8 best places in the world to work remotely with Madeira being the destination of choice (Digital Nomads: Madeira among the 8 best places in the world to work – Lamares, Capela & Associados (lamarescapela.pt) On the other hand, the platform Nomad List – Best Places to Live for Digital Nomads points to Madeira and Lisbon as places of choice for digital nomads.
