One of the most coveted lifestyles in the modern world is that of a digital nomad. While many people worldwide are constrained to one location as their place of work, digital nomads can take their work with them wherever they go.
Due to the nature of the world growing more and more connected through the internet, digital nomads are becoming more and more popular.
Why Become a Digital Nomad?
As a digital nomad, you have more freedom than most people. You can travel the world in search of great places to live and work and choose your own schedule. While many challenges come with this lifestyle, it’s also one of the most rewarding ways to live.
If you want to become a digital nomad, there are several things you should know before leaping into this exciting lifestyle. One of the essential aspects of being a digital nomad is knowing where to travel. In this article, we’ll review one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads — Portugal.
If you want to take your digital nomad lifestyle and destinations to the next level, read on and find out how Portugal might just be the best place to go for digital nomads. It’s an inspiring place and one of the easiest ways to really live out the lifestyle you most want.
How To Get a Digital Nomad Visa in Portugal
The process itself is pretty simple when it comes to applying for a digital nomad visa in Portugal. It’s a little more complicated than in some European countries, but it’s still a very accessible and doable process, especially for someone with good freelance experience.
You must apply for a freelance visa to get a digital nomad visa in Portugal. This means you will be self-employed and working remotely. You'll need to apply at the Portuguese consulate, pay a fee and submit your documents by mail or in person. Your documents include:
- Your passport
- Bank statement showing that you have enough money to live on (as well as proof of residence)
- Health insurance certificate
- Various other documents.
Check out their website to find all the updated requirements for a freelance visa application in Portugal. This will ensure that you can access the latest information, and you won’t need to make multiple trips to the embassy or consulate.
When applying for a visa, you can do that in various ways, from online to going to a Portuguese embassy or consulate. Generally, it’s better to go to an official embassy or consulate in person, but it is still totally possible to do it entirely digitally.
It can take a few days to a few months to obtain a digital nomad visa in Portugal. The process will depend on which visa you apply for, where in the world you reside, and your situation.
The time it takes to get your passport back varies depending on the embassy you are applying at, as well as other factors such as vacation breaks and peak season workloads.
Why Is Portugal So Good For Digital Nomads?
Portugal is a beautiful country for digital nomads to live in, and there are several reasons. For starters, the weather is excellent all year round. Portugal has four seasons like most of us, but the winters aren't too cold, and summers aren't too hot — it's just right.
The cost of living is also affordable compared to many other European countries, so you'll be able to save money while traveling around Portugal and spend some time on your own.
There are plenty of places where you can work from home or meet up with other digital nomads for coffee or lunch: Lisbon has cafes all over town. Porto is home to many coworking spaces.
Algarve's beaches have restaurants where you can take your laptop onto the patio or beach. Cascais even has an entire beach dedicated exclusively to people who want some peace away from their screens (and maybe some sun).
Portugal has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, so you won't have to worry about your safety while walking around at night. Plus, most Portuguese people are friendly and welcoming toward tourists and expats alike.
No matter what kind of digital nomadism you gravitate to, Portugal is a fantastic place to go if you want to live your best life. Whether it involves living minutes from the beach and spending most of your time outside or living in some of the best urban expanses of the world, Portugal has what you need.
What Is a Freelance or Digital Nomad Visa?
A visa is an official document issued by a country that allows a person to enter that country. It remains in your passport and is used as proof of your authorization to enter another country.
A digital nomad visa is different from a work permit or residency visa. It’s not something that allows someone to live and work in Portugal. For example, if you wanted to move your whole business to Portugal for tax reasons or because it just sounds like an excellent place to live, this isn't the type of visa you'd use — you'd need an immigration status from the local authorities.
This type of immigration deal is called residence permits, and they allow people who aren't EU citizens (or their family members) access to Portugal under certain circumstances: such as if they meet specific criteria or fall under one of three categories: skilled workers; researchers; self-employed entrepreneurs.
What Is a Digital Nomad?
Digital nomads are people who work remotely. They can be self-employed or freelance workers, but they tend to have the freedom to work wherever they want. The idea behind being a digital nomad is that you have the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
This means you can travel for extended periods without worrying about losing your job. If necessary, you can take your laptop with you and continue working from your hotel room or a coffee shop. You can live, work, and travel anywhere in the world.
It’s also important to remember that being a digital nomad doesn’t just mean working from home and living in the same place all year round. It also takes advantage of opportunities by traveling worldwide to experience new cultures, meet interesting people and make money doing what you love most.
One primary question many people have about being a digital nomad comes down to how much money they can make. After all, how much money can someone make just traveling around the world and living the dream all the time? Luckily, with many modern jobs, you can make an incredibly sustainable income just from the work you do on your laptop.
Even at the lower end of incomes, many beginning freelancers can make upwards of $30,000 or $40,000 yearly. As time goes on and your level of skill and connections increase, that number can quickly rise into six figures while traveling around the world and living all of your dreams.
Conclusion
It's not hard to get a digital nomad visa in Portugal. But there are a few things you need to know before applying. First, you need proof of your income, which means providing bank statements or other documentation showing that you can support yourself while living in Portugal.
You also need to prove that your employer or business will be based outside of the country — this can be done by submitting an invitation letter from an international entity with whom they have an agreement (like a bank). As long as you can meet those requirements, your digital nomad application for Portugal should be approved.
If you would like to trial life as a digital nomad in Europe, consider first applying for an ETIAS. On an approved ETIAS, you can visit your EU country of choice for up to 90 days, per 180 day period, while working on your business. This will enable you to have the flexibility to try living in a few different EU countries before selecting your ideal location.
EU travel authorization rules frequently change but you can keep yourself informed by following the current ETIAS requirements.
Sources:
Portugal | United States Department of State