Where’s my stamp?
A no-nonsense guide to long-stay visas in 2025.
Let’s be honest — the UK digital nomad life sounds dreamy… right up until you’re sweating over visa deadlines and planning yet another border run. If you’re over the stress of flying out every 30 days just to stay legal, this one's for you.
Georgia 🇬🇪 - Remotely Visa
Length of Stay: Upto 1 Year (this is renewable)
How to apply: Currently 95 countries can enter Georgia without requiring a visa. UK nationals can stay in Georgia for upto 1 year. To stay longer, contact the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Requirements: appropriate health insurance/travel insurance is required. You may be asked for this at immigration on arrival.
Why its great: The country is beautiful, incredible nature and mountainous landscape, ultra-fast internet all at a bargain price tag.
Cons: English is not widely spoken, expect to hear Georgian or Russian.
Portugal 🇵🇹 - Digital Nomad Visa (D8)
Length of Stay: 1 Year renewable (Maximum stay 5 year).
How to apply: Applications can be made at your local Portuguese Consulate. Visa fees are around €75.
Requirements: Monthly income requirement of €3,280 and having sufficient savings of around €10,000. Accomodation has to be arranged usually for duration of 1 year if renting. Other potential visa options include D7 visa and Golden Visa.
Why its great: Portugal has a perfect climate. Visa provides a pathway to permanent residency after 5 years. Family inclusion is part of the visa, allowing families to move together. Universal health care for all residents. Certain tax benefits afforded if they apply for Non-Habitual Resident status which allows for 0% tax on worldwide income and a flat tax rate of 20% on Portuguese Income. Madeira is building the “Digital Nomads Madeira” project which plans to host nomads and providing them with free working spaces and Internet.
Cons: Rising rental prices within major cities like Lisbon, a lot of bureaucracy exists.
Spain 🇪🇸 - Digital Nomad Visa
Length of Stay: 1 Year renewable (Maximum stay 5 years)
How to apply: Applications can be made at your local Spanish Consulate.
Requirements: NIE number must be applied for (Foreigner Identity Number) prior to applying for the visa. Applicants must also meet an income requirements of €2800 per month (there is a larger income requirement if you are moving with your family) and have either graduated from accredited universities or have had a least 3 years professional experience and evidence of current employment for 3 months or equivalent freelance contracts.
Why its great: Vibrant cities and culture and tax benefits. Expats can play a flat rate of 24% on Spanish income and gains up to €600,000 for 6 years. All other world wide income is not taxable, known as the Beckham Law.
Cons: Application process can be confusing with consulates not always listing full eligibility criteria. Requirements may also differ depending on where you are applying from. Expect a lot of regional red tape and inconsistent advice and duplicated paperwork.
MEXICO 🇲🇽 - Temporary Resident Visa
Length of Stay: 1 Year renewable (Maximum stay 4 years)
How to apply: Applications can be made at your local Mexican consulate in your home country.
Requirements: There are two main routes 1) income route with monthly net income (last 6 months) being more than 300 days of general minimum wage (roughly $83,640 pesos or £3,316 sterling if applying from UK) 2) Savings route with proof of investments/funds being more than 5,000 days of the general minimum wage during the last 12 months ($1,394,000 pesos or £55,259 sterling if applying from UK). There are other routes available being property or investment in Mexican assets/companies.
Why its great: There is already a large ex-pat/nomad community in Mexico city and Oaxaca, great food scene, rich cultural history.
Cons: There are definitely safety concerns in certain parts of the country, private healthcare generally recommended. Mexico city has a long standing pollution problem and is ranked around 16th in the world for its pollution.
Indonesia 🇮🇩 - Remote worker (E33G) or Second Home (5 years)
Length of Stay:
1) the Remote Worker visa (E33G), introduced in April 2024 and provides a 1 year temporary residence permit which can be renewable for an additonal 1 year.
2) Second Home visa (5 years)How to apply?: Applicants can head to https://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/ to start their application for both Remote worker visas or Second Home visas.
Requirements:
1) Remote Worker Visa (E33G) - must be employed by a company/organisation outside Indonesia, minimum bank balance of $2,000 USD for past 3 months and an annual salary of $60,000 USD (or equivalent) is required. Cost is IDR 7,000,000 (£322 sterling), but some agents may charge you twice that for their assistance. A further amount will be payable if you wish to renew.
2) Second Home Visa (E33) - applicant must deposit funds of $130,000 USD in a state owned bank or purchase property with a value of over $1,000,000 USD. The cost is IDR 13,000,000 (£600 sterling).
Why its great (Bali): Bali has been set up for digital nomads with an abundance of great co-working spaces, cafes and restaurants. There is a vibrant community with lots of activities centred around wellness.
Cons: The visa stipulates that an applicant must have an employment contract with a foreign business/organisation. Freelancers do not meet this requirement. Holders of this visa can not work with or for Indonesian clients. You are not permitted to set up or run a business with this visa. People living in Bali complain of bad infrastructure and lack of medical facilities outside of major cities like Denpasar, Kuta and Ubud.
Thailand 🇹🇭 - Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)
Length of Stay: 1 year potentially (renewable for 5 years)
It is worth noting that, your inital stamp is for 180 days. To stay for a year you will need to apply for an extension at immigation or leave and re-enter the country (see more below).
How to Apply? To apply for the visa then please visit https://www.thaievisa.go.th/
The visa must be applied for outside the country before arrival.Requirements: There are two main ways to get your DTV Visa
1) Workcation - for digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent and freelancers
2) Thai related cultural activities - learning Muay Thai, Thai culinary training or medical treatment
For either, you will need to show you have 500,000 THB in liquid assets (around £11,600 sterling) . Most embassies require that you show this minimum for last 3 months but some have asked for 6 months of statements.
The Visa cost is 10,000 Thai Baht (roughly £232 sterling) however many embassies charge a different amount. The Thai Embassy in UK quotes £300.
https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/destination-thailand-visa.
Visa extensions every 180 days cost 1,900 THB (£45 sterling).
All foreigners entering Thailand by land, air or sea must also fill out a Thai Digital Arrival Card, in the 3 days prior to arrival. This is regardless of whether you are one of the visa-exemption scheme countries. To fill out the form head here https://tdac.immigration.go.th.
Why its great?: Thailand brings together culture, incredible nature and a relatively cheaper lifestyle but with all the great comforts including great infrastructure. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket remain popular long stay destinations for nomads. There is a strong ex-pat community in these areas with plenty of community events designed to network and make friends.
Cons: Different embassies ask for different requirements, and some are better than others at processing the visa. Northern areas suffer from pollution issues from January - March each year. Visas / immigration requirements are constantly changing and almost come into effect immediately.
