Today, many countries offer digital nomad visas for remote workers. In this way, digital nomads can live and work abroad with such visas. They can also benefit from services like high-speed internet connection and infrastructure.
Let’s get to know more about the digital nomad visa.
What is a Digital Nomad Visa?
A digital nomad visa is also referred to as a remote work visa. It mainly benefits freelancers and entrepreneurs by offering an alternative visa.
Typically, it’s not easy for freelancers to apply for traditional visas. The reason is that such visas require invitation letters or contracts with an entity. If you want to start a business in Portugal, you should try for Portugal d2 visa for entrepreneurs.
So, a remote work visa is a travel permit allowing professionals to travel for work. You can easily obtain this visa. Furthermore, you don’t deal with contracts or much paperwork, and you can stay for a long time.
Each country entails its own regulations and policies regarding its digital nomad visa. Portugal, Croatia, Germany, and Greece are only a few countries that provide this visa in Europe. There are also countries outside of Europe that offer this visa.
In this article, we’ll focus more on Portugal’s digital nomad visa.
Digital Nomad Portugal
Portugal is a country that stands out with tech industries and startups. It also offers a developed structure, and the internet speed is quite high. Furthermore, it offers safety and an expat-friendly community.
Note that US citizens can visit Portugal for up to 90 days without a visa. Non-EU citizens, on the other hand, need to apply for a Schengen visa. EU nationals don’t need any visa for this.
To apply for the visa:
- Third-country and US nationals must fill the visa application form. They can do it at the embassy or consulate in their home country.
- EU nationals need to apply for a Residence Certificate from the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service (SEF). This is the only thing they must do.
Typically, the application process takes two weeks to three months. For your application, you need to submit the following documents:
- Passport photo
- Passport and your previous visa copies
- Flight reservation details
- Proof of accommodation
- Contract of employment
- A medical insurance policy covering expenses up to €30,000
Types of Portugal Digital Nomad Visa
Two types of digital nomad visa are available: Temporary Stay Visa and Residency Visa.
Temporary Stay Visa
If you want to stay in the country for one year, you can choose this visa. You need to prove that you’ll earn at least €635 per month during your stay. After one year, you can renew it for two more years. It’s also a good way for digital nomads who don’t look for permanent residency.
The documents required for this visa are:
- Clean criminal record
- Official form
- Passport and travel documents
- Valid travel insurance
- Proof of means of subsistence
Residency Visa
This is another option for applicants of digital nomad Portugal. A Residency visa is a good option if you want to stay in Portugal for more than one year as a digital nomad. The validity of the visa is four months. In the meantime, you also need to apply for a residency permit through SEF (Immigration and Borders Service). Then, your residency permit will be valid for a further two years.
Residency visa also includes two types:
- Portugal D2 Visa: If you want to set up a business or carry out business activities, you can apply for this one.
- Portugal D7 Visa: You can apply for D7 Visa if you don’t want to conduct business or engage in investment activities. Instead, you may want to work independently. In this case, you need to prove that you earn at least €7200 per year, to get this visa.
Coworking Options in Portugal
You can find several coworking spaces in Lisbon, Porto, and many other cities in Portugal.
In the list below, you can find some of the best coworking spaces in Portugal:
- Porto i/o: Porto i/o takes place in the north of Porto. You can meet many digital nomads here. There are regular workshops, lectures and talks held here.
- Liberdade229: It takes place in central Lisbon. You’ll find that the offices are large enough to work. There’s also a kitchen as well.
- Largo: Largo is in Peniche that is the only coworking office here. It’s an affordable office that provides all the necessary equipment for working.
Other such coworking spaces in Portugal include Typographia in Porto, Avila Spaces in Lisbon, and Base Cowork in Leiria.
About Digital Banking in Portugal
Portugal offers an advanced banking system. It also includes advanced interbank networks through Multibanco.
It’s advisable to register with one of the international banks in Portugal as a digital nomad.
It’s also possible to open your bank account online through your laptop or your smartphone. The prominent digital banks you can use are N26, Revolut, and bunq. You can easily have access to your funds 24 hours a day.
Accessing Mobile Banking in Portugal
You may have a physical bank account in a Portuguese bank. In this case, it’s sufficient to download the mobile app of the bank.
It’s also safer than traditional banking.
