Best Digital Nomad Visas for 2027: Income Requirements Compared

More than 60 countries now offer a visa for people who work remotely for employers or clients abroad. Some are residence permits that can lead to permanent residence; others are glorified long tourist visas. Income requirements range from about $3,000 a month to more than ¥10 million a year.

This guide compares eleven of the most useful options for 2027: the income each asks for, how long you can stay, and what happens to your tax. It is written for remote workers and freelancers, including those on African, South Asian and Filipino passports.

The short answer: Spain and Portugal are strongest for settling in Europe. Croatia, Costa Rica and Dubai are best for low or no local tax. Thailand's DTV is the cheapest to qualify for. Japan is excellent but short and open only to some nationalities.

How digital nomad visas work

The basic deal is the same almost everywhere. You can live in the country while working for an employer or clients based elsewhere. You must not take local jobs or, in most cases, earn more than a small share of your income from local clients. In return you show a minimum income, health insurance and a clean criminal record.

What differs is legal status. A residence permit (Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta) can usually be renewed and counted towards long-term residence. A long-stay visa (Estonia, Japan, Thailand) gives you time but no path to settle.

Income requirements compared

All figures are approximate and based on official requirements at the time of writing (late 2026). Thresholds tied to minimum wages or average salaries change every year, and consulates can apply them differently.

Spain and Portugal: the routes to settling

Spain

Spain's international teleworker visa is Europe's most popular because it leads to a renewable residence permit and, after five years, long-term residence. The threshold is 200% of the Spanish minimum wage: about €2,849 a month for a single applicant after the 2026 increase, plus extra per dependant. Some consulates were still quoting the 2025 figure of about €2,762 earlier in the year, so check yours.

You need a degree or three years' experience, at least three months with your current employer or clients, and no more than 20% of income from Spanish sources. Applying from inside Spain, if you are there legally, gets you a longer permit.

Portugal

Portugal's D8 visa requires income of four times the Portuguese minimum wage, which is €3,680 a month in 2026. A rise in the minimum wage is planned for 2027, which would push the threshold up again. You can choose a one-year temporary stay visa or a residence visa leading to a two-year residence permit. The residence route counts towards permanent residence and citizenship.

Expect delays: the immigration agency, AIMA, has had long backlogs for residence appointments. The old non-habitual resident tax regime closed to newcomers in 2024, and its replacement covers only certain professions, so most nomads should plan on normal Portuguese tax.

Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Italy and Malta

Croatia

Croatia's permit lasts up to 18 months. The 2026 threshold is €3,622.50 a month, or savings covering the stay. The attraction is tax: remote-work income from foreign employers is exempt from Croatian income tax. You can't get a new permit straight after the first one ends.

The other four

Estonia pioneered the idea, but its visa is now one of the less attractive: €4,500 gross a month over the previous six months, for a maximum of a year, with no path to residence. Greece asks for €3,500 net a month, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child, and offers a renewable residence permit. Italy opened its scheme in 2024; the threshold is roughly €28,000 a year, although some consulates quote slightly different figures, and you need a degree or substantial experience. Malta requires €42,000 gross a year, renewable for up to four years, and has the most predictable tax deal in Europe: 12 months tax-free, then a flat 10% on your remote-work income. Details are on the Residency Malta Agency website.

Living in Europe on one of these permits does not let you stay in other Schengen countries for longer than the usual 90 days in 180. See our Schengen visa guide for how short stays work.

Dubai and Costa Rica

UAE (Dubai)

Dubai's Virtual Working Programme requires $3,500 a month (about AED 12,850) and gives a one-year renewable residence visa with an Emirates ID and local banking. There is no personal income tax, and applications are quick. The downside is rent. Our guide to living and working in Dubai covers housing and costs.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica's digital nomad visa requires $3,000 a month, or $4,000 if you bring family. It lasts a year and can be renewed once. Foreign income is exempt from Costa Rican income tax, and you can import work equipment without duties. Health insurance must cover you for the whole stay in Costa Rica.

Thailand and Japan

Thailand

Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) asks for savings of 500,000 baht (roughly $15,000) instead of a monthly income, plus evidence of remote work for non-Thai employers or clients. It is valid for five years with multiple entries, each stay up to 180 days and extendable once by 180 days. The visa fee is around 10,000 baht, and applications go through the official Thai e-visa website from outside Thailand. Some embassies now insist the savings have been held for at least three months.

Be careful with tax. If you spend 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year you become tax resident, and under rules in force since 2024, foreign income you bring into Thailand can be taxed.

Japan

Japan's digital nomad status allows a stay of up to six months, and it cannot be extended. You need an annual income of ¥10 million, private medical insurance with at least ¥10 million in cover, and a passport from one of roughly 50 countries that have both a visa exemption arrangement and a tax treaty with Japan. That list includes the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many EU countries but excludes India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ghana and the Philippines. You can't work for Japanese clients. Full details are on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan website.

Who can apply: passports, contracts and proof

Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Malta, Dubai, Costa Rica and Thailand all accept applicants from Africa and South Asia, though applicants from countries with high visa refusal rates face closer document checks.

Typical evidence:

• Employment contract or freelance contracts showing remote work is permitted.
• An employer letter confirming you can work from abroad.
• Bank statements and payslips or invoices for the last three to six months.
• Proof of qualifications or experience, where required.
• Criminal record certificate, usually apostilled and translated.
• Health insurance meeting the country's rules.
• Proof of accommodation for the first months.

Income must be regular; a large one-off payment just before applying won't convince anyone.

Health insurance requirements

Almost every scheme requires health insurance for the whole stay, and the details differ:

• Spain: comprehensive cover with an insurer authorised in Spain, no co-payments or waiting periods.
• Portugal, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Malta: cover valid in the country for the whole stay; Schengen countries usually expect at least €30,000 in medical cover.
• Japan: at least ¥10 million in medical cover, including death, injury and illness.
• Costa Rica, UAE: cover valid locally for the whole period.

Cheap travel insurance usually won't do, as it often caps trips at 30 to 90 days. An international health plan costs more but meets most rules. Our guide to international health insurance for expats explains the differences.

Tax residency: the warning nobody reads

The biggest mistake nomads make is assuming that a visa sets their tax position. It doesn't. Tax residence depends on each country's domestic law and on tax treaties.

• The 183-day rule is a rule of thumb, not a law everywhere. Most countries treat you as tax resident after about 183 days in a year, but some count different periods (Thailand uses 180 days per calendar year) and others look at where your home and family are.
• You can be tax resident in two countries at once. If your home country still treats you as resident, you may owe tax there and in your new country, with only a tax treaty to sort it out.
• Leaving home doesn't end tax residence automatically. The UK uses a statutory residence test with ties to home. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live. India and Nigeria have their own residence rules that depend on days and other ties.
• Your employer may have a problem too. Long-term work abroad can create tax and social security obligations for the employer there. Get written approval before you go.

"Tax-free" schemes such as Croatia's and Costa Rica's only exempt you from that country's tax. They do nothing about your liability at home. If your income is substantial, pay for an hour with a cross-border tax adviser before you apply. And when you start moving money between currencies, compare providers on our guide to the cheapest way to send money abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which digital nomad visa has the lowest income requirement?

Among the schemes compared here, Italy's (about €28,000 a year, roughly €2,300 a month) and Spain's (about €2,849 a month) are the lowest in Europe, and Costa Rica's ($3,000 a month) is the lowest outside Europe. Thailand's DTV has no monthly income threshold but requires 500,000 baht in savings.

Can Nigerians or Indians get a digital nomad visa?

Yes, for many of them. Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Malta, Dubai, Costa Rica and Thailand accept applicants of any nationality that meets the conditions. Japan's scheme is not open to Nigerian or Indian passport holders, because both countries are outside its list of eligible nationalities.

Do I pay tax on a digital nomad visa?

Usually, if you stay long enough. Most countries treat you as tax resident after about 183 days in a year, and some schemes offer reduced rates or exemptions. Your home country may still tax you too, so check both sides before you move.

Which digital nomad visa can lead to permanent residence?

Spain and Portugal are the clearest, because both issue renewable residence permits that count towards long-term residence after five years. Greece's residence permit can also be renewed. Estonia, Croatia, Japan and Thailand do not offer a path to settle.

Final Thoughts

Pick the visa that matches your plan, not the one with the lowest threshold. If you want to build a life in Europe, Spain or Portugal is worth the paperwork. If you want one or two years of low tax and good weather, Croatia, Costa Rica or Dubai make more sense. If you want flexibility in Asia on a modest budget, the DTV is hard to beat.

Whatever you choose, sort out tax and insurance before booking a flight, and check the threshold on the official page in the month you apply. These numbers move every year.