Yaniklar, Turkey
Governments around the world have capitalized on the trend of remote working over the past few years.
Long term digital nomad visas seem to pop up left and right to entice travelers to kick back, relax and enjoy time in a foreign land instead of hustling through.
At first glance, this appeals to *slow traveler* digital nomads and tourism boards. The thinking goes, travelers get to stick around their favorite countries for the long haul without dancing on razorblades to string together multiple trips via headache visa runs or other schemes. Tourism boards get free advertising; plus governments pad the old coffers a wee bit.
Note; although the majority of visas seem to have similar requirements a fair number differ vastly. Various countries offer free long term visas for digital nomads although these are exceptions. Others require less income, too, or base financial status on bank account totals.
Before researching these increasingly popular visas keep a few things in mind.
Pros
Enjoy Long-Term Travels to Rest Your Digital Nomad Head
Being a digital nomad feels fun but establishing a home base gives one a sense of stability (according to the world at least).
Digital nomad visas offer travelers a chance to stick around for a while.
Learn the culture, embrace the climate and live like a local.
As much as I enjoy being a digital nomad who changes time zones like most folks change their minds I appreciate living in one place for a sustained period of time.
Living in one spot for more than a month can lead to long-term friendships, deep cultural appreciation and a general feeling of being home, safe and secure in a set routine.
Remove the Headaches of Short-Term Travel Schemes
During the heyday of Thailand for digital nomads, expats and short term travelers simple 2 week border runs by bus or agency reset visas.
Individuals did this indefinitely; one person I met on a visa run without the financial means to secure a resident visa went on border runs for 19 months to remain with his Thai wife.
Thailand eventually put the kibosh on this scheme for not exactly attracting the crème of the Western traveler crop. Sooner than later, the “Dirtbag Trail of Tears” marched toward Cambodia with its lax visa laws.
Anyway, trying to piece together long term trips with short term visas proves taxing, annoying or even outright impossible according to the letter of the law. Long term digital nomad visas offer travelers a “buy it and forget it!” approach to enjoy a good deal of time in a country without much planning as far as visa logistics.
Research a Country Thoroughly for a Possible Move
During our trip to Panama we met an agent who showed prospective American expats around the country.
The drawback; he only showcased Panama for 1-2 weeks for these future expats.
People learn a little and miss almost everything in 2 weeks. One week seems like a good introduction. 3-6 months is a realistic time frame for learning the in’s and out’s of a nation.
Long term digital nomad visas give you an appropriate time frame to understand how it feels to live there as an expat versus sprinting through as a traveler. Countries seem dreamy to travelers but long term visitors learn of the realistic counter balance.
Perhaps you adore the dreamy aspects of a tropical paradise but living there for a full year reveals rampant corruption, damaging and expensive mold issues in your apartment and rental car and 20 other factors you missed during the week long holiday at the luxury hotel.
Sure; you may still move there but at least you know the rest of the story.
Cons
High Income Requirements Compared to Low Cost of Living
Most digital nomad visas require a high income for proof to secure the digital nomad pass.
Digital nomads travel on a tighter budget in most cases. Even more prospering digital nomads typically do not spend thousands of dollars monthly in developing nations; little to anything is genuinely expensive in such countries.
Some travelers with adequate income may find it off-putting to prove $5,000 USD per month in income when $1000 USD per month covers an apartment, food, transportation and other various costs.
Beyond being off-putting the question becomes: why?
The thinking from a government perspective: raising income requirements attracts a higher quality, more prospering, responsible traveler.
The thinking from a digital nomad perspective:
“Why do I need to prove that I have 3 times the income to cover the basic expenses in your country? No thanks; I’ll pass.”
High Visa Fees
Digital nomad visas require a high fee for the long term stay.
As a true digital nomad who “keeps it moving” I may think twice about paying thousands of dollars to live somewhere for a year when I can visit your neighbor with everything you have in terms of nature, wildlife, culture and food for 3 months *gratis*.
Nomads enjoy the perks of visa free travel. Some may readily drop $50 USD to spend 3 months in an exotic land. Marketing a $2000 investment for one year to such a crowd would make Don Draper shudder.
Most digital nomads have the means but why spend it to chain yourself to one country for the year?
Rules Fly in the Face of Most Digital Nomads
I adopted the digital nomad life for more freedom and less rules.
Governments have every right to set any worldly law. But digital nomads have the right to move freely before increased legal constraints kick in.
Digital nomads step out of the system. Long term digital nomad visas put you right back into the system of increased laws, fees and various structures to track you.
Again; each government sets laws beneficial to government and each digital nomad chooses to travel based on what best serves these individuals.
Digital nomads tend to follow laws and rules but choose to travel freely versus living in one spot under greater government control.
My Take as a 12 Year Digital Nomad
In theory, this sounds like a win-win scenario from the perspective of governments offering long term digital visas.
Travelers:
- enjoy living in a country for a long term trip
- conveniently avoid visa logistics
- feel good about supporting the local economy
- immerse themselves in the culture
- make friends
Governments:
- get free, long term publicity for their country organically through digital nomad blog posts and social media updates
- open a revenue stream through hefty visa fees
- better understand tourist behavior through more careful tracking
- potentially persuade long term digital nomads to become permanent residents
But no government agency clearly addressed this most glaring error:
Digital nomads are wanderers; not “homebodies” who live in one country for 6-12 months or longer.
Nomad: a person who does not stay long in the same place; a wanderer. (Oxford languages)
Based on the average human lifespan we all agree that 6-12 months is a long time.
Based on the digital nomad mindset we blogging bedouins agree that 6-12 months is a lifetime.
The phrase “long term digital nomad visa” is an oxymoron.
Spending a few months in one country feels fun to me. I make a few friends, embrace day to day living and gain a deeper appreciation of customs. But spending 6-12 months does not fit into my plans because I am a nomad who travels.
Digital nomads spend a short period of time in one spot before quickly moving on to the next spot. Typically, each spot resides in a different country. Attempting to coax them to stick around in one country by asking for:
- substantial income proof based on the average digital nomad budget (especially compared to the cost of living in developing nations)
- substantial visa fees
- increased laws, tracking and the illusory impingement on worldly freedoms
is akin to trying to shove a Wildebeest-sized slab of tofu down the gullet of a male lion.
Does it make sense to convince a nomad to stick around, but only if they earn a generous income (compared to the cost of living), fork over steep visa fees and prepare themselves to undergo more government scrutiny?
I hate to piddle on the digital nomad long term visa parade but it is almost like these ideas were formulated to keep digital nomads away.
Notable Exceptions
Digital nomads love spending time in their favorite countries.
This visa can make sense for them if they want to lose the “nomad” tag for a bit.
Digital nomads may want to take a place for a test drive before buying a home and becoming a full time resident.
This visa can make sense for them.
I have met 100’s of digital nomads during the past 12 years of circling the globe. Most prefer to travel versus setting up home base in one country solely because we wander across national borders every few months not every year.
For the majority of digital nomads these long term visas make zero sense because most defeat the purpose of what we do.
However, think for yourself to make your own decision.
Make Your Own Choice
I do not write these words to sway you but to inform you of what I think in terms of the long term visa pros and cons.
Living in a country for 6-12 months sounds like a smart idea for prospective expats to experience day to day life before making a substantial financial investment.
Rabid fans of countries do not even think about fees, increased regulation or any other factors: these nation zealots dive in with both feet to live in their dreamland for a chunk of time.
Most digital nomads travel freely and frequently; these visas make no sense for the majority.
But you may want to take advantage of these opportunities.
Trust your travel intuition.
It knows the way.
