According to a study into the best digital nomad visas in the world, Europe is the continent which leads the way in terms of having the most attractive options. Visaguide.world’s digital nomad index compared 38 countries which currently offer some form of digital nomad visa and the results were interesting to say the least.
Their scoring system is influenced by factors such as the availability of visas, internet speed, tax policies, income requirements, living costs, health ratings and overall popularity of the country as a travel destination.
It’s considered one of the most advanced metrics for rating the overall quality of digital nomad visas in Europe and around the world.
Best digital nomad visas in the world – Europe leads the way
According to their ranking, seven of the ten best countries for digital nomads when it comes to visas are found in Europe. The Spain digital nomad visa tops the list while Romania also makes the top three in 3rd place behind Argentina.
The other European digital nomad visas to make the top ten were Croatia (5th), Portugal (6th), Malta (8th), Norway (9th) and Andorra (10th).
Spanish digital nomad visa ranked as the world’s best
Spain, which unveiled its first digital nomad visa in 2023, ranked as comfortably the best of the 38 digital nomad visas that were looked at in the ranking with an overall digital nomad score of 4.50/5, well clear of Argentina (3.78) and Romania (3.74) in 2nd and 3rd places.
So, what makes Spain’s digital nomad visa so good?
Well, it has a relatively low minimum income threshold of €2,140 per month for a start. That’s considerably less than many more established options such as the Estonia digital nomad visa where you need to be making €3,500 per month.
Spain is relatively affordable by most Western European standards, while its health score of 60.9 was also the best of the countries in the study. Throw in a great climate, a bunch of attractive and liveable cities and it’s not hard to see why Spain topped the rankings and can currently claim to offer the world’s best digital nomad visa.
Where did other European countries rank?
A number of other European countries also offer digital nomad visas or some kind of equivalent program for remote workers.
In the EU, Czechia (17th), Hungary (18th), Estonia (20th), Greece (28th) and Cyprus (37th) are alternative options, although they don’t have as appealing visas according to this study. Cyprus’ score was actually the second lowest and was the result of relatively high taxes and income thresholds and relatively low internet speeds and a poor health rating.
Outside the EU, Montenegro (12th), Georgia (24th) and Iceland (36th) also offer digital nomad visas, although you need to be making a huge €7,000 per month to be eligible for the latter. The Georgia digital nomad visa is an option for those on €2,000 per month though while Montenegro does not have an official minimum income requirement.
It is important to note that digital nomad visas are still very much in their infancy. Exact requirements for applicants and other terms may change considerably in the coming months and years.
Mark Sochon
Mark is a freelance writer currently based in Madrid, Spain. He writes about travel and football and has visited most countries in the EU. He has lived and worked remotely from various cities across Iberia.