Digital Nomad Visas in Europe Compared

Introduction

You have a remote job, a laptop and a reason to spend a year somewhere new, and Europe looks like the obvious answer. The problem is that there is no single European digital nomad visa. Each country runs its own scheme, with its own income test, its own stay limit and its own idea of what counts as remote work. This guide compares six of the most-used routes — Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Estonia — so you can narrow the choice before you contact a consulate.

How To Read This Comparison

These routes are mainly for citizens outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, who generally do not need a visa to live and work in another member state. Several countries tie their income test to a national wage, so thresholds change when that wage changes. The figures below are 2026 figures from current guides: use them to shortlist, then confirm the figure your consulate is applying before booking anything non-refundable. A tourist stay of up to 90 days in Schengen does not by itself give you the right to work remotely there. Tax is separate from immigration, so treat the tax notes below as background only.

The Six Routes At A Glance

Portugal: The Long-Term Base

Portugal’s D8 visa is for non-EU remote workers earning outside Portugal, as foreign-company employees or self-employed workers with foreign clients. The test is four times the minimum wage: €3,680 a month for a single applicant in 2026 (based on a €920 wage). Family adds 50% of the wage for a spouse or partner and 30% per child.

Portugal offers a shorter temporary-stay visa and a longer residence route via AIMA, its migration agency, after arrival. That route suits people staying for years, but its paperwork is often the heaviest here. If Portugal appeals, the top places to visit in Lisbon, Portugal give a first sense of the capital.

Spain: The Lower Income Bar

Spain’s teleworker route is for non-EU remote employees and freelancers mainly working for companies outside Spain; freelancers are generally limited in Spanish-company work. The test is 200% of the minimum wage (SMI): about €2,849 a month annualised for a single applicant in 2026 (SMI €1,221 a month in 14 instalments). Some consulates publish €2,442 instead, so plan to the higher figure.

The stay is flexible: a one-year consular visa, or up to three years if you apply from inside Spain while legally present. Family members can join, with income additions per member.

Italy: The Lowest Headline Bar, With A Qualification Catch

Italy’s visa, in its current form from 2024, is for non-EU remote workers doing highly qualified work — employees of a company outside Italy, or self-employed workers with foreign clients. The catch is qualification: generally a degree or equivalent, or sufficient experience, plus at least six months of remote-work experience.

On income, published figures differ: most current guides put it at about €28,000 a year, while a decree-based figure of €24,789 also circulates. Confirm which figure your consulate applies. The residence permit that follows is normally valid for one year and renewable.

Greece: The Longer Stay With A Tax Incentive

Greece’s visa is for non-EU remote workers earning outside Greece. The test is €3,500 a month net, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child. Because it is net, check take-home pay, not gross salary, and expect to evidence it over several months of bank statements with contracts or invoices.

The stay is two-step: an initial visa, then a residence permit running for two years and renewable. Since February 2026, guides report the initial application must be made at a Greek consulate before travel, not after arriving as a tourist. Greece also offers a possible 50% reduction in taxable income for up to seven years for qualifying workers who transfer tax residence — conditional, not automatic.

Croatia: The Fixed 18-Month Stint

Croatia’s permit is a temporary stay, not a path to permanent residence. It is for non-EU citizens working remotely for employers or clients outside Croatia; Croatian-company work is not permitted. The 2026 test is €3,622.50 a month (2.5 times the average net salary), or savings of €43,470 for 12 months or €65,205 for 18 months, plus a small addition per family member.

The permit runs for up to 18 months and cannot be renewed immediately — guides report a six-month gap outside Croatia before reapplying. In return, permit holders are reported to be exempt from Croatian income tax on foreign remote income, though your home country’s rules still apply.

Estonia: The One-Year Trial

Estonia’s visa is a straightforward one-year route for non-EU remote workers employed abroad, running a foreign company, or freelancing mainly for clients abroad. Note e-Residency is separate: it lets you run an Estonian company online but does not give you the right to live there.

On income, sources disagree: the published daily benchmark of €132 works out at €3,960 a month, while e-Residency guidance cites €4,500. Assume the higher figure until your authority confirms otherwise, and evidence it over the six months before applying. The visa lasts up to 12 months and is not a residence path.

How To Choose Between Them

Start with income. Below €3,000 a month, Spain and Italy are the realistic shortlist — Italy only if you pass its qualification test. Between €3,500 and €3,700, Greece, Croatia and Portugal come into view, and the choice turns on stay length and tax. Above €4,500, Estonia joins the list, but it offers the shortest stay.

Then decide stay length: one year points to Estonia or Croatia, one to two years to Greece, and several years to Portugal or Spain. Paperwork matters too — Croatia and Estonia are lighter, while Portugal and Italy reward starting months early. Finally, choose a place you want to live: where the best place in Europe to visit is is a useful starting point.

Before You Apply

Match your documents: contracts, invoices, payslips and bank statements should tell the same story about who pays you, how much, and how regularly. Sort insurance and accommodation early, and do not take on local clients unless your permit expressly allows it. When you book travel, read how to find cheap international flights from the USA before paying for a fare your visa timetable may still move.

FAQ: Digital Nomad Visas In Europe

Do I need a digital nomad visa if I hold an EU passport?
Generally no. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens usually have free-movement rights, with local registration rather than a visa. These schemes target citizens outside that group.

Can I move between European countries on one country’s visa?
A national permit lets you live in the issuing country. Short trips elsewhere in Schengen are still governed by the 90-days-in-180 rule, and do not give you the right to live and work in the second country.

Do these visas lead to permanent residence?
Some can and some cannot. Portugal and Spain point toward longer-term residence, and Greece’s permit time can count toward EU long-term residence, while Croatia’s permit is expressly temporary and Estonia’s visa is not a residence path.

Final Thoughts

The right choice is rarely the cheapest visa or the lowest headline figure. It is the route whose income test you can evidence month after month, whose stay length matches how long you want to be there, and whose paperwork you can complete without cutting corners. Shortlist two countries, confirm the figures with the deciding authority, and only then book the flight.

Note: thresholds are 2026 figures from current guides, and Italy and Estonia have conflicting published figures. Confirm the figure, documents and fees with the relevant authority before applying; this is general information, not immigration or tax advice.