7 best Digital Nomad Visas for remote workers from Egypt

A Digital Nomad Visa allows foreign remote workers to live in a country while working for a company based in another state.

To receive the visa, potential applicants must meet a certain minimum income threshold that varies between countries.

How to get a Digital Nomad Visa in Portugal

The source of income must be located outside the country where they want to obtain the visa. For example, an Egyptian citizen working remotely for a domestic company can be eligible for a Digital Nomad Visa in another country.

The Digital Nomad Visa is usually issued for one year but can be extended in some countries if all the requirements are still met.

If you only want to travel to a foreign country, a tourist visa is a less expensive choice. However, it normally only allows the traveller to remain in a country for up to 90 days, which is not the most suitable option for those who plan a long-term move.

At the same time, remote workers who qualify for the Digital Nomad Visas can remain in the country for at least a year and, in most cases, extend their stay.

Under the terms of some programs, Digital Nomad Visa holders can even obtain permanent residence or citizenship of the country if they reside there long enough.

Other Digital Nomad Visa benefits, such as tax optimisation and access to healthcare and educational systems, are unavailable for tourist visa holders.

Over 40 countries around the world offer Digital Nomad Visas or similar programs.

The majority of these countries are in Europe, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

The Portugal Digital Nomad Visa is a rare opportunity for citizens of Egypt to obtain a two-year residence permit in a European Union country.

To qualify, applicants must prove a monthly income of at least €3,280 — the equivalent of four minimum wages in Portugal in 2024.

Another mandatory requirement is a bank statement confirming savings of at least €9,840, which is 12 monthly wages in Portugal. The sum increases by 50% if a spouse is included in the application and 25% for each child. Savings must be transferred to a Portuguese bank before applying for a residence permit.

Remote workers must get a Portuguese taxpayer number to receive a residence permit in Portugal. This is needed to open an account in a local bank and rent or buy housing in Portugal.

Explore the benefits and requirements of the Digital Nomad Visa to Portugal

After two years, the residence permit can be renewed for three years, provided the applicant has spent at least 16 out of the previous 18 months in the country.

If the digital nomad maintains a residence for 5 years, they can qualify for Portugal citizenship by naturalisation.

The Nomad Residence Permit allows non-EU and non-EEA citizens who work remotely to stay in the country for up to 4 years. Freelancers and self-employed foreigners can also qualify but must not work for a Maltese company.

To become eligible for the Nomad Residence Permit, applicants must prove a monthly income of at least €3,500 outside Malta and buy or rent housing for the whole permit validity period.

The residence permit is issued for an initial one-year term and can be extended for the same period three times. Digital nomads are not entitled to permanent residence or citizenship in Malta.

The application can be submitted online via the Residency Malta Agency website — the procedure takes about 5 minutes if all the documents were prepared in advance.

As a country that was one of the first in the EU to launch a 5G mobile Internet, Malta is a very popular destination for digital nomads who don’t need to pay taxes on foreign income.

The Spain Digital Nomad Visa is another opportunity for remote workers from Egypt to live in the European Union.

Unlike similar programs, the Spain Digital Nomad Visa allows its holders to receive income from a local company in Spain. However, the income must be at most 20% of monthly earnings.

To be eligible for the visa, applicants must prove a monthly income of at least €2,646 — the equivalent of two minimum wages in Spain in 2024 — which is lower than in other EU countries.

The visa is issued for an initial one-year term but can be extended further, allowing foreigners to reside in Spain for up to five years.

Greece is another European Union country allowing non-EU and non-EEA remote workers to reside there for 12 months. It can be extended for an additional year if the digital nomad continues to meet the program requirements.

The main applicant must prove a minimum income of €3,500 per month from foreign sources before tax deductions. An extra 20% is added for a partner or spouse and an extra 15% for a child.

One of the key advantages of the program is fast processing time. After the application and all the required documents are submitted, the Greek authorities make a decision within a month. If the applicant is successful, the Digital Nomad Visa can be issued within 10 days.

Examples of properties in Greece

Greece, Athens

€376,000 — €447,000

Hotel apartments in the historical center of Athens

47 m² — 97 m²

1

1

Greece, Athens

€741,000 — €1,423,000

Apartments in a closed residential complex near the sea, Alimos, Athens

86 m² — 153 m²

1—3

2—3

Greece, Chania

€290,000 — €380,000

Apartments and villas in a quiet area by the sea in Crete

64 m² — 112 m²

2—3

2

Croatia issues non-EU and non-EEA digital nomads a one-year residence permit that cannot be extended. Foreigners can only obtain a new visa six months after the previous residence permit has expired.

To qualify for the program in 2024, remote workers must prove that they earn at least €2,540 per month, this amount increasing by 10% with each family member in the application. Alternatively, they can prove savings of at least €30,472.

Egyptian citizens can submit the application online or at the Croatian embassy or a consulate. If approved for a residence permit, they will have to apply for a visa to enter the country. Upon arrival, they must register their temporary residence address and receive the biometric residence permit cards.

Unlike the countries mentioned above, the United Arab Emirates is not part of the European Union. However, it is a major financial hub historically attractive for the Egyptian diaspora, making up around 10% of the country’s population.

The United Arab Emirates’ most popular emirate of Dubai offers a program named ‘Work Remotely from Dubai’. It allows remote workers or business owners with a minimum monthly income of $5,000 to obtain a renewable one-year residence permit.

In the UAE, digital nomads are not required to pay income tax, capital gain tax, withholding tax, or any local taxes. At the same time, they get access to the local banking system, phone lines, healthcare and education systems with the Emirates ID.

St Lucia is a small island country in the Caribbean, so it is a credible option for Egyptian citizens who want to live on the other side of the world.

Unlike most countries, St Lucia has no minimum income requirement for remote workers. They must, however, prove their foreign income, as well as that they have enough funds to cover the cost of living in the country. The average cost of living for a family of four is approximately $2,500.

St Lucia does not levy an income tax on non-residents if the source of their income is located outside the country. An individual only becomes a St Lucia tax resident if they spend more than 183 days a year there.

St Lucia also offers a citizenship by investment program. To become a citizen, investors need to make a minimum contribution of $100,000 or purchase real estate for at least $200,000.

In most cases, a Digital Nomad Visa application can be submitted through an embassy or a consulate in your home country or online.

Here are some of the documents that are normally necessary to enclose along with the application:

• a valid passport;

• passport photos;

• proof of remote work;

• proof of sufficient income and/or savings;

• proof of clean criminal record;

• proof of housing;

• health insurance;

• civil documents, including birth and marriage certificates, where applicable.

In some cases, other documents are required, like a letter of motivation for moving into the country of your choice or a CV describing your educational and work background.

1. Easy way to relocate. Obtaining a Digital Nomad Visa is generally a faster and cheaper way to obtain a residence permit in the country than other options. There are no requirements to invest large sums into the local economy or get a job for a local firm.

2. Residence permits for family members. Most countries allow digital nomads to include partners and children in applications, but income per family member usually increases by 20—50% then.

3. Tax optimisation. Some countries offer tax benefits or lower tax rates for remote workers, who are also normally exempt from double taxation.

4. Favourable work conditions. Countries that offer Digital Nomad Visas want to attract as many remote workers as possible, which means that the latter can enjoy fast Internet and plenty of coworking spaces at relatively low prices. As a result, expats create communities to help each other settle in a new country.

5. Increased freedom of travel. Normally, Egyptian citizens need a tourist visa to travel to Europe. However, if you get a Digital Nomad Visa in a European Union country, you can visit all the member states visa-free for 90 out of 180 days.

6. Healthcare and education access. A digital nomad from Egypt can access a foreign healthcare system that compares favourably to the one at home. Meanwhile, their children can enrol in local schools and universities.

7. Potential path to citizenship. Apart from some exceptions, a Digital Nomad Visa can be renewed several times until the remote worker becomes eligible for citizenship.

1. The Digital Nomad Visa is normally a residence permit that allows remote workers, freelancers or business owners to stay in the country for a year or more.

2. Egyptian citizens can obtain a Digital Nomad Visa in over 40 countries, including multiple European Union states.

3. To qualify, Digital Nomad Visa applicants should prove sufficient monthly income from sources outside of the country of their choice. They are usually also required to buy or rent housing before submitting the application.

4. The Portugal Digital Nomad Visa is a rare opportunity to obtain a two-year residence permit, which can then be renewed and eventually lead to citizenship if the applicant still meets the requirements.

5. The Malta Nomad Residence Permit allows non-EU and non-EEA remote workers, self-employed people and freelancers to stay in the country for up to 4 years. This program does not lead to Malta citizenship.