Countries aren’t just selling citizenships, they are selling extended visas for those who are looking to give the digital nomad life a whirl.

August 10, 2020

By: Bobby Casey, Managing Director GWP

The short term vacations are on the back burner, especially for Americans. In some countries you’d spend your full vacation in the initial 14-day quarantine. Not sure how many people are eager to pay to say, “I spent 14 days in quarantine in Ecuador and came home.”

However, while short term visits to different countries are off the table, longer term visits are oddly an option!

I’ve stopped trying to make sense of the gerrymandering policies surrounding this pandemic, and decided to wait and see what the options are.

I mean, I have to wear a mask to get to my table at a restaurant, but I can take it off once I sit, because it’s “safer”? Yet, my son can only stand in a book store, he can’t sit because that’s dangerous?

For a virus no one really seems to understand, the curfews, exemptions, gatherings over 10 people and standing versus sitting policies are oddly specific.

Now we have this odd work-around for travel. Can an American just jump on a plane to Europe and spend a few days there? No. Can an American pay for an extended visa and go to Europe for 90 days? Yes.

Citizenship and extended visas seem to be a way in which Americans might find some exceptions to the travel restrictions.

Pre-pandemic, approximately 17% of Americans were working from home full time. With that number soaring to 47% during the pandemic, the prospect of becoming a digital nomad at least in the short term, is a lot more likely.

Last week, I told you about how the Caribbean has their citizenships on sale… if that’s too steep but you still want to get out and about, and you can prove your ability to support yourself, here are some countries that offer digital nomads the opportunity to do just that!

While it’s not hundreds of thousands of dollars, it’s still a form of revenue that is particularly relevant during these times, to a greater number of people.

Keep in mind, that for each of these, they have their own paperwork and protocols for Covid-19, however the approval process is relatively quick and the costs are much lower than citizenship.

There’s a mix of Caribbean nations and European nations offering some iteration of extended stay visas.

Barbados

It’s called the Barbados Welcome Stamp and it’s good for one year. If you’re over 18 and can prove an income of over $50,000 USD per year, this visa is yours for $2,000 USD for an individual ($3,000 USD for a family).

Bermuda

It’s a short-term residency application that is good for one year. With proof of employment and health insurance you can get this visa for a mere $263!

Jamaica

You get your usual 30 day travelers visa, and apply for an extension once you are there. The application fee is around $100 USD, plus a work permit visa that depends on the total duration you intend to stay in Jamaica.

Europe has a special 90-day visa called the Schengen visa. It allows you to be in any of the Schengen nations and travel between them freely for 90 days. A good amount of EU and even non EU nations are part of this agreement, so it can be great for people looking to tour through Europe for a few months for leisure or business.

If a European nation has denied a US passport holder entry, they are eligible to apply for a Schengen visa.

If you are particularly fond of someplace and want to stay longer, you need to go through that country’s programs to get that extension.

The good news is, several countries are offering those extensions!

Germany

The turn around time is longer than that of the aforementioned Caribbean countries. It’s recommended that you give it 3 months. But, you might be eligible to get up to 3 years on a German Freelance Freiberufler Visa. Fees range from 60 to 260 Euros depending on length of stay.

The requirements are not much different from those of the Caribbean countries, but it does expect a plan on how you plan to pay your way for the time you are there.

Czech Republic

They have a long term visa for business that covers up to one year. The cost do not appear to exceed $300 USD, but they are updated each month so you’d have to check in at the time of your application to see what the exact fees will be for the visa application.

Albania

They recently reopened and are offering a year long extended tourist visa.

Spain

They are offering a self-employment visa which includes contractors and those who can prove a means by which to support themselves for a year in Madrid or Barcelona.

Estonia & Georgia

They each just launched their Digital Nomad Visa, however Americans are exempt from this. EU, UK, and Schengen member nations are the only ones qualified to apply at this time.

Terms and conditions seem to be changing by the minute. You’ll have to check on the status of eligibility with your passport to see if they are accepting.

Now is a great time to give the digital nomad life a test run to see if it’s right for you.

If you are interested in getting a second citizenship, or looking into becoming a digital nomad, let’s set up a call to discuss your goals. Even better, sign up for GWPInsiders. You get unlimited consultations with me, plus unlimited access to all the inside scoop of other countries to consider for residency, passports, and citizenship!