Thailand seeking digital nomads – here’s what you need to know

Like the idea of jetting off to live in Thailand?

Remote workers will now be able to stay in the country for up to five years on a digital nomad visa.

The destination Thailand visa, nicknamed the “digital nomad visa”, allows foreigners to stay and work in Thailand for extended periods without worrying about immigration or tax.

Those with the multiple-entry visa are given the right to stay for 180 days a year, with an option to extend it for another 180 days, for up to five years for the cost of 10,000 baht (£213.75).

While the initial fee is £213.75, workers need to leave and re-enter the country every 180 days and pay an additional £212.20 each time.

Full details on how to apply are still pending, but some information on the requirements have been released.

To apply for the visa, you must:

• Be at least 20;
• Have enough money to pay for the visa;
• Prove you have at least £10,687 in your bank account;
• Provide proof of employment with a registered company.

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Until now, digital nomads could only stay in Thailand on tourist visas for up to 60 days but it is hoped the new visa will support the government’s efforts to increase tourism.

The world’s your oyster…

Thailand joins a growing list of countries offering digital nomad visas or similar. Here are some of the others:

• Spain – The remote work visa gives non-EU nationals the chance to live and work in Spain for up to five years;
• Portugal – The visa allows temporary stay for up to one year but it can be renewed for up to five years;
• Italy – It gives workers the chance to stay in the country for one year with the possibility to extend;
• Croatia – Temporary stay is granted for up to a year;
• Greece – The digital nomad visa gives you legal residence as a remote worker for up to a year, after which you can apply for a residence permit which allows you to stay longer;
• Estonia – Remote workers can stay temporarily stay in the country for up to one year;
• Montenegro – The digital nomad visa is a temporal permit for non-EU remote workers and nomads can stay for up to two years in the country;
• Malaysia – The DE Rantau Nomad Pass allows foreigners to stay in Malaysia for up to 12 months in the first instance, with the option to renew for another 12 months;
• Indonesia – The visa allows for up to 180 days of stay but this may be extended further;
• Costa Rica – The nomad scheme allows international residents to work remotely in the country for up to a year, with the option to renew the visa for an additional year;
• Dubai – The remote working visa scheme is valid for one year.