Visas for "digital nomads" in 2023: rapid growth in demand

Today, the remote way of earning money will not surprise anyone. There is a stable Internet connection everywhere. At the same time, many countries around the world offer attractive, preferential living and working conditions. It is not surprising that the popularity of digital nomad visas has increased dramatically in 2023.

What statistics show

ZNV Consult, a company that provides expert services to clients, conducted its own research. The experts calculated the number of Digital Nomad Visa visas issued in Russia by year and made a comparative analysis. Compared to the previous year, in 2022, the demand for this type of visa increased by 375%. In the first quarter of 2022 (from January to April), 3,300 applications for a Digital Nomad visa were submitted. This year, over the same period, 15,600 people have applied to visa centers and consulates of various countries who want to work remotely in Greece, Argentina, Spain and other countries of the world.

This is almost 5 times more, which indicates an explosive increase in demand. At the same time, startup visas are not very popular. From January to April 2023, 30% more applications were submitted than in the first quarter of last year.

Which countries are in the greatest demand

There are 7 countries of the world among the undisputed leaders in Russia:

• Spain – 37%;
• Portugal – 17.5%;
• Croatia – 8.5%;
• Montenegro – 7.1%;
• Italy – 7%;
• Argentina – 5.3%;
• Greece – 4%.

The Greek Digital Nomad Visa program started its work just a year ago. Thanks to the efforts of the authorities, the conditions and requirements for Russian citizens were agreed upon and accepted for execution in a short time. Now applications are accepted without delay, and with proper paperwork, the risk of rejection is minimal. But Italians still cannot decide on the conditions for applying for visas, which leads to numerous refusals and confusion.

Which countries are "digital nomads" reluctant to travel to

The outsider countries were also mentioned in the presented study. These are:

• Vietnam – 0.25%;
• Czech Republic – 0.25%;
• Costa Rica – 0.3%;
• Mexico and Estonia – 0.4%;
• Georgia – 0.6%;
• UAE – 0.76%.

The reasons for this dislike are very different. So, in Estonia and the Czech Republic, Russians are reluctantly accepted, the conditions of the programs of Mexico and Costa Rica are loyal only to US citizens. And you can live in Georgia for a whole year without any visas. As ZNV Consult experts predict, this is not the limit. By the end of this year and next, in 2024, a steady increase in demand for digital nomad visas is expected. After all, they allow you to get a residence permit quickly and on a preferential basis. And after a certain period of time, apply for citizenship.