If you’re working remotely and eyeing your next destination, you’ve probably Googled “can I work remotely on a tourist visa?” more times than you’d like to admit. The short answer: it depends. But here’s the catch—a tourist visa and a digital nomad visa aren’t interchangeable, even if they both let you stay in a foreign country for a while.
Let’s break it down. A tourist visa is designed for, well, tourists. Think vacationers, short-term travelers, backpackers—people visiting for leisure, not business. Most tourist visas let you stay anywhere from a few weeks to 90 days, and they almost always prohibit any kind of work, even remote work for a foreign company. That includes sipping an espresso while answering Slack messages from a piazza café in Rome. Technically, that’s a no-go.
Enter the Digital Nomad Visa, a more recent invention that’s changing the game for location-independent professionals. This visa type is tailored for remote workers, freelancers, and online entrepreneurs who want to live abroad legally and long-term—usually anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the country. It’s designed for people who earn their income from companies or clients outside the host country, meaning you’re not taking a job from a local, but you’re still living—and spending—there.
The difference isn’t just in how long you can stay. It’s about legal peace of mind. Digital nomad visas usually come with some kind of official permission to work remotely, clear tax rules, and even access to things like local banking or health insurance. Try doing that on a tourist visa, and you’ll quickly run into red tape (or worse—fines, deportation, visa bans).
So, which one do you need? It comes down to intent
Here’s the golden rule: if you’re working while you travel, a tourist visa is probably not the right fit. Sure, some countries look the other way, and thousands of nomads do it every day. But more and more governments are catching on—and creating dedicated digital nomad visa programs that make things easier, safer, and more legit for everyone involved.
Let’s say you’re hopping between countries every few weeks, doing the whole fast-travel digital nomad lifestyle. A tourist visa might do the trick—though it’s still a legal gray area when it comes to remote work. But if you’re thinking of settling somewhere for 6 months or more, working from coworking spaces, renting a long-term apartment, or even enrolling your kids in school abroad, a Digital Nomad Visa isn’t just better—it’s essential.
Countries like Italy, Portugal, Spain, Costa Rica, and Estonia have launched these visas specifically to attract remote professionals. Italy, in particular, has become a dream destination—not just for the food and culture, but because the new Italian Digital Nomad Visa gives you a legal path to enjoy “la dolce vita” while keeping your remote income flowing. With requirements that focus on income stability and non-EU employment, it’s a welcome mat for global freelancers and remote workers looking to settle in the Bel Paese.
It’s a signal that governments are starting to take digital nomads seriously, and they want to make it official. The difference between a digital nomad visa and a tourist visa isn’t just paperwork—it’s about respecting the law, building a stable life abroad, and having the freedom to focus on your work without constantly looking over your shoulder.Got a country on your radar? Check whether it offers a digital nomad visa—and what the requirements are. From minimum income thresholds to health insurance and background checks, each program is different. But one thing’s for sure: being a digital nomad has never looked more legit.
