The appeal of the digital nomad lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular, as more and more people, precisely 16.9 million digital nomads, are travelling all around the globe currently.

The simplicity and lax requirements of digital nomad visas have made them easily accessible, attributing to a surging 16.9 million digital nomads roaming the globe currently, says a new study on citizenship and residency by investment advisors Savory and Partners. 

In a press statement the firm says that this marks a 162 pc increase from 2019. Countries like Portugal and Spain, which have excellent infrastructure, great internet connection and a good standard of living, draw in more digital nomads by the day, according to experts at Dubai-headquartered firm.

The study says that while digital nomads typically use visa-free access or visas to stay in countries for a few months at a time before moving on to the next, digital nomad visas provide a sense of comfort and stability that aligns perfectly with their lifestyle. It gives them ample time to enjoy the country they are in before moving on to the next.

According to the study, as soon as Portugal introduced its digital nomad visa in October of 2022, applications started pouring in. While the government hasn’t announced the number of applications it has received, Portugal’s Labour Minister did announce that the country approved 550 applications within the first six months.

The study says that two months after launching its visa in September 2021, Greece received 2,918 applications. It approved an astonishing 1,693 applicants. The government is yet to release any new statistics, but going off that outstanding start it is safe to assume it is still garnering massive attention, says the research.

It adds that Germany also boasts impressive numbers, having issued a total of 3,638 visas in just one year since the introduction of its visa in 2018.

According to Residency Malta, the government branch responsible for the digital nomad visa, it has issued 1,041 visas to date, with an average approval rate of 78 pc.

Croatia, one of the first countries to introduce a pure digital nomad visa in early 2021 as a response to the rise in remote workers, has approved 680 applications, while 672 are still pending approval.

The statement adds that this demand is not just confined to Europe.

“It is not just Europe but even Barbados’ digital nomad visa, dubbed the Welcome Stamp, has been doing outstandingly well, receiving a total of 3,511 applications between 2020 and 2022”, says a digital nomad specialist at Savory and Partners.

According to the study, rapid growth in application numbers and demand for digital nomad visas has been facilitated by its simple application, fast processing times ranging from a few days to a couple of months and the non-necessity of any business establishment or investment.

Portugal’s digital nomad visa, for example, only requires applicants to prove a monthly income of EUR 3,040 per month while Spain’s visa has a lower threshold of just EUR 2,160 per month, says the report.