Picture that one café in Brașov that you particularly enjoy. You have a client project on one side of the table, a cappuccino on the other, and your mind is already fixated on Tbilisi, Lisbon, or if you’re feeling adventurous, maybe Bali.
These thoughts, you tell yourself, are not particularly new. After all, you’ve mulled over the idea of moving abroad with a remote position for some time now.
You do not want to completely uproot your old life. Rather, your ideal world is where you are able to travel to, and settle in, an entirely different country while contining to earn money from clients—which, by the way, seem to be located all around the world.
And that’s exactly what the digital nomad visa aims to solve. It’s not some fanciful dream or a legal loophole; it’s an administrative solution designed specifically for people like you. For the globally mobile worker who needs a visa that permits them to stay legally beyond the tourist duration, in order to service clients from another country.
The good thing is that you have a leg up as a Romanian citizen regarding applications. Aside from the goal you hope to achieve, the only thing that needs to stand clear is a step-by-step guide, which is precisely what this breakdown offers.
Key Takeaways
- So far, the digital nomad visa is issued for several countries welcoming Romanians looking to live abroad while fulfilling the conditions of remotely serving clients located outside the country.
- Every successful visa application requires proof of income, remote work, insurance, and accommodation.
- Most applicants do start from Romania, but some countries offer the possibility of changing the visa after landing.
- Freelancers find themselves dealing with issues of tax, payment, and even setting up a company back home while overseas.
- A single choice enables one to legally work and reside in another country — his view of work as something the world is ready to embrace.
What A Digital Nomad Visa Actually Means For Romanians
To say that a digital nomad visa is an invitation for foreigners to work freely for local companies would not be accurate. Rather, it’s meant specifically for remote employees or freelancers who already have clients and customers abroad. For Romania, this means that its citizens would prefer to move freely in Europe without getting stuck in tedious immigration systems or residency tunnels.
It offers the opportunity to remain in a certain jurisdiction for a reasonably extended period of time; sometimes up to 6 months, 12 months, and even more. All of this while performing remote work activities, which essentially means traveling to another country and being able to live like a local without breaking any laws as long as the revenue is not generated from that country.
This visa is not designed for those trying to run away from Romania. Instead, it is meant for people who want to travel the world and experience different cultures while making use of their remote work capabilities. The good news is that a sizable number of Romanians already work as freelancers for foreign firms or run online businesses, which means the requirement is not as steep as it appears.
Where You Can Actually Apply And What To Expect As A Romanian
What may shock you is that a number of countries are now offering digital nomad visas and extended remote work permits. Some of these are located in the European Union (EU) which is accessible with a Romanian passport with no borders. Others are located outside the EU but have clearly defined step-by-step processes for application.
Portugal and Spain ease the process of remote work documentation for EU citizens and optionally grant visas that increase residency duration and facilitate tax and housing processes. Croatia actively encourages remote work for non-EU nationals by providing online application digital nomad residence permits for selected countries such as Romania. Greece offers a nomad visa for renewable terms allowing up to two years of stay.
Outside of Europe, Romanians consider Georgia an appealing destination because one can stay there for a year visa-free as long as one works online and isn’t looking for local work. Moreover, Romanians are free to travel to Mexico where they can remain for up to 180 days. However, a temporary resident visa for remote workers offers greater opportunities for extended stays. Costa Rica, Barbados and the United Arab Emirates have specific visa schemes for digital nomads which are designed for Romanians and are easily accessible for those with a reliable internet connection and some foresight.
What You Need Before You Even Apply
No matter where you intend to go, all applications for a digital nomad visa start with the same prerequisite: providing proof. The prerequisites vary, but a very common one is proving that the person makes money outside the host country’s jurisdiction. This may be as uncomplicated as a contract with an overseas employer, multiple contracts with foreign clients, or even documents substantiating income received from abroad.
Most countries also need some sort of proof for continuous streams of income. Some countries might require something between 2,000 to 3,000 euros per month depending on the local cost of living. This helps them know that you will not become a burden on their government. If you happen to be a freelancer, payment receipts along with a portfolio of client work would assist in improving your position.
One requirement that comes up often is having insurance. Normally, you must obtain international coverage for the entirety of your stay. A background check, likely from Romanian police or Interpol databases, may be necessary to show that you have no criminal history. Finally, you may need to submit some form of accommodation documentation, be it a signed rental agreement or a booking confirmation, to prove you will not be attempting to wing it.
Despite the volume of requirements seeming daunting, you likely already possess most documents, and the remaining ones are easy to obtain. The most important part is how you arrange the documents and articulate your situation.
Starting The Application From Romania Or On The Move
Most applications for the nomad visa begin online. There are countries that have a designated portal where submission of documents, awaiting verification, and pre-clearance happens before arrival. Other countries require you to physically present yourself at their embassy or consulate while in Romania. Regardless, having scanned files, verified translations, and backups will be a great help,
The time taken for a response varies due to some reasons. Some areas respond within two weeks to a month while others can take up to three months. It is best to refrain from non-refundable payment travel plans until confirmation is received. Typically, the confirmation comes after the approval which permits the issuing of either stamping the visa on the passport or sending a digital approval letter intended for presentment at the destination.
If you are already traveling, the situation is more complicated. Some countries permit switching to a digital nominee visa from an initial tourist entry while others are strict about these applications being submitted from the home country. Some strategic thinking helps, however, having a plan prepared in advance can be essential.
What Happens In Romania While You’re Abroad
That’s when things become quite complicated. Even while residing abroad, you are legally tethered to Romania. What this pretty much indicates is that you will most likely still be bound by the as income reporting, filing taxes, and other obligations as a freelancer or self-employed individual business operator if you are a PFA or micro entrepreneur.
Like most other ‘digital nomad visas’, residency for the purpose of taxation does not apply as long as the income is earned outside the country and the stay does not appear to be indefinite. Still, as with most anything else, they require you to go from one country to another and, as much as possible, seek someone knowledgeable in income tax and traversal of borders.
Your bank account in Romania will populate normally and, as mentioned, Wise and Payoneer accounts work seamlessly abroad. There is no justification for changing banks or even opening new ones unless you intend to relocate permanently. A mobile lifestyle, however, requires a distinct approach to organization, documentation, receipt management, and communication with the accountant you are hiring. Excursions do not necessitate anonymity.
Emotionally Preparing For The Move And The Wait
Submitting a visa application may be exciting, but it is just as worrying, requiring hefty amounts of paperwork. There’s anxiety regarding finances or even missing documents. Such worries can severely impact one’s mental wellbeing. I’m sure every Romanian who submitted an application for a digital nomad visa dreams of the sinister plot that awaits them because a simple document would bring the entire fantasy crashing down.
The world is quiet. It’s a confusing period and the only thing you’re certain of is that you are neither home nor anywhere close to where you want to be. You are, simply put, in between worlds. It’s time for a mental shift: you need to take care of wrap up work with your clients, conclude any active projects with a few chores you will have to finish in the next couple of months.
But you know it will come. And whether you receive it in the form of a PDF document in your email, or a passport handed with a fresh sticker, you anticipate it from the quiet approval website. The flooding feeling of freedom starts to rush in as you know for sure , a shift is waiting to take place.
You can now start to visionary book flights that are awaiting to be booked, scan rental listings directed towards the place in mind, check for the weather of the place and start effortlessly imagine being onboard the plane. The change of identity takes place from a tourist to ‘someone’ who, if not but for a limited period of time, refers to a new part of the world they will call home.
The Day It Becomes Real And You Step Onto The Plane
The sentiment does not catch you by surprise. Coffee and disinfectant still pervade the airport. The queues remain as dreadful as they have always been. The same goes for the drowsy hum of the planes, which drone on in monotony. Unlike the bustle of the coffee shops, there is something different. Unlike prior visits, this time there is no vacation or family to tend to. Rather, you are landing in a new country – one that permits you to live and work as a digital nomad. There is something special about that.
Upon landing, immigration checks your documents and scans through your visa. You calmly present your paperwork, sip your coffee, articulate your sentences as if they are spells, and voilà- seamless transition. At this point, it’s just me and my computer, with the prefix of something far more monumental than a work trip.
There is no doubt that the apartment will take some time to get used to, while the first week comes with an intense bout of solitude. Nonetheless, someone slowly *snaps* your prior routine back into place. Something I like to call borderless freedom. The uncanny feeling of unknowingly crafting something phenomenal — a life that in today’s age, is legally termed flexible enough to be borderless.
This is what applying for a digital nomad visa offers: not merely a move that shifts the view outside your window, but instead a way of life free of legal ambiguity.
