The full list
These routes accept income from freelance work or contracts with clients, not only a salary from one employer. Routes for remote employees only, such as Thailand's LTR work-from-Thailand visa, are left out because a freelancer cannot use them.
| Programme | Country | Type | Gov. fee | Salary or income floor | Processing | Leads to PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer Visa (Freiberufler) | Germany | Digital Nomad | $100 | None published | 3–8 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Spain | Digital Nomad | $80 | EUR 34,188/yr (≈ $37,504/yr) | 1–2 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| Self-Employed Worker Visa (Cuenta Propia) | Spain | Entrepreneur | $220 | None published | 3–6 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| D8 Digital Nomad Visa | Portugal | Digital Nomad | $250 | EUR 3,680/mo (≈ $50,607/yr) | 2–6 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| D2 Entrepreneur Visa | Portugal | Entrepreneur | $200 | None published | 3–6 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Italy | Digital Nomad | $125 | EUR 24,789/yr (≈ $28,408/yr) | 1–3 months | Yes, about 5 years |
| Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) | United Arab Emirates | Entrepreneur | $750 | None published | 1–2 months | Yes |
| Destination Thailand Visa | Thailand | Digital Nomad | $335 | None published | 0–1 months | No |
| DAFT Self-Employed Permit | Netherlands | Entrepreneur | $1,700 | None published | 1–3 months | Yes, about 5 years |
Three questions that sort the list
Europe: one freelance visa, many routes that take freelancers
Most routes on the list are European. Germany's Freelancer Visa (Freiberufler) is the only one written for freelancers: consultants, IT specialists and artists in the liberal professions. It costs $100 in government fees and is recorded at 3–8 months. Our Freiberufler guide covers the client letters and the income question.
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa, Portugal's D8 Digital Nomad Visa and Italy's Digital Nomad Visa are digital nomad visas that accept freelancers with clients abroad, at income floors of EUR 34,188/yr (≈ $37,504/yr), EUR 3,680/mo (≈ $50,607/yr) and EUR 24,789/yr (≈ $28,408/yr). Freelancers with local clients need a self-employment permit instead, and US citizens also have the Dutch DAFT Self-Employed Permit. Our guide to freelancer and self-employed visas in Europe compares the nomad visas and business permits side by side.
Outside Europe
The UAE's Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) gives independent professionals a self-sponsored residence based on a freelance permit. Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa is a long multiple-entry visa for remote workers and freelancers with clients outside Thailand, at $335, but it does not lead to permanent residence.
If you work for one foreign employer rather than several clients, the options widen. See remote work visas without employer sponsorship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries offer a freelance visa?
Among the 16 destinations Transita covers, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Netherlands run routes that accept freelance or self-employed income. Germany's Freiberufler visa is the only one built specifically for freelancers; the others are digital nomad or self-employment permits that freelancers also qualify for.
Which freelance visa leads to permanent residence?
8 of the 9 routes lead to permanent residence: Freelancer Visa (Freiberufler) (Germany), Digital Nomad Visa (Spain), Self-Employed Worker Visa (Cuenta Propia) (Spain), D8 Digital Nomad Visa (Portugal), D2 Entrepreneur Visa (Portugal), Digital Nomad Visa (Italy), Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) (United Arab Emirates), DAFT Self-Employed Permit (Netherlands). Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa does not.
What is the cheapest freelance visa?
Government fees start at $80. Income floors matter more than fees: Spain's Digital Nomad Visa asks for EUR 34,188/yr (≈ $37,504/yr) and Portugal's D8 for EUR 3,680/mo (≈ $50,607/yr).
Can I freelance for clients in the country I move to?
On a self-employment permit such as Germany's Freiberufler visa or Spain's Cuenta Propia, yes, that is the point of it. Digital nomad visas are built around clients and employers outside the country, and the rules on local clients differ per route, so read the official page before taking local work.
Which freelance visas exist outside Europe?
In our data, the UAE's Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) and Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa. The UAE route is a self-sponsored residence on a freelance permit; Thailand's visa suits freelancers with clients abroad but does not lead to permanent residence.
See which of these routes fits your profile
Transita checks your income, clients and passport against every freelance and digital nomad route at once. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.
Build my workspaceofficial sources: §21 AufenthG · make-it-in-germany.com·Ley de Startups (Art. 74-78) · exteriores.gob.es·Trabajo por Cuenta Propia · inclusion.gob.es·D8 · vistos.mne.gov.pt·DM 29.02.2024 · consnewyork.esteri.it·Green Residence · u.ae·DTV · thaievisa.go.th·Dutch-American Friendship Treaty · ind.nl