With the rise of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital nomad community has expanded quickly. Currently, there are 35 million individuals embracing the digital nomad lifestyle globally. This development is particularly encouraging for those contemplating turning their passion for travel into a full-time way of living.
If you are well-prepared, living an adventurous lifestyle can turn into a dream come true. WorldTrips can be your trusted companion during your travels, offering coverage for unforeseen trip costs and support in times of unexpected situations. It's crucial to think about your health and safety when exploring new destinations, as your home country's health insurance may not provide coverage while you are abroad.
When becoming a digital nomad, it's important to consider more than just travel health insurance. WorldTrips offers comprehensive coverage for traveling in and out of multiple countries, but our guide also outlines other crucial details to help you turn your travel dreams into reality.
Who is a Digital Nomad?
Essentially, a digital nomad is a remote worker who travels regularly and works from different locations. Being a digital nomad is not a job title but a lifestyle and work approach. Those who embrace this lifestyle value the freedom it offers and the chance to stay for extended periods in cities they have always wanted to explore or reside in.
When making changes to your lifestyle, you may encounter certain difficulties. These can involve experiencing a sense of instability, struggling to establish a support network when far from loved ones, and facing challenges in obtaining quick and dependable internet access.
Benefits of Becoming a Digital Nomad
Working as digital nomads allows individuals to enjoy the advantages of working from captivating and diverse cities worldwide, all while earning an income. They have the flexibility to establish their workspace on the shores of Mexico, in a cozy café in Japan, or even in an Airbnb in Portugal.
Here a few quick facts about digital nomads:
70% of digital nomads work 40 hours or less per week.
Top destinations for nomads include Bangkok, Lisbon, and Mexico.
Over 45 countries offer digital nomad or short-term visas.
Most digital nomads earn between $50,000 and $250,000 annually.
49% of digital nomads are employed full-time (and others are startup founders, freelancers, contractors, or agency workers).
This might feel a bit daunting, but learning how to become a digital nomad will help ensure you have everything in place to start (and enjoy) your nomadic lifestyle.
Steps to Becoming a Digital Nomad
Before becoming a digital nomad, it's important to conduct thorough research to secure a job that aligns with your digital nomad lifestyle, identify optimal destinations, and gather all required travel documents. Simply packing your bags and leaving is not a straightforward process.
Make sure to include some fun activities in your plans! Explore opportunities to meet new people, make a list of places to explore and activities to enjoy during your free time, and catch up with friends and family who are nearby.
What Countries Permit Digital Nomads?
If you haven't decided on a dream destination yet, the initial planning phase of transitioning to a digital nomad lifestyle can feel daunting. It's also crucial to think about how much traveling you aim to do.
On average, digital nomads tend to stay in one location for seven months, so it’s important to consider a variety of factors and ask yourself important questions before deciding were to travel.
According to CNBC, the fastest-growing digital nomad destinations include:
Tokyo, Japan
Da Nang, Vietnam
Seoul, South Korea
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Penang, Malaysia
Montevideo, Uruguay
Manila, Philippines
Hanoi, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Advice on Selecting a Digital Nomad Destination
When choosing your next country to work in, consider some other important details like:
Is Wi-Fi Access Reliable? Reliable Wi-Fi access is a big deal for digital nomads, so make sure you do your research to find a city with reliable internet access. If you don’t have access to good Wi-Fi, then you can’t work.
Where Will You Live and Work? Finding a good living space is essential. Whether you’re searching for a long-term rental with a home office or are planning to change hostels on a regular basis, having a plan for your living and working space is essential. Many people prefer two different spaces to separate work from living, so if you need to find a co-working space or a coffee shop to work from, make sure that they’re a close distance from each other.
Can I Afford to Travel? Budgeting is essential to help you decide where you can afford to travel and how much you need to save to do that. Besides paying for lodging and food, you also should consider your taxes as a digital nomad and fees from your bank or credit card. All these little things can add up quickly and you may find that your money runs out sooner than expected.
Is There a Language Barrier? While you don’t need to be perfectly fluent in the language most widely spoken in your destination, it’s important to consider what language barriers you might experience and what you may or may not be comfortable with.
Would You Feel Safe in Your Destination City? Striking a balance between affordability and safety is important. When researching destinations, consider the access to hospitals and health centers, treatment of women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ communities, your freedom of speech, and the ruling political system.
Which Jobs Are Suitable for Digital Nomads?
Before taking the leap and becoming a digital nomad, it’s important to make sure your work situation is sorted out. This might mean reaching out to your current employer to get permission to work remotely or seeking out a job better suited for a digital nomad lifestyle. If you’re a freelancer or business owner, make sure you can do your job remotely too!
If You Intend to Continue Working for Your Current Employer...
You’ll want to consult your employee handbook for information regarding a flexible work location. Many companies completely abandoned their physical office spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic with no intention of returning. Other companies have a long-standing policy for allowing remote work.
No matter what type of company you work for, you’ll need to consider any limitations you might have to work with. For example, some employers may require you to work during certain hours for a particular time zone. This might limit your destination options to those within a couple time zones. Other companies may require employees to work within a certain city or state.
Bring all these questions to your employer’s human resources team to understand what limitations you may have as a digital nomad.
If You Intend to Explore Other Job Opportunities...
Those with limited travel flexibility in their current job will want to consider seeking out other job opportunities. Many employees are pushing for more flexibility in working locations, so finding employers who provide the level of flexibility you need is easier than ever before.
When reviewing job descriptions, look for jobs described as “fully remote,” and make sure to ask questions during your interview process about the company’s policies regarding working remotely from a different country.
Should You Decide to Carry on Working Independently...
The digital nomad lifestyle often appeals to freelancers and business owners due to the flexibility that often goes hand in hand with their jobs. This can be easier said than done for some individuals depending on what kind of work you do.
Obviously, a coffee shop owner will be less likely to become a digital nomad than a blogger, video editor, or content creator. If you work for yourself, consider what changes you would need to make to your lifestyle if you posted up in a different country for a few months at a time.
Essential Travel Documents for Digital Nomads
Now that you’ve narrowed down your ideal destination and solidified your employment, it’s time to focus on necessary travel documents. To get you started, here are some important travel documents you may need to acquire:
Digital Nomad Visa – Nearly 50 countries offer digital nomad visas, which are visas that allow someone to work remotely while residing away from their country of permanent residence. Since many digital nomads don’t need a long-term visa, investigate which governments offer resident permits for temporary residents. Make sure you understand your limitations regarding how long you can stay in a particular country by verifying details regarding that country’s visa and travel requirements. The last thing you need is to scramble to find a new country at the last minute.
Passport – This might be a no brainer, but make sure you have your passport secured before you travel. Make sure your current passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date – or make plans to come home sooner. If you need a new passport, note that some can take up to 3 months to acquire.
Health Insurance Card – If your primary health insurance plan offers little to no coverage once you leave your country’s borders, consider a digital nomad insurance plan like Atlas Nomads from WorldTrips. A travel medical insurance plan like this is designed specifically for digital nomads wanting coverage for unexpected medical emergencies, supplemental travel benefits, and emergency travel benefits. Atlas Nomads also offers a monthly payment option.
ID – It’s always good to travel with a second form of ID in case you lose your passport. This will also ensure you don’t have to pull out your passport everywhere you go.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW: Some digital nomads choose to book accommodations for just the first week or two in a new destination. This allows them time to figure out where exactly they would like to live and gives them time to tour places if they plan to stay for an extended period of time (i.e., a month or longer).
Request a Quote for Nomad Travel Medical Insurance Prior to Starting
Wherever life or work has you traveling, it’s always smart to be ready for the unexpected. When you’re planning to start your digital nomad career, do your homework and be prepared with all the right travel documents and travel medical insurance.
WorldTrips offers travel medical insurance coverage for digital nomads who are non-U.S. citizens venturing outside of their home country for work. Payments can be made upfront or monthly based on where your adventures take you.
Whether you plan on staying in one country or traversing a whole continent, consider purchasing WorldTrips Atlas Nomads insurance before you take off. Getting a quote from WorldTrips is quick, simple, and free – get started today!
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