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I work remotely and thus I can live anywhere while doing my job. As a French citizen, what are countries where I can easily reside for 6 months or more, without needing a visa or where one can easily be obtained (without meeting specific conditions).

(I realize that this might be a difficult question to fully answer. Feel free to close if it is too broad, although it is a question addressing a genuine problem.)

Flimzy
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Xavier
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    Outside of the EU itself and a handful of closely associated countries (Switzerland, etc.), there is no “as a EU citizen”, the rules depend on your country of origin. You might want to ask a separate question for countries outside the EU (i.e. “as a French citizen […]”). – Gala Mar 14 '14 at 09:44
  • Good point. I've updated this question to be specific to French citizens. The answer that was already given still applies since France is part of the EU. – Xavier Mar 14 '14 at 09:55
  • Not really an answer, but no matter where you wander off to, make sure to check on your tax status. Most countries' visas/tax residence laws/regulations haven't caught up to the 21st century yet. – Ben Burns Mar 19 '14 at 12:01
  • I really think this question is too-broad, as there are likely dozens of countries that meet your criteria, and the list changes frequently. It would be better to ask about a specific country, I think. Or maybe ask about a resource where you can check the status of visa treaties. – Flimzy Apr 03 '14 at 16:45
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    A good starting point would be the wikipedia article on French visa requirements. Looks like outside of Europe, Canada, Columbia, Georgia, Mexico, Panama, and Peru are okay for 180 days/6 months, though it is best to check the fine print for each to see what your working status would be and if you would run afoul of local regulations. – jmac Apr 04 '14 at 00:20
  • I think you should restrict to "no visa", or at least restrict this visa condition to obtaining one at the airport when entering the country (i.e. countries for which you just book a flight/train and can enter for 6+ months) – Vince Apr 04 '14 at 07:24
  • @Vince I agree that we can restrict this to visas delivered on the spot. Why did you remove the 'digital nomads' bits though? The aim of that question was to help digital nomads choosing their next stop. The Wikipedia link is a great start and could serve as an answer. – Xavier Apr 04 '14 at 08:02
  • Sorry it was @Flimzy who edited – Xavier Apr 04 '14 at 08:07
  • @Xavier: Because this question is equally useful to non-digital-nomads. digital-nomads (at least in this context) is a meta tag, it doesn't really provide any useful information. – Flimzy Apr 04 '14 at 18:31
  • Do you really want to restrict to "no visa" ? A working-holiday visa for Japan is quite easy to obtain, for example, the only possible issue being the age requirement. I hear that WH visas for other countries such as Australia are more difficult to obtain due to higher demand. – fkraiem Jan 03 '16 at 15:24

2 Answers2

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As an EU citizen you can live long term in any other EU country. For less than three months you don't need to do anything (apart form having your passport or National ID with you). For longer terms however you have to either be engaged in economic activity (work there), or have enough resources to not become a burden on the social services of the host Member State. As you said you have a steady income, this point should apply to you. More information

While Switzerland, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway are not part of the EU, the above also applies for them. You might to register yourself with local authorities (like in Norway or Iceland), and show them you are self supporting.

As countries outside of the EU don't recognize the EU as one, but as separate countries, it depends on your home country where you might live struggle free for a longer term. While this example is for short stay it highlights the issue clearly: most EU countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program, meaning they can enter the USA (for short term stay) easier, but some are not. For example as a French citizen you can stay visa free in Canada, Peru, Mexico and Panama for 180 days (but require visa for longer stay).

(Note: the question was asked generally about EU citizens in the first place)

SztupY
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  • Thanks for the useful information. I've updated my question to specify I am a French citizen. – Xavier Mar 14 '14 at 09:57
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Outside of EU/EEA/Switzerland, mentioned by SztupY above, one of the few countries with a truly liberal visa policy is Georgia:

  • You can stay in the country for up to 365 days and by traveling elsewhere once a year you can essentially stay there forever.

  • Purchasing a piece of real estate (which can be as low as 10000 euros for a small apartment), allows you to apply for permanent residency.

  • It's even possible to work on a tourist visa (according to information from 2014), although the salaries are most likely mediocre for the average Frenchman.

Community
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JonathanReez
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