Digital Nomads Brace for Changes: Implications of Romania and Bulgaria Joining Schengen Zone
The Schengen Area, a collective of 29 European countries that allow free movement without border control checks, has become an attractive destination for digital nomads. With countries like Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and many more offering digital nomad visas, remote workers can now reside in these countries for extended periods.
Third-country nationals can stay in the Schengen Area for 90 days out of a 180-day period. After spending 90 days in the Schengen Area, third-country nationals must leave for at least 180 days before returning. Some popular destinations outside the Schengen Area for digital nomads include Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Serbia, Albania, Turkey, and Cyprus.
To start the process, request Nomads Embassy's free digital nomad visa eligibility assessment. Applicants must meet certain income, remote experience, and nationality requirements to apply for a European digital nomad visa. Many of these digital nomad visas require the applicant to be present for at least six months out of the year. Some countries in the Schengen Area offer digital nomad visas that allow remote workers to reside in the country for at least a year.
For those seeking a more streamlined application process, Nomads Embassy offers a Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa service, partnering with local immigration lawyers to help with the application process.
Recently, Romania and Bulgaria have joined the Schengen Area, which means freedom of travel without border controls between these countries and the rest of the Schengen zone. This reduces travel time and bureaucratic hurdles for digital nomads staying or working in these countries or traveling through them. However, this development may present challenges for digital nomads who were previously using these countries as a base to reenter the Schengen Area after their 90-day tourist allowance ended.
It is essential to note that EU nationals and those with Schengen visas can move freely between the bloc without passport control checks when crossing borders. Some digital nomad visas can potentially lead to permanent residency.
Croatia, once a popular destination for digital nomads before it joined the Schengen Area in January 2023, may regain its appeal as digital nomads adapt to the new travel landscape. As the demand for remote work continues to grow, the Schengen Area and neighbouring countries remain attractive destinations for digital nomads seeking a change of scenery and an opportunity to work from abroad.
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