by nicbou on 7/2/2023, 8:07:49 PM
I run a website about German bureaucracy. It's how I pay the bills. There is a serious lack of quality resources for the technical parts of immigration. It's incredibly valuable.
The biggest issues people face with immigration - temporary or not - are always the same: housing, joining the various bureaucratic systems and making friends.
If you're a nomad, loneliness is a far more serious issue. While people grow their roots deeper and deeper, you transplant every few months. Some people have no place they call home, and no one to call for help. Locals are not always keen to befriend someone who is right about to leave. Some will resent people who "pass through" their community instead of participating in it.
I could be a digital nomad, but I chose to grow my roots here. I take longer trips, but there is always a place I call home where I am emotionally invested.
by farseer on 7/4/2023, 7:18:20 AM
Anecdote time, there was a Dutch "Digital Nomad" living near my university. The dude would always show up at student parties and became excessively drunk and obnoxious. Its maybe because he was lonely and had nothing better to do. Long story short, some of us petitioned our university bureaucracy to better enforce access control which was sad because our university was always such an open place.
by gregjor on 7/1/2023, 12:29:47 PM
Nomading since 2012.
Most of the issues you raise vary quite a bit from one location to the next. For example visas depend on (a) the country you have a passport from, (b) the rules of the destination country, which will probably have multiple visas available with different requirements, (c) how long you need/want to stay. Every country (and sometimes every bank or even branch) has its own rules for opening accounts -- sometimes easy, sometimes not, and usually not necessary if you only intend to stay for a short time.
Health care access and costs also vary widely depending on where you go, what kind of insurance you have, how much you can spend, etc. Multiple companies offer short-term travel insurance geared to nomads, and multiple companies offer expat policies with longer and usually better coverage (CIGNA, Aetna, etc.). US medical insurance generally not accepted outside of the US (but find out). Other national health insurance may or may not cover citizens outside the home country, you have to research that.
Taxes depend on your country of nationality (where you have a passport from) and the destination country. In general people traveling on tourist visas don't pay income taxes in the countries they visit (because they are not legally allowed to work there), but increasingly countries offer remote worker visas that may include paying local taxes. Most countries tax their citizens based on time spent in the home country, but the US (almost uniquely in the world) taxes US citizens regardless of where they live, and on all income regardless of source. In my experience most nomads don't pay taxes in their destination countries, and only worry about taxes imposed by their home country. Taxation of expats and nomads changes as countries either try to attract or crack down on remote workers, you have to research and maybe get professional advice if you have tax questions.
Remote workers with full-time jobs have to either inform their employer, or try to hide their remote location from their employer. Employees working in another country, legally or illegally, can present tax and labor law compliance problems to the employer. Some companies cannot permit employees to work from foreign countries for compliance, privacy, or other legal and regulatory reasons. Don't put your employer in a bad position by deceiving them, that could cause a lot of trouble for you.
Nomads overcome the challenges by preparing in advance as much as possible, doing the research, and learning to adapt and figure things out. Inflexible and judgmental people who think the world should work the way they want it to don't succeed as digital nomads. Those who can adapt, adjust, and not get overwhelmed by bureaucracy and cultural differences succeed.
While remote work/nomading is always new to people who haven't done it, or just started, the issues are fairly well understood and written about at this point. NomadList, for example, has free information for many destinations, and an active community of nomads and expats who can answer questions. Reddit used to have a lively digital nomad forum, I haven't looked recently. No matter what you read in a blog or see in a video or get told in a forum, do your own research so you aren't stuck with bad information at some foreign immigration office, or your health insurance doesn't get accepted, or your bank blocks your debit card.
As more and more people transition into remote work or the 'digital nomad' lifestyle, we're finding ourselves in a world where our living and working environments can be miles apart, both figuratively and literally.
The advantages are evident - flexibility, personal satisfaction, and an opportunity to experience new cultures. However, one aspect that doesn't get as much attention is the bureaucracy involved when living abroad. From managing visa applications to understanding tax implications, handling healthcare to setting up a bank account, the process can be quite daunting.
For those of you living this lifestyle, I'd appreciate your insights on the following:
- What bureaucratic challenges have you encountered while living and working abroad? - How have you overcome these challenges? - Are there certain countries where it's been more or less challenging to deal with these issues? - Do you utilize any specific tools or resources that have facilitated this process? - Your insights would be invaluable to both existing digital nomads and those considering this path. I believe this discussion can contribute to a more thorough understanding of the practicalities of remote work and digital nomadism.
Thank you in advance for your time and responses!