Can a Digital Nomad Visa Lead to Citizenship? Don’t Overlook the Language Requirement

Digital nomad visas are an excellent way for remote workers to live in a foreign country for an extended period. But what if you fall in love with that country and the lifestyle it offers and want to make your move permanent? Can a digital nomad visa lead to citizenship? 

The short answer is yes! A handful of digital nomad visas lead to citizenship. However, the path to get there is not always straightforward, simple, or quick. And one of the major obstacles to overcome when applying for citizenship is passing a language exam. 

While learning the local language is exceptionally helpful when living in a new country with a digital nomad visa, becoming fluent or conversational is a must if you want to become a citizen. In this post, we’re diving into what it takes to turn from digital nomad to citizen and why digital nomad visa holders should take time to learn the local language.

This post is sponsored by Preply. I personally used the platform to prepare for the Italian CILS B1 Citizenship Exam, and all experiences and opinions shared here are my own. 

Can a Digital Nomad Visa Lead to Citizenship?

Yes, a select few digital nomad visas can lead to citizenship after a certain period of living in that particular country. However, they do not directly grant or automatically “lead to” citizenship. In some countries, residence under a digital nomad visa may count toward the legal residence period used for citizenship by naturalization. There are other residence, physical presence, language, integration, financial, and character requirements that you must meet. 

The current digital nomad visas that lead to citizenship include: 

In most situations, you would become a citizen through naturalization. In other words, you have lived in the country long enough to integrate into its society and culture and, hopefully, pick up the language. 

Digital Nomad Visa to Citizenship: Why Language Requirements Matter

Most digital nomads traveling to multiple countries a year learn the basic phrases and pleasantries in their current destination’s language. It’s a sign of respect for the country’s citizens and culture, even if you can navigate in English or another language. 

But when you move abroad with a digital nomad visa and eventually apply for permanent residency or citizenship, language becomes much more important. While applying for a digital nomad visa usually doesn’t require proof of language skills, renewing your residency permit to stay longer may require it. 

Some situations where you might need to meet a language requirement when living abroad include:

• Long-term or permanent residence
• Citizenship through naturalization
• Citizenship through marriage
• Integration certificates or exams
• Certain residence permit renewals

The secret here is starting to learn the language earlier rather than later. When the time comes to meet a language requirement, you already have a solid foundation and practice. 

Why Digital Nomads Should Start Learning the Language Early

Learning a language is a highly personal journey, and no two digital nomads go through the process the same way. However, the earlier you start learning a language, the easier it becomes to meet language requirements when you need them. But beyond passing a language proficiency exam, it becomes extremely helpful in everyday life abroad. 

Manage Living in the Country More Easily

When moving to a new country with a digital nomad visa, it’s extremely helpful to have some grasp of the local language. It’ll make a world of difference when setting up WiFi in your new home, asking how to get around your new city, and even ordering your morning coffee. 

Remember, just because a country offers a digital nomad visa doesn’t mean you can treat the destination like a tourist. It’s your new home, even if temporarily, and integrating into its culture and language is essential. 

Reaching an Intermediate Level Takes Time

Becoming conversational in a foreign language doesn’t happen overnight—it takes time. According to the Foreign Service Institute, English speakers need 240 to 720 hours of studying and classes to become intermediate in Group I languages like French, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. 

However, these hours double when learning Group II to IV languages like Greek, German, Indonesian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Thai, Czech, Russian, Turkish, and Japanese. So, the earlier you start learning, the sooner you will reach an intermediate level of the language. 

Regular Practice is Better Than Intensive Last-Minute Preparation

Languages are a muscle that you have to exercise consistently. Don’t wait until you have to prepare for an exam to intensely study. Instead, spend 20 to 30 minutes a day with focused studying and practice to get the most out of your language learning development. In fact, students who used the Preply language learning app to work one-on-one with a tutor consistently moved up a language level 3x faster than typical learning times. It’s a compound process, and the more consistent you are, the better your results over time will be. 

Many Citizenship Paths Require a Language Exam

If your goal is to move abroad permanently and diversify your worldwide lifestyle with a second passport, then learning the local language is a must. Most citizenship paths require applicants to pass a language exam of a certain level, usually intermediate. But if you reach that intermediate level before you qualify for citizenship, the process becomes easier, faster, and more seamless. 

My Experience Using Preply for the Italian B1 Citizenship Exam

There are many ways to learn a language as a digital nomad, especially when living in a country with a digital nomad visa or on a path to citizenship. In my own journey applying for Italian citizenship through marriage, I had to pass the CILS B1 Citizenship language exam. While Italy has plenty of language schools, they tend to be pricey and take up much of the daytime hours I usually dedicate to Nomads Embassy and other projects.

That’s why I used Preply to work with a native Italian speaker to prepare for my language exam. With Preply, I could take Italian lessons online from the comfort of my home and on my schedule. And the best part? I could filter the thousands of Italian language tutors to find ones that specialized in exam preparation. From there, I took trial lessons with a few tutors before choosing the one that best aligned with my learning style and goals. 

For three months, I took three to four 50-minute lessons each week with my tutor to prepare for my exam while also building my language foundation. With Preply’s built-in learning tools, like the Classroom and direct messages with tutors, I learned and practiced my writing, reading, and speaking, all of which were essential for the exam. On days I didn’t have a scheduled lesson, I worked on “homework” assignments my tutor recommended to stay consistent.

Since all my lessons were online, I didn’t have to give up traveling. I could take lessons no matter where I was—including during my trips to Lisbon, London, and Paris. And for digital nomads, that’s a super valuable feature! 

While I am still waiting for the results of my exam, I can say that I felt exceptionally prepared walking into the testing room thanks to my Preply tutor. And I plan to continue working with her to further better my Italian and keep my language learning momentum. 

Why Preply is a Useful Resource for Digital Nomads

Whether you are applying for a digital nomad visa with the goal of getting citizenship or simply want to make the most of your time in the country, Preply is one of the best resources for language learning (and more!). 

Study from Anywhere

Digital nomads are constantly on the move. Whether you’re city-hopping or changing countries every few weeks, your Preply lessons don’t have to stop! With flexible scheduling and remote classes, you can learn a language wherever you are. 

And you might be thinking… can’t I do that with Duolingo or Babbel? Sure, but you won’t work one-on-one with a native speaker to explain complex concepts, give feedback, or answer questions. And that’s a valuable difference when learning a language you actually want to use in real life. It gets better: 9x more language learners felt motivated to stay consistent with their lessons and practice when using Preply!

Find Lessons Around Your Work Schedule

Every digital nomad’s schedule is different. For example, some work U.S. hours while in Europe, while others have super demanding hours and only have free time on weekends. Preply makes it easy to find lessons that fit your schedule. When searching for a tutor, you can filter them by their availability to make sure you’re matching with one who can actually meet you when it’s convenient.

And here’s the thing: if you need to reschedule a lesson, you can do so up to 12 hours before your scheduled time—no questions asked. It takes about 30 seconds, and you’re set! 

Choose a Tutor for a Specific Goal

Preply is packed full of tutors who specialize in different language levels and uses, meaning you can find one to help you reach your specific goal. That means if you want to learn Spanish casually while traveling through Latin American countries or pass a language requirement for citizenship in Portugal, tutors are available to help. 

Before committing to working with a tutor, you can take 25- or 50-minute trial lessons to make sure they’re a good fit. This is your time to discuss your goals, current language level, learning style, and anything else you think is important. Plus, it gives you a chance to test the vibe between you and your tutor. 

Learn at Your Own Pace

When it comes to learning a language as a digital nomad, it’s important to find a way to go at your own pace—and Preply delivers. Unlike in-person or online group classes with a fixed schedule, Preply lets you choose when and how often you work with your language tutor. That means you can stay on track without feeling like you have to work around your language learning schedule. 

Choose from Different Prices and Packages

Another downside about group language lessons is that they can be quite pricey. My experience in Italy, especially, definitely ate into my wallet when I tried just a month of part-time in-person lessons at a language school. 

But with Preply, you can find a tutor who fits your hourly budget. Tutors set their own rates, which typically range from $7 to $55+ per hour, depending on the tutor’s experience and profession. And once you find a tutor you want to work with, you can buy a 28-day package with a set number of lessons. That way, you can stick to your budget and add lessons if you can.

When Should You Start Language Lessons as a Digital Nomad?

Your language learning journey depends on your overall goal. Many digital nomads who want to learn a new language to communicate more easily during their travels, or who want to get a head start before applying for a digital nomad visa, can start tomorrow. Some wait until they are already in the country to start lessons so they can experience full immersion. Ultimately, the decision is up to you! 

However, if your goal is to eventually use your digital nomad visa to get permanent residency and apply for citizenship later down the line, then it’s never too early to start learning the language. Here’s a rough timeline of what meeting your language requirement might look like to help you plan when to start your journey:

In the case of citizenship through naturalization, don’t wait until a year before you can apply for it to start studying for the exam. Instead, take lessons to build your foundation, practice the language, and then prepare for the exam when it approaches. 

Language Learning Is About More Than Passing an Exam

Getting a second passport as a digital nomad is a grand achievement, especially when a language requirement is part of the process. But language learning is so much more than passing an exam or getting another passport. It’s about exploring and immersing yourself into another culture, learning how to communicate with another group of people, and broadening your understanding of the world. 

Understanding and speaking another language doesn’t have to be intimidating. It’s not like how you remember it when you were in high school. Forget repeating the phrase “the cat is on the table” ever again! With Preply’s foreign language tutors, it feels like talking and learning from a friend. Lessons are based on your interests and real-life situations. So you can actually start to feel confident the next time you go out and order at a restaurant or ask which bus to take to get downtown. 

Start your language learning journey as a digital nomad with Preply. Your future self will thank you for starting now rather than later!