Do Digital Nomad Visas Require Health Insurance? Requirements Explained

When reviewing the requirements for a digital nomad visa, one thing you will almost always find on that list is health insurance. However, the type of digital nomad health insurance policy depends on the country where you wish to get the visa. Some countries accept international travel or medical insurance, while others require more comprehensive private health insurance or set specific coverage conditions. 

Finding the right type of digital nomad insurance before submitting your visa application is more important than you may think. In some cases, we’ve seen digital nomad visa applications get rejected simply because they got the wrong type of health insurance! 

In this post, we’ll cover what type of health insurance digital nomad visas require. We’ll also explore the difference between travel medical and international health insurance for digital nomads. By the end, you’ll have a better idea of why digital nomad visas require health insurance and which one is right for your situation. 

Do Digital Nomad Visas Require Health Insurance?

Most digital nomad visas require some form of health or medical insurance, although the rules vary by country. A government may require travel medical insurance, private health insurance, or coverage meeting specific medical, geographic, and duration requirements. 

Common digital nomad visa health insurance requirements include:

Important: Always use the official immigration or consular requirements for your digital nomad visa application. The phrase “health insurance required” can mean something very different from one digital nomad visa to another. 

Why Do Countries Require Digital Nomads to Have Health Insurance?

When remote workers live in a foreign country on a digital nomad visa, the idea is that they support their lifestyle independently. That means not relying on the government or the country’s social programs, including national health insurance. 

So, countries require digital nomad visa applicants to have private health insurance that covers unexpected illness, accidents, hospitalization, emergency treatment, and repatriation. 

However, even if you don’t plan to live in a country long-term with a visa, it’s still important for digital nomads to have some form of travel medical insurance. You never know when you might need a doctor while abroad. 

What Kind of Health Insurance Do You Need for a Digital Nomad Visa?

When you search for digital nomad insurance online, you’ll find a ton of different options. That can feel overwhelming. Which one is the right one when applying for a digital nomad visa?

One of the easiest visa mistakes to avoid is buying insurance before checking exactly what the immigration authority means by “health insurance.” 

To give you an idea of what most countries look for, here are the key features. 

Coverage in Your Destination Country

Before purchasing international health insurance, make sure that the country where you plan to live is covered. And while most digital nomad insurance policies offer worldwide coverage, there are often a few exceptions. Those countries include the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong—but you can often get coverage as an add-on service. 

Coverage for the Required Visa Period

If your digital nomad visa term is 12 months, then your health insurance policy must be valid for that duration. That often means standard travel medical insurance won’t cut it. Instead, you’ll need a long-term international health insurance policy with a minimum of one year of coverage. 

Minimum Medical Coverage

Some countries have set specific coverage minimums for health insurance. Portugal and Turkiye, for example, require applicants to have health insurance with at least 30,000€ in coverage. 

Other countries simply require comprehensive coverage without specifying a specific coverage amount. Before purchasing your policy, verify whether there is a minimum amount. 

Emergency Treatment and Hospitalization

Most digital nomad health insurance policies offer emergency treatment and hospitalization, which often meets the visa requirement. However, if the digital nomad visa also requires routine or preventative care, then it can narrow down which type of insurance policy you can choose. 

Medical Evacuation and Repatriation

Digital nomad visas often require health insurance to cover medical evacuation and repatriation. That means if you need to be brought back to your home country, or repatriated, your insurance covers that expense. Additionally, medical evacuation should be covered if you need to be transferred to another hospital for medical treatment.

Is Travel Insurance Enough for a Digital Nomad Visa?

Sometimes travel insurance is enough when applying for a digital nomad visa—but not always. 

For example, Croatia’s digital nomad visa requirements state that travel insurance is accepted, as long as it offers coverage in the country. Meanwhile, Colombia requires health insurance policies to cover accidents, maternity, sickness, repatriation, and disabilities, which standard travel insurance usually doesn’t cover. 

We think travel medical insurance is ideal for digital nomads who are on the move and don’t have a fixed residence. It protects them in emergencies and often includes travel benefits like flight delays or cancellations and lost baggage. 

If you’re planning to apply for a digital nomad visa where you will live abroad, then international health insurance is the better option—even if travel insurance will suffice. When living abroad, you’ll want access to routine and preventative care, not just emergency treatments. It provides peace of mind and helps you stay healthy. 

Still not quite sure of the difference? Check out our post, Travel Insurance vs. International Health Insurance for Digital Nomads.

Travel Insurance vs. International Health Insurance for Digital Nomads

As you debate which type of digital nomad insurance is right for your lifestyle and is acceptable when applying for a digital nomad visa, here’s a quick comparison. 

Feature	Travel Medical Insurance	International Health Insurance
Unexpected illnesses/injuries	✅	✅
Emergency hospitalization	✅	✅
Routine healthcare	❌	✅
Preventative care	❌	✅
Long-term healthcare	❌	✅
Travel-related benefits	✅	⚠️Depends on the plan
Visa acceptance	⚠️Depends on the country	✅Usually, yes

SafetyWing Insurance for Digital Nomads

If you’re comparing policies that work for long-term international travel or living abroad, SafetyWing currently offers two different levels of coverage for digital nomads: Nomad Insurance Essential and Nomad Insurance Complete. That means you can find a policy that matches your digital nomad lifestyle, without the insurance overwhelm. 

And for those nomads who are on the move and decide they want insurance, you can buy SafetyWing while you’re already abroad! That’s perfect if you’re choosing to apply for a digital nomad visa abroad instead of in your home country.

SafetyWing Essential Insurance

SafetyWing Essential is travel medical insurance designed for digital nomads and long-term travelers who mainly want protection against unexpected medical expenses while abroad.

Coverage includes things like:

• Hospital stays and medical treatment
• Surgeries and medications
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Lost luggage and travel delays
• Up to 364 days of coverage at a time
• Limited medical coverage when visiting your home country

For long-term travelers, the 364-day Essential annual plan saves 10% compared with paying every four weeks.

Annual members also receive a digital prepaid debit card for up to $150 in eligible medical expenses. You can use it for eligible expenses at places such as clinics or pharmacies, then submit the required documentation through SafetyWing. Then, once your documents are approved, your card limit is restored. 

Because the card is digital, there is nothing to ship. That can be especially useful if you’re already abroad or move frequently and don’t have a permanent mailing address.

Essential is probably the better fit if: you’re primarily concerned about unexpected illnesses, accidents, hospitalization, evacuation, and travel-related problems.

SafetyWing Complete for Digital nomads

SafetyWing Complete is designed for nomads who want more comprehensive international health insurance rather than coverage focused primarily on unexpected travel-related medical issues. 

It includes everything in Essential plus broader healthcare benefits, including:

• Routine and emergency medical care
• Doctor and specialist visits
• Preventative checkups, screenings, and vaccines
• Mental health support
• Wellness therapies
• Cancer testing and treatment
• Maternity benefits, subject to plan limits and waiting periods
• Additional travel protections
• No restrictions on medical coverage when you’re in your home country

Complete currently has an overall medical coverage limit of up to $1.5 million, compared with the $250,000 on Essential. 

If you choose the annual payment option, you also save 10%, and every policy holder receives a $500 digital prepaid card for eligible healthcare expenses. 

Complete is probably the better fit if: you’re living abroad longer term and want ongoing healthcare such as routine appointments, preventative care, specialists, mental health support, maternity benefits, etc.

Can You Use SafetyWing for a Digital Nomad Visa?

SafetyWing can work for some digital nomad visa applications, but the right plan depends on the country’s requirements. 

For example, a country that accepts international travel medical insurance may accept the SafetyWing Essential policy. However, a destination that requires comprehensive private health insurance would be more likely to accept the SafetyWing Complete plan. 

Before choosing a plan, check whether your visa requires:

• Travel medical or private health insurance
• A minimum medical coverage amount
• Hospital and emergency care
• Repatriation or evacuation coverage
• Coverage for the entire visa period
• Specific deductible or copayment limits
• Coverage for dependents
• Routine and preventative care

The key is to choose the plan based on the actual visa requirements, not simply the amount of coverage offered. 

How to Check Whether Your Insurance Meets Digital Nomad Visa Requirements

When applying for a digital nomad visa, you always want to get as much information about your documents as possible. So, when buying health insurance, follow these steps to ensure it’s the right one:

1. Review the official visa requirements – Don’t rely on Reddit threads or blogs for information; make sure to check the government and consulate website.
2. Check the required type of insurance – Look for terms such as travel insurance, medical insurance, private health insurance, or comprehensive health insurance. 
3. Check coverage amounts – Confirm whether the country requires your insurance to cover a minimum amount. 
4. Check dates and geography – Make sure your selected digital nomad insurance offers coverage in your destination country for the duration of the visa.
5. Request documentation before applying – Make sure you can provide the policy certificate or proof of insurance required by immigration authorities. 

Do You Need Health Insurance for Your Family on a Digital Nomad Visa?

Usually, when you’re applying for a digital nomad visa with family members, they will also need the right medical insurance coverage. It helps to choose a digital nomad health insurance policy that lets you add children and spouses. 

The good news is that SafetyWing allows dependents on both the Essential and Complete plans! That makes it easy to ensure everyone meets the eligibility requirements and stays covered while abroad. 

Don’t Buy Digital Nomad Insurance Until You Check the Visa Rules

Most digital nomad visas require health insurance, but there isn’t one insurance policy that automatically meets every country’s rules. First, determine exactly what your destination requires by checking consulate and immigration authority websites. Then, choose coverage that meets those conditions and your healthcare needs. 

For nomads looking for international coverage, SafetyWing Essential offers travel medical coverage for those who spend part of the year abroad. Meanwhile, SafetyWing Complete provides broader ongoing health coverage that’s ideal for living abroad full-time with a digital nomad visa. 

Find the right digital nomad insurance policy for your lifestyle and compare plans on SafetyWing today.