Do You Need a Lawyer to Apply for a Digital Nomad Visa?

If you’re considering applying for a digital nomad visa to relocate to a new country and work remotely, you may wonder if you need a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa. 

Digital nomad visas are a fairly new concept introduced in 2020 when more people started working remotely than ever before. Unlike other typical visas, digital nomad visas do not require you to already have an established connection to the country, such as a job or university enrollment. 

Instead, digital nomad visas allowed people to keep their remote jobs and simply live abroad temporarily. 

While the general idea of a digital nomad visa is quite simple, the application and relocation process can be quite tedious and full of bureaucracy. Even though many digital nomad visas have online applications and promise quick turnaround times, having a professional lawyer to assist you can make your move much easier. 

So, do you need a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa? The legal answer is no – unless the visa requires it, such as in Panama. 

However, having assistance from a lawyer to relocate to a foreign country can make your move much less stressful, speed up the process, and avoid any costly mistakes you might make when applying on your own. 

What is a Digital Nomad Visa?

Before we discuss if you should have a lawyer when applying for a digital nomad visa, we should first explain exactly what a digital nomad visa is. 

Digital nomad visas allow remote workers to temporarily live in a foreign country. 

To be eligible for this type of visa, the applicant must work remotely as an employee for a company, a freelancer with clients, or a business owner with a business established outside of the country where they wish to move to. 

The visa does not give the applicant the right to seek employment in the country or engage in economic business activities. 

This opportunity is an ideal option for digital nomads with families or who want to settle down for a while without relocating every three to four months. Choosing the right digital nomad visa is important as each visa has different requirements and benefits. 

Should You Use a Lawyer When Applying for a Digital Nomad Visa?

While many digital nomad visas do not require you to use a lawyer to submit your application, it’s definitely a wise decision to use an immigration lawyer’s services. 

Applying for a visa and relocating to a new country has a lot more involved than simply submitting an application. It could require you to apply for a residence permit, register a tax ID number, pay local taxes, and more. 

With the assistance of a local lawyer who has experience both living in the country and dealing with the immigration process, you can rest assured that a professional is working on your behalf to make your dream of living abroad come true. 

Expert and Professional Service

Working with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa means you’ll receive expert legal advice and professional service. Any questions you may have about your application or relocation can be answered by a professional. 

Long gone are the days of searching online for an answer with numerous tabs and browsers open. 

If your lawyer doesn’t know the answer to your question, they have the resources to find it for you. Think of them as your personal reference book! 

You will always get reliable and legally accurate answers to all of your questions about applying for a digital nomad visa and living in a new country. 

They Work on Your Behalf

When you employ the services of an immigration lawyer, they are legally obligated to work on your behalf with your best interest in mind. Knowing that someone is looking out for you can provide peace of mind and confidence in your decision to move abroad. 

Consulting with a lawyer who has your best interest in mind allows you to find the best option for relocating to a new country too. Maybe the digital nomad visa isn’t the best option for your situation, but there is another one the lawyer can suggest. 

Whether you are concerned about paying taxes, access to healthcare and social benefits, or staying in the country long enough to get permanent residency, a lawyer can help you find the best course of action to achieve your goals. 

Applying for a digital nomad visa on your own leaves too much room to make mistakes. 

Communicate with Consulates

One of the most frustrating parts of applying for a visa, even a digital nomad visa, is dealing with embassies and consulates. 

Some digital nomad visas require you to attend an immigration interview at a consulate or embassy in your country of residence to submit your visa application. In some cases, just getting an appointment can take months! 

To save you from spending hours on hold or trying to contact a consulate to make your appointment or ask a question, your lawyer will communicate with them on your behalf. 

Time is a valuable resource that we can’t get back. Why spend it trying to talk to a consulate with odd hours and rude staff when you can have a lawyer who speaks the language do it for you? 

Review and Verify Your Documents

The most common mistake made when applying for a digital nomad visa on your own is submitting the wrong document or the wrong version of a document. 

Working one-on-one with a lawyer means you will submit the correct documents when you apply. They will review your documents to verify they are correct. If they are incorrect, your lawyer can instruct you on how to get the correct one. 

In many cases, your documents must be translated either to English or the local language of the country where you’re applying for the visa. Many lawyers offer certified translation services for your documents. 

Quick and Streamlined Process

When you apply for a digital nomad visa on your own, you’ll likely feel confused and overwhelmed. There is a lot of misleading information online about the documents you need, the timeline for applying, and more. 

Working with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa means you’ll experience a quick and streamlined application process. 

They are experienced in applying for the visa and have done it hundreds of times. Rather than you going through the process for the first time, you have someone who can do it with their eyes closed! 

Rarely are there delays when applying for a digital nomad visa with a lawyer. So, you can expect to get your digital nomad visa as quickly as possible. 

No Risk of Mistakes

When applying for a digital nomad visa alone, there is plenty of room to make mistakes. From submitting the wrong document and delaying the process to realizing you don’t actually meet the eligibility requirements, these mistakes can cost you both time and money. 

From the very beginning or working with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa, you have very little risk of making a mistake. They know exactly what documents you need and how to submit your application, and they will verify your eligibility during your very first call with them. 

Working with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa also saves you from making legal mistakes when you finally relocate to your new home. They can advise you about paying local taxes, opening bank accounts, and leasing an apartment. 

First-Hand Legal Experience in the Country

One of the major benefits of working with a local lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa is the first-hand legal experience they have with the country. 

As a digital nomad, you’ve certainly traveled abroad and noticed how countries operate differently. Using a local lawyer means having someone who knows exactly how the legal system works. So, your application will be submitted quickly and efficiently. 

There will be no room for mistakes or questioning about how to apply for your digital nomad visa with the help of a local immigration lawyer. 

Secure Document Upload with Nomads Embassy

Many immigration lawyers work with their clients via email. Unfortunately, this 30-year-old technology isn’t as secure as we would like to believe. So, sending personal documents, such as your passport, via email can leave you at risk. 

When you connect with an immigration lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa through Nomads Embassy, you’ll have access to a secure platform to upload your documents. Our hand-selected lawyer partners will review your documents and leave feedback directly on the platform. 

No more sending emails back and forth with sensitive documents and attachments. The Nomads Embassy platform makes it easy to review documents and see the progress of your digital nomad visa application in real-time. 

Extra Benefits and Services

When you choose to work with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa, you will also have access to other benefits and services they offer. 

For example, some countries require you to pay local taxes when you have a digital nomad visa. Your lawyer can assist you in filing and paying these taxes to ensure you don’t make any mistakes and learn how to do it properly. 

They can also assist in finding accommodations in the country. With a large network of real estate agents and landlords, they can recommend neighborhoods and apartments to rent. They can even help you understand the lease and legal obligations as a tenant in the country. 

When you work with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa, you get all-around relocation assistance. You don’t have to worry about doing something wrong or going about the process alone. A professional will be there to act in your best interest and assist you with every detail. 

How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Cost?

Based on the television shows and legal dramas you see, you probably assume that a lawyer costs a lot of money. 

Fortunately, Nomads Embassy has partnered with some of the best immigration lawyers around the world and has discounted prices for our members applying for a digital nomad visa. 

The average immigration lawyer costs $2,500 per person to apply for a digital nomad visa with Nomads Embassy. 

Keep in mind that this number can be lower or higher depending on the digital nomad visa you’re applying for. 

This Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa Service is an end-to-end solution for those who want to work with a lawyer to apply for a digital nomad visa. From document verification to communicating with consulates on your behalf to rental advisories, it’s the only service you’ll need to relocate to a new country abroad. 

Connect with Hand-Selected Immigration Lawyers Today

Are you ready to begin your digital nomad visa application with the help of a legal professional? 

Nomads Embassy has hand-selected immigration lawyer partners in over 15 countries (with more to come!) to assist our members with their digital nomad visa applications. 

To connect with our immigration lawyer partners, simply complete the contact form in our individual digital nomad visa articles found in the top menu of our website.