A nomad visa is not a path to a passport: where remote work leads to citizenship and where it does not

In 2026 dozens of countries offer «digital nomad» visas, and many people move on them thinking: I'll live there a few years, get residence, then a passport. We checked all 58 countries in our service against official and legal sources and found an unwelcome truth: in most countries, years on a nomad visa do not count towards citizenship.

Here is what we found. It concerns someone who works remotely for a foreign company or foreign clients and eventually wants citizenship of the country they live in.

The key difference: a visa or a residence permit

Almost everywhere, the citizenship clock runs on years of lawful residence on a residence permit. Many «nomad visas» are not residence permits but long-stay visas or visitor statuses. Even when they are formally residence permits, they often have a ceiling: a year with no renewal, two years at most, a compulsory gap between permits. Then no continuous residence builds up — and without it there is no permanent residence and no citizenship.

So the first question to ask about any nomad visa is: does time on it count towards permanent residence and citizenship — and can it be renewed without a gap?

Where remote work leads to citizenship

Spain — residence for international remote work counts towards both permanent residence and citizenship. But citizenship takes 10 years, and you usually have to give up your previous citizenship.
Portugal — time on a D8 residence permit counts in full. Since 19 May 2026 citizenship takes 10 years (7 for EU and Portuguese-speaking countries' citizens).
Albania — the «Unique Permit» for nomads is renewable for up to 5 years, then permanent residence.
Uruguay — nomad residence counts, and the citizenship clock runs from the residence application.
Türkiye — after the nomad visa you get an ordinary short-term residence permit, and its years count.
Italy — a nomad visa since 2024 with annual renewal; whether it counts towards the 10 years is still being settled in practice, but sources lean towards «yes».
Kazakhstan — for IT and other in-demand professions there is the B9-1 visa via Astana Hub with the right to apply for permanent residence at once. The other visa, Neo Nomad, is essentially a tourist visa and gives no residence.
France — there is no nomad visa, but since 23 June 2026 the Interior Ministry accepts a «visitor» permit for someone employed by a foreign company. The authorities' position has changed before, so treat this with caution.

Where the route goes through your own company

In many countries a remote worker gets residence not as a «nomad» but as an entrepreneur: they register a local sole proprietorship or company and work through it. That residence usually counts.

Serbia — a sole proprietorship or company, or owning a home in the country; permanent residence after 3 years.
Georgia — residence as a sole proprietor, for IT specialists or through property. The visa-free year many people use is not a residence permit.
Armenia — register as a sole proprietor and get residence on business grounds; citizenship after 3 years.
Bulgaria — your own company; the Bulgarian nomad visa lasts 2 years at most and does not lead to permanent residence.
Czechia — residence on a trade licence; the nomad programme is open only to citizens of certain countries, and Russia and Ukraine are not on the list.
Germany — freelancers can get the permit for liberal professions, which counts towards the 5 years. It does not suit a salaried remote employee.
Slovakia, the Netherlands, Belgium — self-employed or business residence, but noticeably harder to get.

A special case is Cyprus: its nomad visa does not count, but the permit for people living on foreign income (Category F) does. Lawyers advise anyone who wants to stay to take the second route from the start.

Where a nomad visa is a dead end

Remote-work visas exist, but they do not count towards citizenship, are too short or require a gap:

Estonia, Latvia, Croatia, Iceland — time on the nomad visa does not count;
Slovenia — a one-year permit with no renewal, reapplication only after 6 months: no continuous residence;
Hungary — the «White Card» for a year with one renewal, without family;
Argentina — the nomad visa is a transitory stay, and the «rentista» residence needs passive income; a salary from a foreign company does not qualify;
Brazil, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Colombia, Indonesia — temporary or visitor statuses;
Ireland — there is no nomad visa, and the permit for people of independent means (Stamp 0) does not count.

Where sources disagree: Romania and Greece. Some lawyers say nomad-visa time counts, others that it does not or that it is unconfirmed. If you are counting on these countries, check with a local lawyer before moving.

Where a remote worker has no route at all: Austria (the independent-means permit forbids work — on a strict reading, remote work too), Lithuania, Poland (except an already operating business), as well as the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, the Nordics and Switzerland — there you need a local job, a business or family.

Five tips before moving «on a nomad visa»

Ask whether it is a visa or a residence permit. And whether time on it counts towards permanent residence and citizenship.
Check the ceiling and the gaps. «A year with no renewal» or «reapply after six months» means no continuous residence.
Plan your next status straight away. In many countries the real route is to switch basis: open a company, move to residence for people living on foreign income, find a local job.
Know whether you have an employment contract or a service contract. It decides which permit you can get (France and Germany treat them differently) and what health insurance costs.
Don't forget taxes. Living in a country for more than half a year usually makes you its tax resident, even if your employer is abroad.

In the questionnaire you can say that you work for a foreign company — and each country page now explains in its hints which residence grounds a remote worker has and whether they count.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules for remote workers change especially often — check them with a lawyer in the destination country before deciding.