RelocateNomad
ToolFree · Printable · Last updated: 2026-08-17

What documents do you need?

A digital nomad visa application needs between 9 and 16 separate documents depending on the country — 132 across the twelve programmes below — and 6 of the 12 require at least one apostilled document before you add a single family paper (checked 2026-08-01).

Pick a country, your family situation, and whether you’re an employee or freelancer. The checklist includes every document required, flags which need apostille, estimates lead time to procure, and totals up the realistic all-in cost. Click Print for a clean offline copy.

Who’s applying
Work type

🇵🇹 Portugal application checklist

11 items total · 1 need apostille · ~20–36 weeks total

Application walkthrough →

Application fee

$90

Total estimated cost

~$1,200

Typical timeline

20–36 weeks

Identity & core

Financial proof

Background & compliance

Portugal-side requirements

Notes

  • After visa issuance, attend AIMA appointment within 4 months of arrival for residence permit card.
  • Apostille procurement is the biggest bottleneck — start at least 6 weeks ahead.

Document questions applicants actually ask

Does the Colombia digital nomad visa employer letter have to be in Spanish?
No. Resolución 5477 de 2022 requires a letter “en español o en inglés” — Spanish or English — issued by the foreign company or companies you work for, stating the type of relationship and the remuneration you receive. If you hold a contract with that company you submit it as well; company owners and partners instead prove ownership and add a letter confirming the work is performed remotely. A certified Spanish translation is only needed for documents issued in some other language. Verified against the Cancillería normogram on 2026-08-01.
Does the Indonesia E33G remote worker KITAS need a sponsor, and what income evidence counts?
The Directorate General of Immigration states plainly that no guarantor or sponsor is required: “Anda tidak membutuhkan penjamin/sponsor untuk mengajukan visa ini.” Agent sponsorship packages are an optional convenience, not a legal requirement. Two separate financial tests apply: a bank account proving salary or income of at least US$60,000 per year, and a personal bank statement covering the last three months with a minimum balance of US$2,000 as living-cost proof, showing your name, the period dates and the balance. You also submit an employment contract with a company established outside Indonesian territory. Verified 2026-08-01.
What documents does the Malaysia DE Rantau Nomad Pass require in 2026?
MDEC splits the evidence by how you earn. Full-time remote employees submit a signed employment contract naming the remote-work arrangement, job title, duration, salary and the foreign employer’s business details, plus three months of payslips and three months of bank statements whose deposits match those payslips; an employer confirmation letter is optional but strongly recommended. Freelancers and independent contractors submit signed client contracts stating scope, duration and payment terms, three months of invoices, proof of payment through PayPal, Stripe, Wise or bank transfer, and three months of bank statements. Every contract must have started at least three months before you apply, all documents must be in English or carry a certified English translation, and your passport must have more than 14 months of validity left. The income floor is US$24,000 a year for tech roles and US$60,000 for non-tech roles. Health insurance is not on MDEC’s list. Verified against the MDEC DE Rantau Pass FAQ v9 on 2026-08-17.
Do you need a sponsoring organisation for the DE Rantau Nomad Pass?
Yes — and this is the step most checklists omit. A sponsoring organisation must be a company registered in Malaysia that awards project work to you and signs a personal bond. If you cannot find one, MDEC itself acts as the sponsoring organisation against a deposit plus a personal bond agreement. MDEC describes the sponsorship arrangement as a regulatory requirement under Malaysia’s immigration framework that must be completed before the pass can be endorsed. The bond document carries an RM10 revenue stamp and is endorsed by the Inland Revenue Board. Verified 2026-08-01.
What can a self-employed applicant submit for the Thailand DTV instead of an employment contract?
The Thai e-Visa route accepts freelance contracts with two or more clients spanning six months or more, or a foreign business registration, in place of an employer contract — alongside an employer or client letter confirming the work is remote. Financial evidence is ฿500,000, but the currency equivalent and the statement lookback window are set by the filing post rather than centrally, so check the notice published by the embassy or consulate you are applying through. An official bank letter is required if your statements are not in English.
Which digital nomad visa documents need an apostille?
Six of the twelve programmes tracked here require at least one apostilled document on a solo employee application, and the item is almost always the criminal-record certificate: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Malta and Costa Rica. Colombia, Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, the UAE and Malaysia require none at that stage. Adding family members changes the picture — marriage and birth certificates need apostilles in several programmes that otherwise need none. Apostille procurement is the longest lead item on most checklists at roughly six weeks, so it is the one to start first.

Official sources for this checklist

Current UAE Government and Dubai GDRFAD guidance requires a $3,500 salary certificate, proof of remote work outside the UAE, health insurance, and a medical fitness result. Verified 2026-07-25. The Colombia and Indonesia entries were re-checked against the primary sources below on 2026-08-01; the Malaysia entry was re-checked against MDEC’s FAQ v9 on 2026-08-17, which replaced the v8 document and removed the appeals process from 1 August 2026.