May 15 2024 Yuri Fukuda(@airinterface)
Yes, many of us in the U.S. work for a company to get health insurance, but who says we need to be stuck in the same location?!
Plus, some people are so unfortunate that they need to unwillingly move where they live. In that case, a physical health insurance card becomes a burden if you need to receive it at a specific address.
Below are the Nomad Visa programs or similar programs that various countries provide. All of these have certain requirements regarding health insurance policies.
Recently, I worked with Samsung, Google, and the Commons Project team to bring health insurance cards under the control of the user.
This initiative is based on two functionalities: SMART Health Link (SHL) and the CARIN Consumer Directed Payer Data Exchange standard, combined with the hard work of our team to make this a reality. Now, both are open-source standards. Let's start building more useful use cases!
| Visa Type | Countries | Health Insurance Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Nomad Visa | Estonia, Barbados, Bermuda, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dubai (UAE), Greece, Iceland, Malta, Japan | Required in most cases; specific coverage levels vary by country |
| Remote Work Visa | Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Curaçao | Typically required; coverage requirements vary |
| Temporary Residence Visa | Portugal, Spain, Mexico | Mandatory; must meet minimum coverage standards set by each country |
| Freelance Visa | Germany, Spain, Costa Rica | Required; specifics depend on country's health system |
| Self-Employment Visa | Italy, Netherlands | Mandatory; compliance with local health insurance laws required |
| Virtual Working Program | Dubai (UAE) | Required; private health insurance mandatory |
| Passive Income Visa (D7) | Portugal | Mandatory; must show proof of insurance or entitlement to health services |
| Premium Visa | Mauritius | Insurance required, specifics vary |
| Remote Working Program | Cape Verde | Insurance likely required, specifics to be verified |
| Workcation Program | Seychelles | Private health insurance required |
| Potential Digital Nomad Visa | South Korea (Under Consideration) | Anticipated; specifics to be determined |
| Long-Term Resident Visa | Thailand | Required; includes health insurance among other requirements |
| EntrePass | Singapore (Not specifically for nomads but applicable for entrepreneurs) | Not specifically required; depends on business needs |
| Zivno Visa | Czech Republic (Freelance/remote work visa) | Required; must comply with local regulations |
| Remotely from Georgia | Georgia | Required; details depend on specific health insurance policies |