Which country has the easiest digital nomad visa? Thailand's DTV, Portugal's D8 and Vietnam's e-visa compared

Of the three countries we cover, Thailand has the easiest digital nomad visa to get. The Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) tests savings of 500,000 THB, not monthly income, and is usually decided within days. Portugal's D8 asks for EUR 3,680 a month in 2026 and takes months, but it is the only one of the three that leads to a residence permit. Vietnam has no digital nomad visa at all.

That is a comparison of three countries, not a world ranking. Taxes for Expats counted more than 50 countries offering some form of remote work visa as of mid 2026, and we only write about the ones where we can check every rule against its official source. The DigiTao editorial team opened the sources below on 2 October 2026.

Which countries offer a digital nomad visa in 2026?

More than 50 countries do, according to the Taxes for Expats list updated on 4 September 2026, which also notes that South Korea's workation visa became permanent on 30 June 2026. Among our three countries, two have a visa written for remote workers and one does not.

1. Thailand: yes. The Royal Thai Embassy in London lists the first category of the DTV as "workcation" for digital nomads, remote workers, foreign talent and freelancers.
2. Portugal: yes. The visa commonly called the D8 comes in two tracks, a residency visa and a temporary stay visa, both listed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the same income test for remote work.
3. Vietnam: no. ExpatDen's guide of 20 August 2026 states that Vietnam has no digital nomad visa and no remote work visa. Remote workers use the 90-day e-visa, which is a visitor visa.

How do the DTV, the D8 and the Vietnam e-visa compare?

The Thai figures are those of the London embassy, and each Thai post converts the fee and the funds into its own currency. The DTV delay comes from Thailand Starter Kit, updated on 28 September 2026, and varies by embassy. The EUR 3,680 figure is four times the 2026 minimum wage of EUR 920, as calculated by Global Citizen Solutions, whose guide of 1 September 2026 puts the whole process at six to nine months as of June 2026 because of the AIMA backlog. Our answer on how long the D8 takes goes stage by stage.

Which is the easiest to get?

The DTV, for most people who hold savings. Three things make it lighter than the D8.

1. It tests a balance, not a salary. You show 500,000 THB. Thailand Starter Kit reports that posts expect the balance to have been there for at least three months and treat a large recent transfer as a red flag.
2. It is decided quickly. Days, against months for Portugal.
3. It has no second step. The DTV is complete once issued. A D8 residency visa is only the start: you then apply to AIMA in Portugal for the residence permit, as our D8 guide explains.

The DTV has its own hurdles. Since 31 August 2026 you apply through the official e-Visa system from the country where you are a national or a permanent resident, never from inside Thailand, and you attach a police clearance certificate issued within six months. The London embassy shows the rule as a request for proof of permanent residence in the UK, Ireland or the British Overseas Territories. Our DTV guide explains both changes.

The Vietnamese e-visa is easier still to obtain, a form and a fee with no funds test, but it is not a digital nomad visa. It lasts 90 days, and a longer stay means leaving and applying again. Our Vietnam visa guide explains the routine.

Which is the hardest, and why would you still choose it?

The D8. The official document list asks for proof of an average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times the minimum guaranteed remuneration, a work contract or service contracts, a document proving fiscal residence, travel insurance and a criminal record certificate with apostille or legalisation.

People still choose it because of what it leads to. A residency visa holder applies to AIMA for a residence permit, which is the start of legal residence in an EU country. Neither the DTV nor the Vietnamese e-visa leads to residence. If you want a stay of less than a year in Portugal without settling, the temporary stay track has the same income test and no AIMA step.

Is it illegal to work remotely in another country?

It depends on the country and on the status you hold: entering as a tourist does not, by itself, give you the right to work there, even for an employer back home. Here is where our three countries stand.

1. Thailand. The 30-day visa exemption is an entry for tourism, as the Tourism Authority of Thailand's announcement puts it. The DTV is the lawful route: holders can work online for overseas clients but cannot work for a company in Thailand, as Thailand Starter Kit summarises it. Our post on working remotely in Thailand legally goes through the common misunderstandings.
2. Portugal. The UK government's guidance on travelling to Portugal for work lists what a visitor may do without a visa for up to 90 days, such as meetings, interviews and trade shows, and says other types of work may need a visa or permit. Remote Work Europe describes remote work on a tourist stay as technically illegal in most European countries, with Portugal historically more tolerant and its legal position ambiguous. The D8 removes the doubt.
3. Vietnam. No visa category covers remote work for a foreign employer, and the e-visa does not authorise work. ExpatDen calls it a legal grey area. Our answer on working remotely in Vietnam on an e-visa sets out what is established.

This is general information, not legal advice. If your employer, your insurance or a future residence application depends on your status, ask an immigration lawyer in the country concerned.

Which one fits you?

1. You have savings and want Asia: the DTV.
2. You have a steady income above EUR 3,680 a month and want Europe or residence: the D8 residency track.
3. You want to test a place for three months first: the Vietnamese e-visa, or a short stay in Thailand or Portugal within the visitor rules.

A visa does not settle your tax position: spending about half a year in any of the three countries can make you a tax resident there, whatever your visa says, as our comparison of how the three countries tax foreign income explains. Check which options fit your passport, stay and budget in Visa Check, then compare the countries themselves in the destination comparison tool.

Updated on 2 October 2026. Rules and fees change: confirm with the official source listed below before you apply.