What is the Nomad Border Pass?
The Nomad Border Pass is a new global mobility tool designed to facilitate digital nomad travel. The program allows nomad users to apply for a single visa and receive pre-approved access to multiple participating countries for up to 90 days of remote work per visit.
The Nomad Border Pass costs $500 USD per person and is valid for five years. After that, nomad users must reapply to renew their pass. The program enters its beta testing phase in 2024, with a full public launch due in 2025.
How does the program work?
Participating countries pay an annual fee to be part of the Nomad Border Pass program. In exchange, they receive the following benefits:
- Seamless digital infrastructure, made by our award-winning developers and designers.
- Destination marketing to our community of 200,000+ digital nomads.
- A global collaboration network of government officials and policymakers.
- Policy recommendations and research briefings from the SafetyWing team.
- Anonymized data on nomads from across our participating countries.
- Publicity opportunities with global media brands and leading online influencers.
What criteria do Nomad Border Pass holders have to meet?
We're committed to ensuring you receive the highest-quality nomad visitors, year after year. To be accepted into the program, applicants must meet strict requirements and provide evidence, which is checked carefully by our team.
All successful applicants meet the following criteria:
- Remote job or own business registered overseas
- Minimum annual income of $50,000 USD
- Work in tech, digital, innovation, or knowledge field
- Have no criminal record in any country
- Hold a valid passport and global health or travel medical insurance coverage of $250,000 USD
- Be at least 18 years old upon application
What are the benefits for countries?
Economic development
✦ Attract the best remote talent from overseas: Compete and win in the battle for the world’s most prestigious and in-demand knowledge workers.
✦ Create new jobs and business opportunities: With local spend comes increased labor needs and the perfect environment for new operators in accommodation, coworking, hospitality and more.
✦ Increase uptake of existing visas programs: When nomads fall in love with your country, take advantage by guiding them towards long-term residency programs with ease.
Innovation and knowledge economy
✦ Bolster your country’s tech and innovation ecosystem: Collaborate with nomad visitors to develop knowledge clusters around cutting-edge technologies like AI, robotics, blockchain, and more.
✦ Connect local people to global work opportunities: Introduce your local people to leading cross-border companies and entrepreneurs and watch the magic happen—with global salaries comes increased tax revenues.
✦ Leverage overseas talent to attract foreign investment: The more vibrant and global your ecosystem is, the easier it becomes to bring new capital to your country.
Tourism and destination marketing
✦ Encourage a sustainable, regenerative approach to tourism: Start a new chapter of tourism—nomads are slow travelers seeking deep connections with the places they visit.
✦ Enhance your country’s reputation on the global stage: Create buzz with new conferences and events, press coverage, and social media attention to celebrate your international connections.
✦ Collect nomad taxes via our seamless digital infrastructure: Receive new income from nomad visitors—with revenue delivered for every day nomads spend in your country. (coming soon)
Who is behind the program?
The Nomad Border Pass is a global mobility product developed by SafetyWing, a Y Combinator alumni company founded in 2018. We've raised $50 million in venture capital funding to date. Our all-remote team consists of 200 people from 70+ countries.
The Nomad Border Pass is the first product born out of the Plumia mission, a SafetyWing project whose goal is to increase the global mobility rights of people worldwide.
Plumia operates as a think tank, conducting research and policy work around global mobility and acting as an incubator for new ideas and products to serve nomads and remote workers.
How can countries join the program?
The Nomad Border Pass is currently in beta testing ahead of a full public launch in 2025. Right now, we're seeking 10 innovative, future-facing governments to join the program as beta testers.
If you'd like to be considered for our beta testing phase:
- Register your interest and schedule a meeting via this form.
- Submit an application to join the program.
- Receive our decision within 30 days of applying.
- Sign our terms of service and arrange payment.
- Start receiving nomad visitors from Jan 2024.
Let's stay in touch!
Subscribe to get our email updates for governments and policymakers:
To get in touch with our policy team directly, email policy@plumia.org.
