For many international students, the completion of their studies doesn’t have to be the end of their journey. For some, after several years spent studying in a foreign land, it might be more interesting to create a new independent career for themselves. Freelance work and remote employment are one way to do so.
This also means that there are new demands for freelancer visas and digital nomad visas. Such special visas are provided by some countries to those who engage in particular types of remote or freelance work. Yet, transitioning from a student visa to a freelancer/digital nomad visa may not be as easy as switching between other visa types. Each country sets its own standards in terms of income, application procedure, eligibility, and work.
If you are an international student considering such a transition, it will be helpful for you to know about it to make sure you won’t get stuck in the middle of nowhere, legally speaking.
Understand Your Options After Student Status
First, understand what kind of migration pathway suits your planned job. If you plan to work freely, provide professional services, or have your own business as a self-employed individual, you will likely need a freelancer visa or self-employment residence pathway. These requirements may include showing proof of clients, contracts, professional qualifications, financial means, or the economic value of your planned activity. For example, France has a special long-stay program for self-employment or liberal professional activity, whereas Germany has a clear division between self-employment and freelance work within its migration regime.
If you intend to perform remote work using technology tools, you need a digital nomad visa. Depending on the country, you should be employed by a company abroad, work as a freelancer for your clients from outside the country, or follow some other kind of remote working practice.
Digital nomad visas are not clearly defined and vary from country to country. Each country uses its own name for the similar pathway and provides various conditions, so it is better to examine it in detail.
Freelancer Visa vs. Digital Nomad Visa
While some confuse these visas and use them interchangeably, they can refer to different pathways to immigration. If you are setting up an independent business practice, a freelancer visa might suit your situation. You could work as a designer, consultant, developer, writer, photographer, or any other independent professional.
A digital nomad visa will suit your situation if you are earning money through remote employment or working for clients who are outside your host country. At times, however, it is not that easy to distinguish between the two visas. In some countries, you will be considered a remote worker for self-employment purposes, whereas other countries have distinct channels for self-employment. Slovenia, for instance, considers digital nomads to be non-EU/EEA nationals working remotely for non-Slovenian organizations or being self-employed persons abroad.
When applying, you should check who you are authorized to work for, where your clients or employer may reside, and if local economic activity is possible.
Check Whether You Can Move Directly From Student Status
Don’t presume that obtaining a degree from your university will immediately make you eligible to transition into a freelancer or digital nomad visa.
The process may vary between different countries. In some immigration frameworks, individuals who are eligible may apply for new residence status while they still remain in the country. In other cases, applicants may have to apply from abroad or via their consulates.
In addition, the expiration date on your student residence permit may influence your eligibility for various visa types. Timing can be crucial.
Prior to graduation, it is necessary to check if you are eligible to obtain:
- Freelancer visa or self-employed route
- Digital nomad visa or remote worker’s program
- Post-study work permit
- Entrepreneur’s visa or business permit
- Any other type of employment residence permit
Which one would work out best for you will depend on your professional goals. For example, a student who plans to join local businesses may prefer to choose the post-study work route, whereas those who already have foreign clients may be better off with remote workers’ programs.
Build a Strong Freelance or Remote-Work Profile
The effective application will almost always begin with the creation of a convincing professional profile. If you want to go on to become a freelancer following graduation, then develop your client base when you are legally allowed to do so based on your current immigration status. Keep track of all legitimate freelance work done, where applicable, through contracts, invoices, payments, and correspondence with clients.
If you are employed abroad by an employer located elsewhere, ensure that you have proof of your employment, the role that you held, the salary that you received, and your remote working arrangement. The professional profile you create should be consistent. The CV, portfolio, contracts, income statements, and other application materials that you include must reflect the same career path.
This is especially important for new graduates who have minimal professional experience. Having a diploma is not enough to show that you already have a sustainable freelance or remote working career.
Meet the Financial and Eligibility Requirements
Financial requirements are one of the key requirements in a digital nomad or freelancer visa application process. Most of the programs stipulate certain income levels or financial resources of the applicant. Nevertheless, the quantity and the way income must be proved vary from country to country.
Thus, for instance, in Portugal, income requirements under the remote work track at the moment presuppose that you should prove the average monthly income for the past three months at a required level; however, other countries have other formulas and eligibility criteria.
Depending on the program, you might be required to provide such documents as:
- Bank statements
- Employment agreements
- Freelancer agreements
- Invoices
- Pay slips
- Taxes
- Savings
- Agreements with clients
Don’t confuse money in a bank account with income requirements; in some programs, there is a requirement to have income regularly, in some – savings or viability of professional activity.
Prepare Your Documents Before Your Student Visa Expires
The right documents will make the process so much simpler for you.
For different purposes and destinations, you might be required to provide a variety of the following:
- A valid passport
- Valid and past immigration documents
- University degrees or transcripts
- Proof of employment or freelancing work
- Client agreements
- Bank statements
- Proof of accommodation
- Health Insurance
- Criminal records
- Tax and financial information
- Qualifications
Have all documents available in electronic and hard copies. It would be wise to know if the documents will need translation, legalization, and apostille, or if they need to be issued at a specific time before submitting them.
Above all, don’t wait until your student visa expires to research the new visa application process. It could cause complications because of processing time and necessary documents.
Check What Work the New Visa Actually Allows
One of the major errors that international graduates make is assuming that a visa entitling one to remote work offers unlimited freedom to work. It may not.
Before making the application, figure out whether the visa entitles you to:
- Working for foreign companies
- Working for foreign clients
- Working for local clients
- Registering a local company
- Self-employed profession
- Local employment
- Employing staff members
- Regulated profession
For instance, the Italian regulations on digital nomads and remote workers specify distinct criteria for self-employed digital nomads and remote workers.
Why does it matter? Because having an incorrect visa would prevent you from doing the intended work legally.
Conclusion: Plan Your Next Step Before Your Student Visa Ends
Transitioning from your student visa to a freelancer or digital nomad visa is a new chapter of excitement once you have graduated. Unlike pursuing a traditional employment path, there is a possibility for eligible graduates to build their careers by freelancing, working remotely, or doing professional activities independently.
The process needs to be planned in detail. You will need to know the distinction between freelancer and digital nomad visas, ensure that your planned activity is permissible, prove your income or activity as a freelancer/digital nomad, prepare all the necessary documentation, and take care of your taxation issues.
The most crucial thing is to start preparing for this process in advance. Do not wait till your student visa expires to find a solution for yourself. Immigration laws, income requirements, the application process, and remote work programs may change. The European Commission says that rules for stays exceeding 90 days are mostly regulated according to national procedures, and each country makes its own requirements for these purposes. You need to aim to find an immigration option that would allow you to legally work as you want.
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