Digital Nomad

Find out how to become a Digital Nomad, and what are the requirements for a foreigner to reside in Brazil in this condition, in addition to tips on income tax, social security, and the most common professions.

If you need assistance from a specialized legal team, click here to access our service area to request yours.

Author: Lucas Velozo de Mello Marchiori

What is Digital Nomad?

Digital Nomad is a worker who can work 100% online. Therefore, they are people who can work from anywhere in the world through new information technologies.

Technological evolution has enabled the expansion of digital work. Even more, in recent years the work at home known as Home Office has become popular.

Therefore, being a Digital Nomad is a trend that is on the rise these days.

How to be a Digital Nomad?

Doing some remote work is the first step to being classified as a Digital Nomad. However, not all professions support exclusively online activity.

We will list the most common professions to work as a digital nomad below.

Adaptation is an important issue for being a digital nomad. The work done entirely online demands its infrastructure. This infrastructure involves both the behavioral issue of the worker and his work tools.

Ideally, preparation should be made so that the person can establish a work routine. In addition, the worker must also create a favorable environment for the exercise of their duties. The Digital Nomad needs to have good equipment and a stable internet connection.

In this way, becoming a Digital Nomad often means a change in the worker’s lifestyle.

The text continues after the form.

What proof do I need to be a Digital Nomad in Brazil?

The regulation of the condition of Digital Nomad in Brazil emerged recently, in the year 2021. Foreign citizens who can prove this condition may have the right to reside in Brazilian territory. This right will come through a Digital Nomad residence permit.

The request is made with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of Brazil. Our office is competent to advise and represent the processes.

There are three main requirements to prove Digital Nomad status:

1. A statement stating that you can work fully remotely using information and communication technologies. The worker himself signs this declaration.
2. Submission of an employment or service contract to prove employment with a foreign employer. The immigrant can use other documents to prove the bond.
3. Proof of economic capacity of the foreign citizen. So, the immigrant will have to demonstrate that he has the financial conditions to live in Brazil in two ways:

• Proving a monthly income, from a foreign paying source, in an amount equal to or greater than US$ 1,500.00 (one thousand five hundred dollars);

or

• Demonstrating availability of a minimum amount of US$ 18,000.00 (eighteen thousand dollars) through bank statements in your name.

These are the requirements to prove the status of Digital Nomad in Brazil. In addition, other documents will be required:

You will need to present a valid passport from your home country, within the expiry date.

The foreign citizen must also have a birth certificate and a criminal record certificate. However, the legalization and sworn translation of the documents into Portuguese must also take place.

Legalization can be done more simply if the country of origin of the document is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention. If you want to know all the signatory countries and where the apostilles are made, click here. 

You can check out more details about the apostille of documents in our article dedicated exclusively to the subject, accessing here.

In which country does the Digital Nomad pay income tax and social security?

In the tax sphere, the assessment of income tax will depend on each case, and it is necessary to analyze some variables. For example, check whether the foreign employer’s home country has a non-double taxation agreement with Brazil.

In addition, another issue of great importance is to identify whether the worker has reached the condition of tax resident in the country where he is living.

For example, for a foreign citizen to be considered a tax resident in Brazil, he must incur one of the following hypotheses:

• Enter Brazil with a permanent visa;
• Enter Brazil with a temporary visa:

1. To work under an employment relationship or act as a doctor on a scholarship in Brazil, on the date of arrival;
2. On the date you complete 184 days, consecutive or not, of stay in Brazil, within a period of up to twelve months;
3. On the date of obtaining a permanent visa or employment relationship, if it occurs before completing 184 days, consecutive or not, of permanence in Brazil, within a period of up to twelve months.

In terms of pensions, an analysis of each situation will also be necessary. Although the Immigration Law guarantees access to social security for foreigners in Brazil, other particular conditions must be examined.

The existence of social security agreements between Brazil and the country of origin of the foreign citizen is also decisive. After all, the agreement will define the conditions, requirements, and place of retirement for the Digital Nomad worker.

Get in touch with our lawyers specializing in international tax and social security law if you are interested in analyzing your situation.

How long can a Digital Nomad stay in Brazil?

The foreign citizen in this condition will be able to live in Brazil for an initial period of up to 1 year. However, it’s possible to renew the term.

The renewal process is usually simple. The immigrant must demonstrate that he continues to have the condition of a Digital Nomad in the Brazilian territory.

That is, declare the condition of working remotely, and demonstrate the link with a foreign employer and your economic capacity. Renewals can occur annually, with no time limit.

List of most common professions 

Many workers want to enjoy the freedom that being a Digital Nomad offers. With the expansion of the digital world, more and more tasks can be performed remotely via the Internet.

This is the list we made containing the most common professions:

• Content Producer;
• Social media;
• Professors and Teachers;
• Administrator;
• Financial Accountant;
• Investor;
• Commercial Manager;
• Marketing and Advertising;
• Programmer;
• Editor;
• Psychologist;
• Photographer.

Can every home office be a Digital Nomad?

Home Office worker and Digital Nomad are two concepts that mix. However, the two conditions do not represent the same situation. The common aspect between both is the exercise of their functions remotely.

Being a Digital Nomad means having much greater freedom than a Home Office job.

As the name itself defines, the work Home Office provides work done from home. Generally, workers in this regime reside in the same city as their employers’ headquarters or are fixed in a given city. Normally, they travel to their companies in case of any meeting, emergency, or situation that requires their presence.

The condition of Digital Nomad presupposes that the worker will not have to appear in person at the employer’s location. In conclusion, there has to be the possibility of exercising the work from literally anywhere.

Thus, being a digital nomad means always being able to work on the go, in different places and countries. Without a fixed address, as the name suggests.