Work remotely from Europe and spend weekends exploring European cities, beaches, and mountains: it sounds like a dream! With many EU countries offering digital nomad visas, it’s easier than you thought to work remotely from a European country like Greece or Spain! With a digital nomad visa for a European country, you can set yourself up in a queer-inclusive city and travel throughout the Schengen Zone (meaning EU countries) for up to 90 days out of your visa stay (which could be anywhere from 6 months to several years).
There are some income requirements you’ll have to meet, and some out-of-pocket expenses (like paying for health insurance coverage), but if you have ever dreamed of living in Europe, it seems like it has never been easier!
You’ll find tons of guides about living and working remotely, however most European digital nomad sites don’t speak to the LGBTQ experience.
While many European countries are very inclusive, some do not recognize same-sex marriage or allow gender affirming care or name changes on documents.
So if you’re LGBTQ and you want to be a digital nomad in Europe, you really have to know which countries have broad LGBTQ rights and which do not.
This list covers the European countries that offer digital nomad visas and support LGBTQ rights. Some countries that are LGBTQ friendly, like France, aren’t on here because they don’t currently have a digital nomad visa. Other countries popular with the nomad crowd, like Croatia, aren’t on here because of limited support for LGBTQ rights.
Croatia, for instance, allows civil unions but does not allow same-sex marriage. LGBTQ Croatians experience mixed levels of support, with many feeling like they have to stay closeted at work and in social settings.
I hope this guide to the best places in Europe for LGBTQ digital nomads help you explore your options when it comes to remote work in Europe!
Work Remotely From Europe in These LGBTQ Friendly Countries
Greece
Greece’s digital nomad visa is considered very easy to obtain. Greece also passed same-sex marriage laws this year, making it a super queer friendly pick. Greece also supports gender-affirming medical care however, it does not recognize non-binary identities, according to Equaldex.
It’s worth mentioning that social attitudes can vary and not every Greek person you come into contact with will be supportive. During the month I spent traveling all around mainland Greece, going from Athens to the Peloponnese to hiking in northern Greece, I experienced only one negative incident, when a British traveler who made transphobic comments to me. So it wasn’t even the local people who were problematic!
Compared to other places in Europe the cost of living in Greece tends to be lower. English is widely spoken and the weather is pleasant for most of the year, although extreme heat in the summer is a concern.
Athens is the hub of the expat scene in Greece, and Gazi is its small but super fun gayborhood. I loved exploring Gazi during my month in Greece. While Athens has a lot of coworking spaces, you can also work remotely from Thessaloniki or even Crete, thanks to a new “Work From Crete” scheme promoting the island as nomad-friendly!
Visa process: Apply for a one-year visa ($79), which can be renewed for up to 3 years total. You’ll need to meet the income requirements of €3,500 per month (€4,200 per couple) and apply in person at a Greek consulate.
Malta
Malta is a nomad favorite for its flexible visa schemes that support stays of up to two years, strong 5G WiFi and having English as one of the official languages.
While all LGBTQ people enjoy broad legal rights in Malta, the country has a reputation for being especially trans inclusive! This means that you can maintain gender-affirming medical care while living overseas without the worry of being denied care or discriminated against.
Some folks say there is a general divided with younger Maltese being more socially accepting and including, while some in the older generation not quite as welcoming if you are LGBTQ. Always do your own research to determine what you feel comfortable with!
Visa process: Malta has both a digital nomad visa that lets you stay for one year and a long stay visa, for a 2-year stay. You have to submit your application at the consular office and provide proof that you earn at least $2,850 in income per month and have health insurance.
Portugal
Portugal is huge at the moment. It seems like everyone I know is planning a trip there or has just come back from one. Portugal is also one of the best places in Europe to be queer: they do not currently recognize third gender identities, according to Equaldex, but otherwise queer people enjoy broad legal rights and social acceptance.
The capital city of Lisbon is the hub of the Portuguese expat scene. There’s a pretty well established expat community with social events and opportunities to connect. Of course, if you want to chill out, explore Portugal’s food scene and relax at the beach, that’s easy to do too.
Portugal’s income requirement for digital nomads is less than that of other European cities, making this a bit more accessible than some other European nations.
Since Portugal is part of the Schengen area, you can travel to other Schengen countries – this means EU nations – while on a Portuguese nomad visa.
Visa process: The Portugal digital nomad visa (D8) grants a one-year stay and can be renewed. The income requirement is €3,040 per month. Other options exist, include the Entrepreneur Visa and D7 aka Passive Income Visa, so it’s worth investigating which one best meets your needs before you apply.
Spain
Spain is widely considered one of the best countries for digital nomads, and it’s LGBTQ friendly, so I had to include it on this list. But I can’t ignore the fact that many Spanish citizens are sick and tired of both tourists and digital nomads, and many blame visitors for contributing to a housing crisis. While you could work remotely from Barcelona, in my opinion other countries on this list make a better choice than Spain right now due to the over tourism the country is experiencing.
Yes, nomads are not tourists…and you renting an apartment means one less rental that could have gone to a Spanish citizen.
Spain has warm weather year round, fast WiFi, lots of cowering hubs and cafes for remote work, and a relatively low cost of living for Europe. As with Portugal, you can travel around the Schengen area with a nomad visa for Spain.
When it comes to LGBTQ rights, Spain comes in 4th globally, behind its European peers Iceland and Norway.
While Norway has a digital nomad visa, it’s only for the Svalbard area near the Arctic Circle. Iceland’s digital nomad visa requires you to meet a steep economic threshold (over $7,000 per month) which might not be accessible to many queer people given the economic discrimination many of us have experienced.
Visa process: A Spain digital nomad visa lets you live in Spain for up to one year with the chance to reapply for 4 more years (so 5 years total). You have to meet an income requirement of $2,215 per month and pay a visa application fee of $265. You can apply with a partner, which bumps up the income threshold slightly.
Italy
Italy offers a one-year digital nomad visa with option to renew. There is also a self-employment visa for folks who don’t have an international employer because they work for themselves, like I do. While social attitudes vary within Italy, LGBTQ people do have employment protection. Same-sex marriage is also legal in Italy.
There are so many great places to base yourself in Italy. If you love winter sports, Turin is a great gateway to ski and snowboard spots. Turin is a smaller city with a lower cost of living.
Florence and Rome are deservedly popular, with so many world class arts and culture things to see and do. As a bonus, both cities have large gay neighborhoods to explore. Florence in particular has a history of standing up for LGBTQ rights.
Sicily draws a beach crowd, with warm weather year round. The cost of living tends to be lower making it a good pick for freelancers on a budget. In Sicily, Catania is the default hub of the queer community, with a vibrant nightlife scene and activist community.
The university city of Bologna has a left-leaning, queer population. If you want to be around other young people (or just want the social acceptance that seems to come easier in that environment), Bologna could be a strong pick.
Visa process: You will need to apply for an Italy digital nomad visa at a consulate. In addition to meeting the income requirements (24,789 in 2024), you’ll need a rental or lease contract covering your full stay in Italy. You cannot stay in a hotel.
Germany
Germany has a centralized European location and large, friendly expat population. It is also generally LGBTQ friendly – although in my experience this depends on where you go.
When I visited Dresden – which the far right party AfD just carried in the most recent election – I got rude stares everywhere I went. In Berlin, which is queer friendly, I did not get a second glance.
Germany has progressive laws that protect LGBTQ people. It also has reliable WiFi, good infrastructure and public transit – all things that make the country a top place to work remote from Europe.
Germany does not have a traditional digital nomad vis. However, they have a freelancer visa. If you are self employed like me, you can apply for the freelancer or Freiberufler visa to work remotely from Germany. The process is a bit more challenge than other European digital nomad visas, as the “visa process” section explains.
While this clause likely puts the German freelancer visa out of reach for many, I get where they are coming from in including it. With remote workers taking over housing in other countries that have fewer restrictions on digital nomads, I admire the Germans for insisting that nomads have to make a positive contribution to the local economy!
Visa process: You’ll need to provide proof of address in Germany, proof of medical insurance, and demonstrate economic self-sufficiency. Last but not least (this is where some folks go wrong), you also need to show that your stay in Germany directly benefits the local economy. For instance, if you have a German client.
Check out our guide to the best places in Europe for queer women, or the best places to work remotely in South America.
