Inside the EU, work remotely without a visa: as a Belgian you can live and work in any EU country, and you only register locally once you stay longer than three months. Outside the EU, you need a visa that allows remote work, such as Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa, because a tourist stay does not cover work. Before you leave, ask for an A1 form so you stay insured in the Belgian social security system, check whether you remain a Belgian tax resident, take travel or nomad health insurance and sort your mobile data, because the EU roaming rules are made for trips, not for months abroad. Below you find the best digital nomad destinations for Belgians, the visa, tax and social security basics, how to choose a coworking space and whether an eSIM or a local SIM card works best.
Popular digital nomad destinations for Belgians
Start in the EU, where you need no visa and your European Health Insurance Card is valid. These destinations combine fast internet, a large remote work community and good flight connections from Brussels or Charleroi:
Destination | Visa for Belgians | Why digital nomads go |
|---|---|---|
Lisbon and Madeira, Portugal | None, EU | Large nomad community, mild winters, many coworking spaces |
Valencia and the Canary Islands, Spain | None, EU | Sun all year, affordable compared to Belgium |
Split, Croatia | None, EU | Coast, outdoor life, quiet outside the summer season |
Athens, Greece | None, EU | Lower cost of living, long warm season |
Malta | None, EU | English is an official language, short flights |
Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Thailand | Yes, for remote work | Low cost of living, strong nomad scene |
Do Belgians need a digital nomad visa?
No, not inside the EU. The digital nomad visas of Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greece and Malta are made for people from outside the EU, and as a Belgian you have the right to live and work in any EU country. Stay longer than three months in one country, and you have to register with the local authorities.
Outside the EU, check the rules per country before you book. Thailand is a good example of how fast they change:
Thailand | Rule in 2026 |
|---|---|
Visa exemption for Belgians | 30 days from 15 September 2026, down from 60 days, extendable once by 30 days, for tourism |
Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Valid for 5 years, 180 days per entry, extendable once by 180 days, at least 500,000 baht (about €13,200) in savings |
Social security: ask for an A1 form
Ask for an A1 form before you start working in another EU country. The A1 form proves that you stay insured in Belgium, with your pension, health insurance and family allowances unchanged, for a temporary stay of up to 24 months. Employees ask their employer to request it, and self employed workers request it from their own social insurance fund or the Belgian institute for the social security of the self employed. Outside the EU, your situation depends on whether Belgium has a social security agreement with that country.
Tax basics for Belgian digital nomads
Expect to stay a Belgian tax resident as long as your home and your family are in Belgium. If you are registered in the Belgian National Register, the tax authorities presume you live in Belgium, and Belgian residents pay tax on their worldwide income. Stay long enough in another country, and that country can also see you as a tax resident. The tax treaty between Belgium and that country then decides where you pay. Speak to an accountant before a long stay, because this article is general information, not tax advice.
Health insurance abroad
Take travel insurance or a dedicated nomad insurance, because your European Health Insurance Card only covers necessary medical care at local rates and never covers repatriation:
Where you work | European Health Insurance Card |
|---|---|
EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom | Valid for necessary care at local rates |
Thailand and other countries outside Europe | Not valid |
Check how long the travel assistance of your Belgian health insurance fund covers you, because it is usually limited to trips of a few months.
How to choose a coworking space
Book a day pass first and test the wifi, the noise level and the chairs before you take a monthly membership:
Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
Coworking space | Video calls, focus, meeting other nomads | Monthly cost, opening hours |
Coliving | Housing and a workspace in one, a ready made community | Less privacy, fixed minimum stays |
Café | Short tasks, a change of scene | Noise, unreliable wifi, no calls |
Public library | Quiet focus work | No calls, limited opening hours |
eSIM or local SIM card?
Use an eSIM if you move between countries, and a local SIM card only if you stay in one country outside the EU for months. Remember that roaming in the EU is meant for travel: if over four months you use your Belgian number abroad more than at home, your operator can ask you to change your use and then add a surcharge, as explained on the Belgian telecom regulator's fair use page.
eSIM | Local SIM card | |
|---|---|---|
Setup | Installed before you leave, no shop visit | Shop or airport, often with your passport |
Belgian number | Stays active on the same phone | Needs a second SIM slot or an eSIM |
Moving between countries | Works across borders | One country only |
Price | Fixed, no surprise roaming bill | Often cheap, but only locally |
How much data a digital nomad uses
A remote workday on your phone's hotspot uses about 1.5 GB with one hour of HD video calling. Typical figures, based on Firsty's own data guides:
What you do | Data used |
|---|---|
Zoom video call, one to one in HD | About 1.08 GB per hour |
Zoom video call, one to one in standard quality | About 540 MB per hour |
Zoom audio only | About 30 MB per hour |
Screen sharing without video | 20 to 70 MB per hour |
Email, Slack and web browsing | 30 to 50 MB per hour |
1 to 5 MB per hour | |
0.3 to 0.5 MB per minute | |
3 to 5 MB per hour | |
Boarding pass or train ticket in an app | Under 1 MB to download, 0 MB once saved |
Taxi or ride app | A few MB per ride |
A workday with one hour of HD video calling | About 1.5 GB |
A workweek like that, five days | About 7.5 GB |
Your connection, sorted before you go
Sort your connection at home, just like your A1 form and your insurance. With Firsty, there is no SIM card to swap, no roaming setting to remember, no zone chart to check and no surprise bill. Have a look at the Firsty plans for Belgium and the EU before you leave. For work on a hotspot there is also a plan with more data, while Firsty World is made for destinations outside the EU such as Thailand. Every connection Firsty sells also connects someone in Belgium who needs it, not as charity, but as how the business works. Things are moving, so keep an eye on what Firsty is building and discover more at Firsty.app.
FAQ
What is a digital nomad?
A digital nomad is someone who works remotely online while travelling or living in different places. Most digital nomads work as employees with remote work permission or as freelancers, and they choose destinations with fast internet and coworking spaces.
Do Belgians need a digital nomad visa in the EU?
No. As an EU citizen, a Belgian can live and work remotely in any EU country without a visa. If you stay longer than three months in one country, you have to register with the local authorities.
Which digital nomad visa can a Belgian get outside the EU?
Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa is one of the best known options: it is valid for five years, allows stays of 180 days per entry and requires at least 500,000 baht (about €13,200) in savings. Other countries have their own remote work visas, so check the official embassy website before you book.
What is an A1 form and do I need one?
An A1 form proves that you stay insured in the Belgian social security system while you work temporarily in another EU country, for up to 24 months. Employees ask their employer to request it, and self employed workers request it from their social insurance fund.
Do I still pay tax in Belgium as a digital nomad?
Usually yes. If your home and family stay in Belgium or you remain registered in the National Register, you are presumed to be a Belgian tax resident and taxed on your worldwide income. A long stay in another country can change this, so check the tax treaty with an accountant.
Is an eSIM or a local SIM card better for digital nomads?
An eSIM is better if you move between countries, because you install it before you leave and it works across borders. A local SIM card can be cheaper if you stay in one country outside the EU for several months.
Can I use EU roaming for months as a digital nomad?
Not without limits. EU roaming is meant for travel, so if over four months you are abroad and use your Belgian plan more abroad than at home, your operator can warn you and then add a surcharge.
How much mobile data does a digital nomad need?
A remote workday on a phone hotspot with one hour of HD video calling uses about 1.5 GB. A five day workweek like that uses about 7.5 GB, and less if you work on wifi and keep video calls in standard quality.
