The UK does not officially have a digital nomad visa, but working on a tourist visa in six-month increments is easy. Its robust visa system has other options for digital nomads with different skills and requirements. As you join modern life as a digital nomad in the UK, you are near many must-see historical sites.
If watching Downton Abbey, The Crown, or The Last Kingdom has made you curious about living in the UK, being a digital nomad is one way to do it. Compared to other countries of the world, it is a more costly place to work remotely, but the visa system is welcoming.
Unlike over 60 other countries of the world, the UK does not have a digital nomad visa set up. As a U.S. passport holder, you can relocate to the UK for up to six months. If you then spend a day in France or another neighboring country, you can return to Britain for additional 180-day periods. While there is no official limit on how many times you can do this, border authorities might get suspicious if they think you are trying to stay permanently. These rules are fairly straightforward.
Is The UK A Popular Digital Nomad Location?
The UK is the ninth most popular destination for digital nomads. Interestingly enough, it is the second largest country of origin for digital nomads. The undisputed leader in sending out digital nomads is the U.S. (52%), followed by the United Kingdom (8%), Russia (5%), Canada (4%), Germany (3%), and France (3%).
Top Digital Nomad Destinations
| U.S. | 210,664 |
| Spain | 125,038 |
| Thailand | 124,729 |
| Mexico | 102,627 |
| France | 94, 590 |
| Indonesia | 91,963 |
| Portugal | 82,998 |
| Italy | 49,304 |
| UK | 48,068 |
| India | 45,286 |
| Brazil | 40,469 |
| Australia | 40,185 |
| Greece | 38,485 |
| Columbia | 34,468 |
| Germany | 32,303 |
| Canada | 31,066 |
| Vietnam | 28,130 |
| Argentia | 25,966 |
| Philippines | 25,697 |
| Morocco | 22,411 |
Why Be A Digital Nomad In The UK?
Entry into the UK means that you can work from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. If you want to travel during your time as a digital nomad, the UK is a great temporary home base for visiting countries in Europe.
London is just 1.5 flight hours from Paris, 2.5 from Rome, and 3.5 hours from Greece, though layovers, customs, and weather might extend the time. Want to go further? It is 11 hours to Thailand and 8-11 hours to Africa. Even Los Angeles is just 10 hours away, while New York is only 6 hours.
What Does The UK Have To Recommend It As A Digital Nomad Destination?
The UK is diverse, so whether you like a bustling city or a rural destination, either is just a transit ride away.
Castles and palaces, Stonehenge, Harry Potter movie locations, museums, and landmarks like Big Ben and London Bridge are popular tourist destinations to see in England, but there is plenty to take in no matter what part of the UK you settle in. Between historical sites, beautiful countryside, beaches, cliffs, and more, the UK will keep you captivated, offering the technology you need to be a digital nomad.
Like the United States, the UK is one of the more expensive areas for digital nomads and other arbitrageurs to locate. If you have the funds, living in the London area puts you in the center of things; however, while cities like London are among the most costly in the world, many places are moderate.
Where Can You Live More Economically Than London?
Many other popular areas are noted for their cultural attractions, landmarks, recreational opportunities, and dining and nightlife options. Yet, you have everything a digital nomad needs regarding Internet connectivity, transportation, coworking spaces, digital nomad communities, and opportunities for networking and companionship.
- Portsmouth: Located on the South Coast of England, Portsmouth is known for its naval history
- Brighton: A seaside beach town on England’s South Coast, it is the capital of LGBTQ communities in the UK and offers many coworking options for digital nomads.
- Edinburgh: The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh has plenty of castles and coworking spaces, cafes, and innovation hubs for nomads.
- Oxford: Also located in the southeast of England, Oxford features a famous university, rich cultural heritage, and planning to do for nomads in their off hours.
- Manchester: Affordable Manchester offers budget-friendly hostels and great transit connections popular with nomads.
- Bristol: Home to a thriving tech scene, Bristol is a popular location in southwest England, friendly to nomads.
- Exeter: With reasonable accommodations and many coworking spaces, Exeter is a great location for nomads in the southwest of England.
- Belfast: The capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast is a budget-friendly alternative for nomads with the added benefit of many nearby Irish pubs.
- Cardiff: Known for its natural beauty, Cardiff has an excellent digital nomad scene with plenty of coworking spaces and fast Internet.
If you’re coming to the UK on a strict budget, a little research can find you affordable accommodations in an area inviting to digital nomads. For example, Blackpool, a city in Lancashire in North West England, offers economics competitive with Chiang Mai in Thailand. Food, beer, and accommodations are cheap. Compared with London, where housing might run £1000 or more per month for a single room, Blackpool offers spacious single-room rentals in a digital nomad hotel for just £300.
Blackpool is just 3 hours from London and 1.5 hours from Manchester. Transit is readily available and reasonably priced, so occasional trips there are an excellent way to see all the attractions England is known for while living affordably in a beautiful location with plenty of things to do between trips. If you go to London for a day or two, you can find dozens of tours set up to hit many of the places you’d like to see.
Does The UK Have A Digital Nomad Visa?
Some sources imply that the UK has a specific digital nomad visa, but the official word is that the country does not. However, there is a long list of specialized visas that individuals can get. The way most digital nomads enter the UK is through a standard visa.
The standard visitor visa is for those who come to the UK as tourists even though they are working remotely. The rules prohibit visitors from working for a UK company on this visa, but there are no specific prohibitions regarding remote work for companies and clients elsewhere in the world.
This visa is good for six months between renewals, when digital nomads make visa runs out of the country for a day and then return.
Applicants can apply online for this visa which costs £100. Processing typically takes 3 weeks, and you should apply no more than three months ahead. U.S. residents can receive this visa upon entry to the UK.
You can apply for a visa of up to 10 years, but you must spend six months out of the UK after you have spent six months there to comply with the terms of these visas. Requirements include:
- You are aged 18 or over
- Proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay (you’ll need to show evidence of this)
- You meet the requirements for entering the United Kingdom, such as having a valid passport
Aside from the standard visa, where you can do some types of remote work, the UK has a robust list of visas that apply to people with specific credentials. The UK is not expected to get a dedicated digital nomad visa to add to the mix.
You can find a comprehensive list of visas for entrepreneurs, foreign hires to UK companies, those in certain occupations, and more on the UK.gov site. If you are planning to work remotely in the UK, you might consider contacting an immigration lawyer to ensure your desired stay in the country meets legal requirements.
