Digital Nomad Visa Health Insurance Requirements (2026)
Nomad visa health insurance rules differ by country. Of the 21 digital nomad and remote work visas we checked, 15 require health insurance. Only 3 official sources set a minimum amount (Costa Rica, Japan and South Korea), and only Spain requires an insurer authorised to operate in the country and refuses travel insurance. Only the embassy, consulate or immigration office can confirm a policy is accepted.
Most rows link to the government or consular page they come from; rows marked * use a secondary source. Checked September 2026 by Mo Buglow.
15 of 21
require health insurance
3
set a minimum amount
Costa Rica, Japan, South Korea
1
requires a local insurer
Spain, and it refuses travel insurance
Insurance required Not listed on the official page Programme suspended
- PortugalRequired
- SpainRequired
- ItalyRequired
- GreeceRequired
- CroatiaRequired
- EstoniaRequired
- HungaryRequired
- Costa RicaMin USD 50,000
- ColombiaRequired
- BrazilRequired
- MexicoNot listed
- ArgentinaNot listed
- UAE (Dubai)Required
- GeorgiaProgramme suspended
- JapanMin JPY 10 million for medical treatment
- South KoreaMin KRW 100 million (about USD 76,000)
- TaiwanNot listed
- MalaysiaRequired
- ThailandNot listed
- IndonesiaNot listed
- PhilippinesRequired
| Country and visa | Insurance | What the rules say | Indicative premium | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PortugalD8 residency or temporary stay visa for remote work | Required | Travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and repatriation. No minimum amount and no local insurer required.Income: Average monthly income of at least 4 times the Portuguese minimum wage over the last 3 months | £181 to £335/mo | Portuguese consular network (VFS Global) Residency visa for remote work (digital nomads), consular checklist, 10 July 2025 |
| SpainInternational telework visa (digital nomad) | Required | Public or private health insurance with cover equivalent to the Spanish national health system, from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, active for the whole permit. Travel insurance is not accepted.Spain's digital nomad visa needs health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with cover equivalent to the Spanish national health system. Travel insurance is not accepted. The premiums shown are for international plans and do not mean a plan meets this rule: check that the insurer is on the DGSFP (Spain's insurance regulator) register and confirm with the consulate.Minimum: Cover equal to the Spanish national health systemIncome: 200% of the Spanish minimum wage, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one | £215 to £321 a month | Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Consulate General of Spain in Istanbul Requisitos visado nómadas, 7 January 2025 |
| ItalyDigital nomad and remote worker visa | Required | Health insurance for medical care and hospital treatment, valid in Italy for the whole stay. No minimum amount stated.Income: Annual income of at least 3 times the minimum level for exemption from health cost-sharing | £181 to £335/mo | Embassy of Italy in Chisinau (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto, 18 March 2026 |
| Greece*Digital nomad visa and residence permit (Law 4825/2021) | Required | Comprehensive health insurance, so the applicant does not rely on the national health system. The official pages we read do not state a minimum amount.Income: EUR 3,500 a month net, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child | £215 to £321/mo | Amoiridis Greek Law Firm Digital nomads visa legislation in force in Greece, 18 September 2021 |
| CroatiaTemporary stay for digital nomads | Required | Travel or private health insurance covering Croatia for the planned stay. No minimum amount stated.Income: EUR 3,622.50 a month, or EUR 43,470 for 12 months | £181 to £276/mo | Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Croatia Temporary stay of digital nomads |
| EstoniaDigital nomad visa (D visa for teleworking) | Required | Travel medical insurance covering treatment for illness or injury for the whole visa validity. No minimum amount stated for this visa.Income: The Foreign Ministry and e-Residency pages give different figures; check with the consulate | £181 to £285/mo | Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Application for a long-stay (D) visa |
| HungaryWhite Card | Required | Comprehensive health insurance covering all healthcare services. No minimum amount stated.Income: At least EUR 3,000 a month net for the 6 months before entry | £181 to £285/mo | National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, Hungary White Card, residency for digital nomads, 11 March 2026 |
| Costa RicaRemote workers and service providers stay (Law 10008) | Required | Medical cover for illness in Costa Rica for the whole stay, from a locally authorised insurer or an international policy.Minimum: USD 50,000Income: USD 3,000 a month net, or USD 5,000 for families | £241 to £334/mo | Costa Rica Tourism Board Digital nomads medical services policy |
| ColombiaV visa for digital nomads | Required | A health policy covering Colombia for accident, illness, maternity, disability, hospital care, death and repatriation, for the whole stay. No amount stated.Income: 3 times the Colombian monthly minimum wage over the last 3 months | £229 to £315/mo | Cancillería de Colombia Tipos de visa |
| BrazilDigital nomad visa (CNIg Resolution 45/2021) | Required | Health insurance valid in Brazil. No amount stated in the resolution.Income: USD 1,500 a month from a foreign source, or USD 18,000 in the bank | £275 to £512/mo | Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Brazil Resolução CNIg MJSP nº 45, de 9 de setembro de 2021, 9 September 2021 |
| MexicoTemporary resident visa (no dedicated nomad visa) | Not listed | The consulate checklist does not list health insurance.Income: Monthly income over USD 4,630 for 6 months, or an average balance of USD 78,025 over 12 months | £291 to £512/mo | Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas Visa de residente temporal 2026 |
| ArgentinaTransitory residence for digital nomads | Not listed | The official service page does not list health insurance.Income: No fixed amount; proof of remote work and income | £208 to £317/mo | Dirección Nacional de Migraciones, Argentina Obtener una residencia transitoria como nómada digital, 6 May 2026 |
| UAE (Dubai)Virtual work residence (remote work visa) | Required | A valid health insurance document. No minimum or UAE insurer requirement stated.Income: At least USD 3,500 a month | £279 to £463/mo | GDRFA Dubai Visa issuance (virtual work), 27 September 2026 |
| GeorgiaRemotely from Georgia (suspended); visa-free stay | Programme suspended | The nomad programme is suspended. Since 1 January 2026 all tourists entering Georgia need health and accident insurance for the whole stay.Minimum: GEL 30,000 (tourist rule)Income: Not applicable while the programme is suspended | £219 to £285/mo | Embassy of Georgia to Australia Mandatory health insurance for all tourists entering Georgia, 8 January 2026 |
| JapanDesignated activities (digital nomad) | Required | Insurance against death, injury or illness during the stay in Japan.Minimum: JPY 10 million for medical treatmentIncome: Annual income of JPY 10 million or more | £251 to £398/mo | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Visa for digital nomads, 31 March 2024 |
| South KoreaF-1-D workation visa | Required | Private insurance covering hospital treatment and evacuation to your home country during the stay in Korea.Minimum: KRW 100 million (about USD 76,000)Income: At least USD 66,000 a year | £247 to £453/mo | Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles (F-1-D) Workation (digital nomad) pilot program, 13 January 2025 |
| TaiwanEmployment Gold Card (no dedicated nomad visa) | Not listed | No private insurance required. Gold Card holders can join the national health insurance after 6 months of continuous residence.Income: Qualifies through professional criteria, not a fixed income | £244 to £324/mo | Taiwan Employment Gold Card Office Health care, Taiwan Gold Card |
| MalaysiaDE Rantau Nomad Pass | Required | A health policy covering Malaysia, valid for at least 3 months and for the whole pass. No amount stated.Income: USD 24,000 a year (tech roles) or USD 60,000 (non-tech) | £198 to £288/mo | Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation DE Rantau Pass FAQ v10.0, 28 August 2026 |
| ThailandDestination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Not listed | The embassy's DTV page does not list health insurance. Other Thai long-stay visas do (see the Thailand cost guide).Income: Funds of at least THB 500,000 | £219 to £324/mo | Royal Thai Embassy, London Destination Thailand Visa, 8 September 2026 |
| IndonesiaE33G remote worker visa | Not listed | The official eVisa checklist does not list health insurance. Some visa agents say international health insurance is required, so check with the issuing office before you apply.Income: At least USD 60,000 a year, plus USD 2,000 in the bank over the last 3 months | £198 to £321/mo | Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia E33G remote worker visaDirectorate General of Immigration, Indonesia Type of visa E33G (eVisa FAQ) |
| PhilippinesDigital nomad visa (Executive Order 86) | Required | Health insurance valid for the visa period. No amount stated. Reported as not yet open for applications.Income: Sufficient income from outside the Philippines; no figure in the order | £201 to £277/mo | Supreme Court E-Library Executive Order No. 86 (24 Apr 2025), Sec. 2(e), 24 April 2025 |
Indicative premium: typical monthly price for international health insurance at age 32, inpatient and outpatient, mid-level plan, worldwide excluding the USA, from real insurer quotes taken 2026-09-24. Rules change often: always confirm with the embassy or consulate before you apply.
* Greece uses a secondary source (Amoiridis Greek Law Firm, on Law 4825/2021), not a government or consular page.
Common questions
- Which digital nomad visas require health insurance?
- Of the 21 nomad and remote work visas we checked, 15 require health insurance: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, UAE (Dubai), Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines. The official pages for Mexico, Argentina, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia do not list it.
- Is travel insurance enough for a digital nomad visa?
- Sometimes. Portugal accepts travel insurance that covers medical expenses and repatriation, Croatia accepts travel or private health insurance, and Estonia asks for travel medical insurance. Spain's digital nomad visa needs health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, with cover equivalent to the Spanish national health system. Travel insurance is not accepted. The premiums shown are for international plans and do not mean a plan meets this rule: check that the insurer is on the DGSFP register and confirm with the consulate.
- Which nomad visas set a minimum amount of cover?
- Only a few official sources state an amount: Costa Rica (USD 50,000), Japan (JPY 10 million for medical treatment), South Korea (KRW 100 million (about USD 76,000)). Most others ask for cover valid in the country for the whole stay, without a figure.
- Does the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) require health insurance?
- The Royal Thai Embassy's DTV page does not list health insurance. Other Thai long-stay visas do, for example the retirement visas, which require set minimum cover.
- How much does health insurance cost for a digital nomad visa?
- For full international health insurance at age 32 (inpatient and outpatient, worldwide excluding the USA), typical indicative prices in these countries run from about £181 to £512 a month, based on real insurer quotes taken 2026-09-24. Travel medical plans that some visas accept cost less.
- What health insurance do I need for a digital nomad visa?
- It depends on the visa. 15 of the 21 nomad visas we checked require health insurance. Only 3 official sources set a minimum amount, and Spain needs an insurer authorised to operate in Spain and refuses travel insurance. Find your visa in the table, check the official source linked in its row, and confirm with the embassy or consulate before you buy.
Free to cite: HealthiNomad, Digital nomad visa health insurance requirements, September 2026, https://healthinomad.com/digital-nomad-visa-insurance
Want quotes to check against your visa's insurance rule?
Compare international health plans or read our guide to digital nomad health insurance. Only the embassy, consulate or immigration office can confirm a policy is accepted. Short trip? See countries that require travel insurance to enter.