Countries
United Kingdom: visas, tax & cost of living
Moving to the United Kingdom as a remote worker? Cost of living, the visa reality, the 183 day tax rule, NHS access and banking, explained plainly.
United StatesUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a United States passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever you live, so you keep filing US returns abroad. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the foreign tax credit are what stop you being taxed twice.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · IRS: Foreign Earned Income Exclusion · IRS: tax treaties
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
IndiaUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a India passport
- VisitMediumVisa required in advance
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
India taxes residents on worldwide income; your status depends on the days you spend in India (broadly 182 or more in the year). As a non-resident (NRI) you are taxed only on Indian-source income, and the relevant double-tax treaty allocates the rest.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Income Tax Department, India · India: Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
GermanyUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Germany passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
Germany taxes residents on worldwide income; you become resident through a home available to you (Wohnsitz) or a habitual abode of more than six months. As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on German-source income, and where one exists a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt) · Germany: double-taxation agreements (BMF)
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
FranceUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a France passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
France taxes you on your worldwide income if your tax home (domicile fiscal) stays there, broadly when your household, main home, main job or main economic interests are in France, so moving abroad alone may not end it. Once you genuinely settle elsewhere you are usually taxed only on French-source income, and tax treaties typically prevent paying twice through an exemption or a foreign tax credit, but treat any figures as estimates and check your situation.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · impots.gouv.fr - Résidents de France · impots.gouv.fr - Les conventions internationales
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
SpainUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Spain passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
If Spain still counts as your tax home (roughly 183+ days in the country in a year, or your main base of life and income sits there), Spain taxes your worldwide income at IRPF rates, so what you earn abroad usually counts too. The sting is softened by double-tax treaties and a foreign-tax credit, plus the Article 7.p exemption that can shelter work done abroad up to around 60,100 euros a year, but treat every figure as an estimate and check your own case before you file.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Agencia Tributaria: persona física residente en España · Agencia Tributaria: obtención de rentas extranjeras, reglas generales
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
ItalyUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Italy passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
Italy generally treats you as a tax resident if for most of the year (roughly 183 days or more) your home, family or registration ties are here, and residents are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax already paid abroad, often shaped by Italy's double-taxation treaties, so the same income should not be taxed twice.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Agenzia delle Entrate, Residence for tax purposes · Agenzia delle Entrate, Bilateral agreements to prevent double taxation
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
CanadaUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Canada passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
Canada taxes you on residency, not on holding the passport, so as long as the CRA still treats you as a resident (kept home, family or strong ties) you generally owe Canadian tax on your worldwide income. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax you already paid abroad, often topped up by a tax treaty, though the exact amounts are only estimates until you check your own case.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-35
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Canada Revenue Agency, Determining your residency status · Department of Finance Canada, Tax treaties in force
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
AustraliaUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Australia passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
If you stay an Australian resident for tax purposes, Australia generally taxes your worldwide income wherever you live, with residency turned on the moment your real home and ties are here (a continuous stay of roughly 6 months can be enough). To soften double tax, you can usually claim a Foreign Income Tax Offset for tax already paid abroad, capped at the Australian tax on that income, and treaties may help too, so treat these figures as estimates and check your own case.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Working-holiday visa: yes, ages 18-35
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Australian Taxation Office, Australian resident for tax purposes · Australian Taxation Office, International tax agreements (tax treaties)
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
BrazilUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Brazil passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
If Brazil still counts you as tax-resident, usually triggered by a permanent visa, a temporary visa plus a job, or roughly 183 days in the country within any 12 months, the Receita Federal taxes your worldwide income, so you keep filing the annual return wherever you live. The relief is real but partial: tax paid abroad can normally be credited against what you owe in Brazil under a treaty or recognised reciprocity, so most people are not taxed twice on the same income.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Receita Federal, Acordos para evitar a dupla tributação · Receita Federal, Imposto sobre a Renda da Pessoa Física (IRPF)
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
MexicoUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Mexico passport
- VisitFairly easyVisa on arrival, e-visa or travel authorization (ETA)
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a travel authorization (an ETA) before you board. Apply online, pay the small fee, and keep the approval with your passport.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
Mexico taxes you on your worldwide income once you count as a tax resident, which usually means your main home or your center of life is here (very roughly, spending more than about 183 days a year can tip the balance). The good news is the SAT lets you credit foreign income tax you already paid, and Mexico's double-taxation treaties mean the same money should not normally be taxed twice.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · SAT - Servicio de Administración Tributaria · SAT - Tratados en Materia Fiscal (para evitar la doble tributación)
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
PhilippinesUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Philippines passport
- VisitMediumVisa required in advance
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
If you stay a resident citizen, the Philippines taxes your worldwide income, but once you genuinely live and work abroad you usually count as a non-resident citizen and are taxed only on income from Philippine sources. The exact line depends on how long you are out and your ties back home, so treat these as estimates, and a foreign tax credit can offset tax already paid abroad.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · BIR - Taxation of Foreign Source Income · BIR - Taxation of Non-Residents
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
NigeriaUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Nigeria passport
- VisitMediumVisa required in advance
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
If Nigeria still counts you as resident, roughly 183 or more days in the country in a year, or you keep a home, habitual abode or close family and economic ties there, you are generally taxed on your worldwide income, not just what you earn in Nigeria. There is usually a foreign tax credit, and Nigeria's tax treaties, so tax you already paid abroad can typically be set against your Nigerian bill, but treat these figures as estimates and check the current rules before you file.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) · FIRS - Tax Treaties and Related Matters
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
VietnamUnited Kingdom
Your move to United Kingdom on a Vietnam passport
- VisitMediumVisa required in advance
- NomadMediumNo nomad visa, other route
- RelocateMediumResidence with conditions
Visiting
You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.
Passport validity: Passport must be valid for the whole of your stay.
Heads-up: Since 25 February 2026 the ETA is enforced: visa-exempt visitors, Europeans included, cannot board without one. It now costs GBP 20 and covers repeated visits of up to 6 months each for 2 years or until your passport expires.
At the border: Valid passport plus, for visa-exempt nationals, an Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to that passport.
Working remotely
No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.
Tax and residency
Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings. (estimate)
Vietnam treats you as a tax resident once you spend roughly 183 days there in a calendar year (or any rolling 12 months) or keep a permanent home, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates of around 5% to 35%; there is no foreign-earned-income exclusion, but Vietnam's tax treaties and a foreign tax credit usually stop the same income being taxed twice.
Practical
Currency: GBP. Cost of living: high.
Healthcare: If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Driving: Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Sources: GOV.UK - Standard Visitor visa · GOV.UK - Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities (PA 4(h) remote work) · GOV.UK - Tax on foreign income and UK residence · HMRC - Check if you can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime · GOV.UK - Get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) · GOV.UK - UK enforces digital permission to travel (25 February 2026) · GOV.UK - Entering the UK · GOV.UK - Youth Mobility Scheme visa eligibility · NHS - Accessing NHS services when visiting from abroad · General Department of Taxation (Tổng cục Thuế) · GDT - Agreements for Avoidance of Double Taxation
Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.
Should you move to the United Kingdom?
Here is the honest version, from someone who has weighed it up. The United Kingdom is one of the easiest places in the world to work from if English is your language and your clients are global, but it is one of the harder places to legally settle in as a remote worker right now. There is no dedicated visa that says “come and work remotely,” which is the first thing to make peace with.
What you get in return is genuinely good: fast internet almost everywhere, a deep freelance and startup scene, direct trains and flights to the rest of Europe, and cities that each feel like a different country. London for the network, Manchester or Glasgow for the value, Edinburgh or Bristol for the quality of life. The trade off is cost, and the weather, and a visa route that asks more of you than a warm Mediterranean nomad scheme would.
If you are testing whether the United Kingdom for digital nomads makes sense, treat this as a map, not a ruling. Every figure below is an estimate you should confirm against the official source before you commit money.
Cost of living in the United Kingdom
Moving to the United Kingdom is, bluntly, expensive, and where you land changes the maths enormously.
In London, a realistic all in monthly budget for one person, including a one bedroom flat, sits somewhere around £3,000 to £4,000, with average private rents reported near £2,290 a month in early 2026 (Essential Living / ONS, an estimate to verify). Step outside the capital and the picture eases fast. Manchester’s average rent was reported around £1,349 a month in April 2026 (Numbeo / ONS estimate), and a remote worker on a London income living in the north could plausibly save well over £10,000 a year.
As a rough frame for cost of living in the United Kingdom, expect a single person’s non rent spending, groceries, transport, a phone plan, the odd meal out, to land somewhere around £800 to £1,000 a month outside London, more inside it. These are ballpark averages that swing with your postcode and lifestyle, so price your actual shortlist of cities rather than trusting one national number.
The United Kingdom digital nomad visa and entry
Let me save you the disappointment early: there is no United Kingdom digital nomad visa, and as of 2026 none is planned. With the government actively trying to lower net migration, do not wait for one.
So what are the real routes? The Standard Visitor visa allows stays of up to six months, and the visitor rules (Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities, PA 4(h)) explicitly let you carry on your overseas job remotely during a visit, as long as that work is not the main purpose of your trip. Work for UK clients or a UK employer is not covered. It is fine for a long working holiday. It is not a way to quietly live in the United Kingdom, and the Home Office treats attempts to do so as a misuse of visitor status. If you are from a visa-exempt country, Europe and the US included, you also need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before you fly: it has been enforced since 25 February 2026, costs £20 and covers visits of up to six months each for two years or until your passport expires.
For actually basing yourself here, the honest options are the Youth Mobility Scheme (a two year work permit for citizens of certain countries, usually aged 18 to 30 or 35), the High Potential Individual visa for recent graduates of top ranked universities, a sponsored Skilled Worker visa if a UK employer hires you, or a self employment or business route. Nationality, age and income thresholds vary sharply by route, and they change, so check the current terms on GOV.UK before you plan around any of them.
Because the right route depends entirely on your passport and situation, it is worth running your profile through Voymo’s digital nomad visa checker before you book anything.
Tax residency and the 183 day rule
United Kingdom tax for expats runs on the Statutory Residence Test, and the headline is simple: spend 183 days or more in the UK in a tax year and you are automatically tax resident, with no ties or arguments able to undo it (HMRC guidance, confirm against the source).
The catch that surprises people is the reverse. Staying under 183 days does not guarantee you are non resident. The “sufficient ties” test can make you resident on far fewer days if you have a home, family, work or a pattern of prior visits here. And the UK tax year is odd, running 6 April to 5 April, not January to December.
Because residency can flip on where you sleep and how many connections you keep, map your days deliberately with a tool like Voymo’s tax residency estimator, then confirm anything that matters with an accountant. This is educational, not tax advice.
Healthcare and insurance
If you hold a visa lasting longer than six months, you will usually pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your application, reported at around £1,035 a year for most adults and £776 for students and Youth Mobility holders in 2026 (Home Office estimate, verify current rate). Paying it unlocks the NHS on broadly the same basis as a local: GP care, hospital and A&E, maternity and mental health, free at the point of use.
Prescriptions, dental and eye care still carry standard charges, so many people add light private cover for faster specialist access. On a short visit you are not covered for most hospital care: if you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate. A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC, but for visits under six months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
Money, banking and settling in
The classic newcomer knot is that a UK bank wants proof of a UK address, and a landlord wants a UK bank account. Break it by opening a digital multi currency account such as Wise or Revolut first, which give you GBP details without a local address, then move to a full high street or app based account (Monzo, Starling, HSBC and the rest) once you have a tenancy agreement or a utility bill. Note that Monzo and Starling are for UK residents and expect a genuine local address, so time that step for after you have moved.
Get a National Insurance number early if you will work, keep every proof of address document, and give yourself a few weeks of overlap before the admin clicks into place.
Figures are estimates. Always check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
- United Kingdom: is there a digital nomad visa?
- No dedicated digital nomad visa; most people use a standard residence permit instead.
- United Kingdom: when do you become a tax resident?
- Statutory Residence Test, per tax year (6 April to 5 April): you are resident if you meet an automatic UK test (183 days or more in the UK, your only home in the UK for 91 days or more in a row with at least 30 days there in the year, or full-time work in the UK) or the sufficient ties test, and meet no automatic overseas test (fewer than 16 days in the UK, or 46 if you were not resident in the 3 previous tax years). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; since 6 April 2025 the 4-year foreign income and gains regime can relieve foreign investment income and profits of a trade carried on wholly abroad for newcomers after 10 years abroad, but not employment earnings.
- United Kingdom: what is the cost of living?
- The cost of living is high and the local currency is the GBP. Treat any figures as estimates.
- United Kingdom: do you need health insurance?
- If you are not ordinarily resident, NHS hospital treatment in England is charged at 150% of the national NHS rate; A&E (unless you are admitted) and GP care as a temporary patient are free, and EU visitors can use their EHIC. For visits under 6 months the NHS tells you to take out medical insurance.
- United Kingdom: can you drive on a foreign licence?
- Many non-EU licence holders can drive on their own licence for up to 12 months, while EU, EEA and Swiss licences are valid for the whole short stay; an International Driving Permit is not generally required.
Terms worth knowing
Europe: more countries to explore
Put it to work
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Digital-Nomad Visa Checker
See which digital-nomad visas you could actually get with your passport and income, ranked, with the binding reason per country.
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Tax-Residency Reality Checker
Go beyond the 183-day myth: model the treaty tie-breaker and see whether two countries could both claim you as a tax resident.
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Nomad Insurance Picker
Match SafetyWing, Genki, World Nomads and others to your situation, and see which policies satisfy specific visa proof requirements.
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Banking & FX Picker
Find the right account stack to avoid fees and hold multiple currencies abroad, Wise, Revolut, N26, for your nationality and spending.
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