New Delhi, Dec. 28 -- Last week, Bulgaria joined a growing list of countries rolling out dedicated digital nomad residence permits, underscoring how remote work is being integrated into formal immigration policy.

What began as a pandemic-era experiment has become mainstream in 2025, as governments increasingly compete for location-independent professionals. Mint breaks down how digital nomad visas work and why countries are betting on remote workers.

A digital nomad is a professional who works remotely while living and travelling across different cities or countries, relying on digital tools rather than a fixed office. Typically employed in fields such as technology, consulting, content creation or online services, digital nomads earn t...