Nomad visas
Digital nomad visas for Pakistani passport holders: where to apply
None of the official pages for the UAE, Malaysia, Thailand, Portugal or Spain remote-work visas excludes Pakistani applicants. Where each one is filed from Pakistan, the income rules and fees, when to order your police certificate and apostille, and how to keep your Pakistani number for bank codes.
By EzyHop teamPublished Last updated 12 min read
As of October 2026, a Pakistani passport does not lock you out of the main remote-work visas. The official pages for the UAE's remote work visa, Malaysia's DE Rantau Nomad Pass, Thailand's Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), Portugal's remote-work visa and Spain's telework visa list no exclusion for Pakistani nationals, and Malaysia's FAQ names only one excluded nationality, Israel.
What your passport changes is the route: where you file, whether you need a second entry visa, and which Pakistani documents need a MOFA apostille, and how recently. Everything below comes from official pages we opened on 28 October 2026. Where a mission does not publish something, we say so instead of guessing.
Where Pakistanis file: the short table
Figures are as of October 2026 and come from the linked official pages. Courier, service-center and bank conversion charges come on top.
| Program | Where you lodge from Pakistan | Income or funds, as officially stated | Official fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE remote work (virtual work) residence | Online: GDRFA for Dubai, ICP for the other emirates | At least 3,500 US dollars a month | AED 200 plus 5% VAT at GDRFA, with extra charges if you are already in the UAE | GDRFA Dubai |
| Malaysia DE Rantau Nomad Pass | Online with MDEC, then an eVISA or Visa with Reference to enter | 24,000 US dollars a year for tech roles, 60,000 US dollars for the listed non-tech roles | RM1,080 processing fee, then RM360 a year (or RM90 a quarter) in pass fees | MDEC FAQ v10 |
| Thailand DTV (workcation) | Thai e-Visa site, to the embassy in Islamabad or the consulate in Karachi depending on where you are | Bank balance of at least THB 500,000, as other Thai missions list it | Paid in cash at the Islamabad embassy; its fee table is posted only as an image | Thai Embassy Islamabad e-Visa FAQ |
| Portugal remote-work visa (temporary stay or residence) | Email appointment request to the Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad, then file at Gerry's | Average monthly income over the last three months of at least four times Portugal's minimum wage | National visa: 110 euros | Embassy of Portugal, Islamabad |
| Spain international telework visa | Embassy of Spain in Islamabad, national visa desk | 200% of Spain's monthly minimum wage (SMI) | Not published on the embassy's home page; ask the national visa desk | Spain's UGE FAQ |
Indonesia is the open question. Its official e-Visa site lists a Remote Worker visa and a version for dependents, but the selection page itself states no terms. Open the Remote Worker entry with Pakistan chosen as your nationality before you trust any summary of it.
Which one fits your income
The table above reduces to a few rules of thumb. They are a starting point, not a substitute for the official checklist.
| Your situation | Look first at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried by a company outside the UAE, earning 3,500 US dollars a month or more | UAE (Dubai via GDRFA) | Online filing, a 48-hour expected completion time, one-year residence |
| Tech freelancer or employee earning 24,000 US dollars a year or more | Malaysia DE Rantau | The lowest income bar here, but contracts must be three months old and processing takes six to eight weeks |
| Savings in the bank but uneven monthly income | Thailand DTV | The missions that publish DTV rules ask for a bank balance, plus a contract or portfolio, rather than a monthly salary figure |
| You want a European base and a path to residence | Portugal or Spain | Both accept Pakistani apostilles, but you deal with an embassy queue in Islamabad |
Pakistani documents to order first
Most delays start at home, not at the embassy. Get these moving before you pick a country, and watch the dates.
- Police character certificate. The police of the province or territory where you live issue it. Islamabad Capital Territory Police lists it among its online services, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police links to it from its home page. Order it late, not early: the Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad wants a police character certificate issued less than 90 days before you submit.
- Apostille from MOFA. Pakistan's accession to the Apostille Convention has been in force since 9 March 2023, according to the HCCH status table. MOFA's consular page says that since 27 July 2026 apostille requests need online registration at apostille.mofa.gov.pk first, and that from 12 October 2026 the ministry runs a digital attestation portal that emails you an e-Certificate, usually without a visit. The page still carries both notices, so follow the steps the portal gives you. Listed fees, as of October 2026: Rs 3,000 per personal or educational document, Rs 4,500 per legal document, Rs 12,000 per commercial document.
- Civil documents, recently issued. For national visas, the Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad wants your birth certificate, NADRA Family Registration Certificate (FRC), and marriage or divorce certificate if they apply, each issued and apostilled within the last six months.
- FBR records. Returns filed on IRIS and a place on FBR's Active Taxpayer List back up the income in your bank statements. Portugal also asks for a document attesting your tax residence, so ask the embassy which Pakistani document it accepts. MOFA notes that it attests the online FBR taxpayer certificate the same day.
- Bank statements that match. MDEC wants three months of statements with deposits matching your payslips or invoices. Abu Dhabi's page asks for six months. Names and amounts should line up across every document.
- Freelance income proof. MDEC accepts signed client contracts, three months of invoices, and proof of payment from platforms such as PayPal, Stripe, Wise or bank transfers. Every contract must have started at least three months before you apply.
Where a Pakistani apostille works
An apostille only replaces embassy legalization in countries that accept it. As of October 2026, the HCCH lists objections to Pakistan's accession from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic and Greece, so the apostille does not operate between Pakistan and those states. Portugal, Spain and Indonesia are parties with no objection. Thailand joined on 30 June 2026, but the Convention only takes effect there on 28 February 2027. The UAE and Malaysia are not on the table, so ask the issuing authority what legalization it wants for any Pakistani document.
The nearby options in detail
UAE: online and quick, but pick the right emirate
The GDRFA's virtual work page asks for a photo, a passport valid for six months, evidence that you work remotely for an entity outside the UAE, proof of income and valid health insurance. The entry visa gives you 60 days from arrival to finish the residence steps, and the residence then runs for one year, extendable, with the right to sponsor family for the same period. Expected completion is 48 hours, and you can apply on the website, in the app or at an AMER center.
The UAE government portal adds a medical fitness test and a salary certificate, and names ICP and GDRFA Dubai as the two places to apply. The Abu Dhabi Residents Office page says nomination requests for this category are "currently unavailable" through that office as of 28 October 2026; the ICP route on the federal portal is a separate channel. The pages are written around employment with a foreign entity, so freelancers should confirm their client contracts qualify before paying.
Malaysia: approval first, then a visa to get in
MDEC's FAQ version 10.0, dated 28 August 2026, sets out the steps:
- Apply online from Pakistan; you do not need to be in Malaysia. Processing takes six to eight weeks. Your passport needs more than 14 months of validity, and documents must be in English or come with a certified English translation.
- Once approved, apply for an eVISA or a Visa with Reference. Pakistan is on the Immigration Department's visa-required list, so this step applies to you. The approval letter expires after six months and cannot be extended.
- Enter through a staffed counter, not the autogate, because you need an entry stamp.
- Within a month of entry, upload health insurance covering Malaysia and your LHDN tax registration slip, pay the pass fee, and stay in the country until the e-Pass is issued, usually within a week.
If you are already in Malaysia on a tourist pass when the approval arrives, the FAQ says you must leave and re-enter on the right visa. If MDEC acts as your sponsor, the bond for Pakistani nationals is RM750, refunded when the pass expires (as of October 2026, per the FAQ). The pass lasts 3 to 12 months, renewable to 24 months in total, and covers Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan. Sabah and Sarawak take you on a tourist pass.
Thailand: the DTV through the e-Visa system
The Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad moved to the Thai e-Visa system on 1 January 2025. Its e-Visa FAQ, posted in March 2025, sets the local rules:
- You apply on thaievisa.go.th to the Islamabad embassy or the Karachi consulate, depending on where you are.
- You must be physically in Pakistan for the whole process and upload proof of your current location, such as a rental agreement or utility bill.
- For Islamabad, you pay the fee in cash at the embassy's visa gate; processing is about 14 working days after the fee is received.
That FAQ does not name the DTV, and the embassy's fee page shows its table only as an image, so call the visa section on (+92-51) 8431270-80 before you pay anything.
Other Thai missions spell out the DTV itself. The Helsinki embassy, updated 3 September 2026, lists a five-year multiple-entry visa with 180 days per entry and one 180-day extension at Thai Immigration. Its workcation list covers proof of current location, a criminal record certificate, a bank statement showing at least THB 500,000, an employment contract or portfolio, and a booking for at least your first seven nights. The Kuala Lumpur embassy advises applying at least 30 working days before travel and says processing can take a month or more.
Portugal and Spain from Islamabad
Portugal. The Embassy of Portugal's visa page says every visa application goes "exclusively" to its external provider, Gerry's, and appointment requests go only by email to [email protected]. Put your full name, passport number, occupation, travel plan, previous visas and a clear purpose in the body, attach your supporting documents, and allow up to 15 working days for a reply. The embassy's appointments notice adds that sending more than two emails about the same request in one day gets them ignored. For remote work, Portugal's visa portal asks for a work contract or employer declaration (or service contracts if you freelance), the three-month income proof, and the tax-residence document. If you are refused, you have 15 days to appeal in person at Gerry's.
Spain. The Embassy of Spain in Islamabad handles national visa questions at [email protected] and links to the foreign ministry's appointment system. Spain's UGE FAQ confirms that from abroad you apply at the consulate for the telework visa, which covers one year, and switch to a residence authorization in Spain later. Spouses and children who join you on that route may work without restrictions.
Why applications get refused
No official page promises approval. Here is what the authorities themselves list.
| Problem | What the official page says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents that disagree | MDEC: "Incomplete, unverifiable, or inconsistent documentation may result in application rejection" | Match names, dates and amounts across contracts, invoices and statements |
| Contracts too new | MDEC: contracts must have started three months before you apply | Wait until your newest contract is old enough |
| Stale certificates | Portugal, Islamabad: police certificate under 90 days old, other apostilled documents within six months | Book the police certificate and apostille last |
| Expecting an appeal in Malaysia | MDEC: no appeals for rejections since 1 August 2026; the processing fee is non-refundable | Reapply only once you meet every requirement |
| Trusting an agent's guarantee | MDEC says no third party can guarantee approval; Portugal warns that nobody outside its embassy is involved in its consular affairs | Use only the official portals, the embassy email and Gerry's |
| Extra checks in Thailand | Thai missions say they may ask for an interview or more documents, and that fees are non-refundable | Keep originals ready and answer quickly |
Portugal's administrative appeal costs 75 euros at Gerry's, per the Islamabad embassy's fee list as of October 2026.
Staying connected: keep your Pakistani number alive
If your bank or a mobile wallet such as JazzCash or Easypaisa sends one-time codes by SMS, that number has to survive the move. Zong's PTA terms let it disconnect a number that stays inactive for 180 days and reissue it to someone else. You can ask in writing to keep it for a set period, possibly for a charge. Jazz, Telenor and Ufone publish their own terms, so check yours before you go.
Receiving codes abroad is the easy part. Zong's FAQ says international roaming has been on by default for its subscribers since 1 December 2025, and its roaming page says incoming SMS on roaming is free. Keep the Pakistani SIM in your phone with data roaming switched off, and put your everyday data on a travel eSIM. Check your phone on our compatibility page first, since this setup needs a phone that takes an eSIM alongside a physical SIM.
For a first stop in Dubai or another emirate, compare our UAE plans from $3.99. Data from the moment you land covers maps, messages and work email while your medical test and residence steps are still in progress.
If you are heading east instead, there are plans for Malaysia and Thailand, and a Gulf plan if work takes you between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the other GCC states. The eSIM lands in your inbox the moment you pay. Scan the QR code or use the one-tap link, and add data from your account later if the visa wait drags on. The iPhone install guide and the Android guide walk through the setup.
Work backwards from your filing date
- Pick one program and open its official page, not a summary. Fees and rules above can change.
- Work backwards from your filing date: police certificate within 90 days of it, other apostilles within six months for Portugal.
- Register on MOFA's portal and check which of your documents it classes as personal, legal or commercial.
- Download six months of bank statements and check that every deposit matches an invoice or payslip.
- For Thailand or Portugal, send one complete email or call the visa section instead of several partial ones.
- Ask your operator what counts as activity on your Pakistani SIM, and set a reminder well inside the 180 days that Zong's terms allow.
Sources
- GDRFA Dubai: Visa Issuance (Virtual Work), checked 28 October 2026
- UAE Government portal: Residence visa for working outside the UAE, checked 28 October 2026
- Abu Dhabi Residents Office: Remote Work Visa, checked 28 October 2026
- MDEC: DE Rantau Pass FAQ Version 10.0, checked 28 October 2026
- Immigration Department of Malaysia: Visa requirement by country, checked 28 October 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Islamabad: FAQs on Thailand's e-visa, checked 28 October 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Islamabad: Consular and visa fees, checked 28 October 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Helsinki: Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), checked 28 October 2026
- Royal Thai Embassy, Kuala Lumpur: Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), checked 28 October 2026
- Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia: e-Visa visa selection, checked 28 October 2026
- Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad: Visas, checked 28 October 2026
- Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad: Consular fees, checked 28 October 2026
- Embassy of Portugal in Islamabad: Visas, procedures for requesting appointments, checked 28 October 2026
- Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Residency visa, necessary documentation, checked 28 October 2026
- Embassy of Spain in Islamabad: Home, checked 28 October 2026
- Spain, Unidad de Grandes Empresas: Digital nomad FAQs (English), checked 28 October 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan: Consular services, attestation of documents, checked 28 October 2026
- HCCH: Apostille Convention status table, checked 28 October 2026
- HCCH: Pakistan's accession, objections, checked 28 October 2026
- Islamabad Capital Territory Police: Official website, checked 28 October 2026
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police: Official website, checked 28 October 2026
- Federal Board of Revenue: IRIS, checked 28 October 2026
- Federal Board of Revenue: Active Taxpayer List, checked 28 October 2026
- Zong: PTA terms and conditions, checked 28 October 2026
- Zong: FAQs, checked 28 October 2026
- Zong: International roaming, checked 28 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Can I apply for Malaysia's DE Rantau pass while I am still in Pakistan?
- Yes. MDEC's FAQ says you do not need to be in Malaysia to apply. After approval you get an eVISA or Visa with Reference, enter Malaysia through a staffed immigration counter and complete the endorsement there. If you are in Malaysia on a tourist pass when the approval arrives, you must leave and re-enter on the right visa.
- Can I switch from a UAE visit visa to the remote work visa?
- GDRFA Dubai's fee list includes extra charges for applicants who are already inside the UAE, so in-country applications exist. Check the GDRFA or ICP service page for your exact case before applying.
- Does a Pakistani apostille work in every country?
- No. As of October 2026 the HCCH lists objections to Pakistan's accession from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic and Greece, so the apostille does not operate with them. Portugal and Spain accept it. The UAE and Malaysia are not parties to the Convention, and for Thailand it only takes effect on 28 February 2027.
- Does my family get the right to work on these visas?
- Not always. Malaysia's FAQ says a DE Rantau holder's spouse cannot work in Malaysia, while Spain's UGE says family members on the telework route may work without restrictions.
- Do I need an agent to apply?
- No. Every program here is filed through an official portal, the embassy's email or its listed provider. MDEC says no third party can guarantee approval, and the Embassy of Portugal warns that nobody outside the embassy is involved in its consular affairs.
Tags
Your next stop
Going to Pakistan?
Get your eSIM before you fly: install it at home and you're online when you land.
from $3.99
