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India has long been a dream destination on the bucket list of many travelers. This incredible country has a lot to offer visitors with a wide variety of attractions, from trendy beach towns to the famous Taj Mahal.
Home to over a billion people, ironically many tourists visit to get away from the crowds and find inner peace at one of its many yoga retreats.
It is not uncommon to find backpackers visiting India as well. But with the latest remote work trend, India wants to become a major hub for digital nomads.
While many other countries around the world offer an official digital nomad visa, India only offers tourist visas at this time.
However, that shouldn’t deter digital nomads from necessarily working from India. They are already set to become a hotspot for those who work from their laptop.
Are here 6 Reasons Why India Is The Next Hotspot For Digital Nomads:
Goa’s trendy beach town
Already home to the world’s best digital nomad hostel, this quaint seaside town is ready to take the next step and become a true digital nomad destination.
Known for its stunning scenery and hippie vibes, many travelers are listening to whispers of what’s to come from Goa.
They are behind the movement to make the entire country of India a big draw for attracting remote workers, including pushing for a digital nomad visa.
Beachside coworking spaces are opening fast and ready to be occupied!
Flexible visa options
India currently only offers tourist visas, but they go beyond the usual 30 days offered by many countries.
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Travelers can get a multiple entry visa very easily, but technically it’s for tourism purposes. The visa options are:
It is important that travelers know that they must leave the country every 90 days to obtain long-term visa options. there’s also fee associated with each.
While digital nomads cannot get a digital nomad visa per se, it has been said by local representatives that it is in the works and may be on the table very soon.
“We are trying to conceptualize a new visa that we have assumed with the central government. We are pretty sure that in the next few days we will be the first state in the country to invite digital nomads.” said Goa Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte
affordability
One of the positive aspects of being a digital nomad is making money while you see the world. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
The benefit of working in India is the low cost of living almost anywhere in the country.
Compared to Europe, for example, some major European cities can cost as much as 300% higherif not more!
Even the capital of India, New Delhi, is extremely affordable for travelers.
Many locals are bilingual
There are certain places where digital nomads are found that can be tricky to navigate. One of the reasons is the language barrier.
In India, it is not a big concern for many locals. speaking English as their second language. Certain off-road destinations where there are fewer travelers could be a problem.
However, those confined to major cities or beach towns can expect a high level of fluency in English with little need to use a translation app.
Substantial public transit
Sometimes travelers can stay in one place for too long. When that is the case, it is easy to move within India.
There is no shortage of travel options, either by bus or train to reach the next city. India also offers very affordable domestic flights between multiple airlines.
Seeing the vast landscape of India by train is exciting and it has one of the largest rail networks in the world.
Homestays over hotels
The Indian government has realized that digital nomads boost the local economy. Most remote workers set up home rentals rather than hotels for more space and lower costs.
Goa, in particular, has issued a « homestay policy » that aims to help residents earn more money while also providing remote workers with more places to stay.
As India grows as a hotspot for digital nomads, more and more places should open their doors to help the local economy while making digital nomads feel at home.
traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
