Every country runs its own digital nomad visa program, with its own authority, form, and checklist. But line up several programs side by side and the same handful of documents keeps showing up. This guide covers that common ground — what each document is and when it needs an apostille — and connects it to our country-specific guides for Colombia, Spain, and Portugal.
Regardless of the country, most digital nomad programs ask for some combination of: a valid passport, proof that your work and income come from outside the country (an employer or client letter, a contract, bank statements), health insurance with coverage in the destination country, and, in many cases, a criminal background check. Some programs add proof of accommodation, a university degree, or an application fee. The exact combination and order vary, so treat this list as a starting point for organizing your file, not as any one country's final checklist.
Of all the typical digital nomad visa documents, a criminal background check is usually the easiest to place in terms of apostille: if the program asks for an FBI background check, the apostille is issued by the U.S. Department of State, no matter which state you live in, because it's a federal document. If the program instead accepts a state or local background check, the apostille follows the state that issued it. The most common mix-up is apostilling the wrong one — for example, a state-level report when the program specifically requires the FBI's — so confirm which one the country actually asks for before you order it.
Employment letters, contracts, and bank statements are almost always considered private documents rather than public documents issued by a government entity. That's why many countries don't require an apostille for them — but "many" isn't "all," and some programs do ask that they be notarized, or even that the notarization itself be apostilled. Don't assume a document in English is automatically accepted without translation, either: some programs have an explicit language exception, others have none at all. Check the specific country's rule; don't infer it from another country just because the program has a similar name.
If you're traveling with a spouse, partner, or children as dependents, it's common for the program to ask for birth or marriage certificates proving the relationship. These are almost always public documents, so they typically do need an apostille from the issuing state, plus translation if the destination country doesn't accept English. Gathering civil records from different states can take longer than the rest of the file combined, so identify which certificate each dependent needs early in the process, not at the end.
Not every digital nomad program requires a university degree, but some use it as an eligibility criterion or as additional support for the applicant's professional profile. When it's required, it generally follows the same logic as any academic document: it's apostilled in the state where the university registrar notarized the certification, not the state where you currently live. A plain copy of the diploma is almost never enough; check whether the program wants the original diploma, a certified copy, or the transcript.
Translation is one of the most commonly misunderstood steps. Some countries accept clearly written documents in English without translation; others require translation of absolutely everything, including the apostille's own seal. The costliest mistake is translating before confirming the required order when the country wants it the other way around, because then the apostilled document has to be translated all over again. Confirm the exact order — apostille first and translation after, or the reverse — before paying for either service.
Everything above describes common patterns, not guaranteed requirements. Each country's immigration authority publishes its own current list, which can change from one year to the next, and that list always has the final say over what your specific application needs. Use this guide to understand what kind of document you're dealing with and what question to ask about it — not as a substitute for confirming the official checklist the same day you prepare your file.
We've already written detailed guides for the three digital nomad programs we get asked about most. Each one goes into the real detail for that country: income thresholds, dependents' documents, language exceptions, and that specific application's common mistakes.
Apostilling documents by reflex that the country treats as private, without first checking whether an exception applies. Translating before confirming the required order between apostille and translation. Assuming one country's checklist applies to another just because both programs are called a "digital nomad visa." And leaving documents that depend on third parties — civil records from another state, background checks — for last, when those are exactly the ones that take the longest.
Informational content. Integramerica is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Requirements and final acceptance depend on the receiving authority.
Send us the destination country and a legible copy. We can help you identify the right documentary route, apostille, or translation.
