Working as a digital nomad comes with so many benefits, from the freedom to travel the world to choosing your own hours, all whilst gaining valuable life experience. If you’re thinking about starting out, we’re here to look at the essentials you need as a digital nomad, from documentation and finance through to all of the tech you could possibly need! We haven’t included things like your clothes and toiletries as this will all depend on where it is you’re going, but we’ve got everything else covered here. So, let’s get into it and help you perfect your digital nomad packing list!
Documentation & Finance
Visas
Firstly, you need to get your visa right. There are over 65 countries across the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Barbados, Malaysia, Indonesia, Italy, Spain and South Africa who offer specific digital nomad visas, so for these areas, it’s so simple to work digitally. They typically last for a year, although other ones can allow you to stay for up to 5 years. So, we’d recommend that you put a list together of the countries you want to travel to and check if they offer digital nomad visas, then start applying. For other countries like the UK, the rules are a bit stricter, and you’d either have to apply for a standard tourism visa which lasts a maximum of 6 months, or something longer term and then you’d need to pay tax to the UK. We’d recommend speaking to immigration solicitors in London if you’re set on the UK and want to know the right visa path for you.
Passport (with plenty of remaining time)
Next, of course, you need to have a valid passport, with plenty of time remaining before it expires. Many places will deny you entry to the country if your passport won’t be valid for the entire duration of the stay, if it’s more than 10 years old but is still valid, or if you have less than 6 months left on the passport. So, think about how long you’ll be travelling and working for then make sure that you have at least that much time, and another 6 months, left on your passport. The last thing you want is to be stranded somewhere with a passport that is invalid, so if you’re at all concerned that you’ll be cutting things fine, make sure that you are organised and get your passport sorted so this is one less thing to worry about. We’d also recommend taking a second form of ID with you to use when you’re out and about, then keep your passport in a safe at the accommodation. Check the validity of your passport carefully before you leave to make your life easier.
The Right Travel Insurance
As you’ll likely be travelling with quite a bit of tech, you need to make sure you have the right travel insurance. As well as health travel insurance to provide good cover in all the locations you’ll be visiting, you also need to make sure you have cover in case any of your technology goes missing, gets lost or stolen. Keep receipts for all of your purchases as if you do need to claim, then you’ll have that evidence which will be required. Also, make sure that whatever your excess is, you have enough savings, as the last thing you want is to be stuck without the tech you need to complete your job.
Travel Credit Cards
Another thing you’ll need is to have a travel credit card. If you use normal cards when you’re away, then you’ll likely incur quite a few charges on the card as you go in foreign transaction fees and also cash withdrawal fees, as well as being ripped off in terms of exchange rates. So, this is definitely advised. It can also help to protect you against scams and crimes more than a debit card would, so it gives you the extra peace of mind. We’d recommend having a small amount of cash on you in more remote areas just as a backup, but nothing significant as that could make you a target.
Technology
Laptop
Now, moving onto tech, you need a great laptop, for all of your work and to stay in touch with friends and family. We’d recommend something that is lightweight and small enough to fit into your baggage but also substantial enough to complete the work you need to, it should be durable, have good battery life for emergencies when you can’t get to a plug, and support the type of activity you’ll need. The MacBook M3 Pro 14 is considered as a great overall laptop for digital nomads, but it does come with a pricetag, but there are some helpful blogs out there that cover different requirements and the best options for that, such as if you’re going to be remote and need a laptop with an impressive battery life. Lots of options out there, so do your research to find the best choice for you.
Unlocked Smartphone
When travelling internationally, you’ll need an unlocked smartphone, as this will allow you to use local SIM cards to save money whilst also getting the best connections and coverage. You have much more flexibility by doing this, so we’d definitely recommend making sure your smartphone is unlocked before you begin your adventure.
Power Banks & Travel Adaptors
Another must is to have power banks and travel adaptors. Get yourself a universal travel adaptor, which is a small cube with every different plus you could possibly need, so you never have to worry about finding a tech shop to get the local plug. You will also need power banks, ideally one that holds at least 5 charges of a phone, as life as a digital nomad is unpredictable and there will be times when you can’t access power if you are travelling quite remotely. By having a good universal travel adapter, and a reliable power bank, you take some of the stress out of gaps in your travel journey.
Good Cloud Storage and Cyber Security Software
Last but not least, you need good cloud storage and cyber security software. You won’t want to be carrying large hard drives around with you, so working on a reliable cloud will help to reduce your carry load and also have everything in one place. Then you should support this with good cyber security software. We’d absolutely recommend avoiding joining public WiFi networks as they’re a breeding ground for scams and hacking, but also just in general the cyber security will help to protect your work and put your mind at rest. These small simple changes could make you very grateful that you made them one day, so it’s absolutely worth doing!