‘Nomad Digital Residence’ visa has been launched to boost tourism in Antigua
It allows visitors to relocate and work from the island for up to two years
Visa stipulates applicants must have an annual income of more than £38,300
By ALIKI KRATEROU FOR MAILONLINE
Brits fed up of lockdown and working from home can now relocate to work from a sunny Caribbean beach.
Antigua and Barbuda has launched the new visa ‘Nomad Digital Residence’ in a bid to boost dwindling tourism to the island.
Successful applicants will gain the right to stay on the beautiful island for up to two years – but one of the requirements to apply for the NDR visa is an annual income of more than £38,300.
Barbados has already launched a similar scheme, a 12-month welcome stamp that allows visitors to relocate and work from the touristic island for a year at a time.
The average daily temperature on the island is over 30 degrees.
Applicants must also be employed by a company foreign to Antigua so that locals don’t get upset at jobs being taken.
Much of Antigua’s economy relies on tourism, which has been hard hit by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne stressed that successful nomads will need to comply with the country’s rules around containing the pandemic.
This includes an 11 pm curfew – an hour later than that of the UK – and wearing facemasks at all times in public.
The island has an 11 pm curfew and facemasks must be worn at all times in public
He went on to describe the island’s commitment to keeping itself COVID-free.
He said in a statement: ‘This is an opportunity for the country to earn some of the money that we have lost from the decline in the tourism sector that has affected everyone.
‘Therefore, it is in our collective interest to support and promote our ‘Nomad Digital Residence’ programme and I urge everyone, persons and companies, to publicise the dedicated website on their web pages and social media pages.
‘These persons will rent accommodation, lease motor vehicles, shop in supermarkets, eat in restaurants, visit places of entertainment and help to put money in the pockets of Antigua and Barbudans and aid the economy.
‘Antigua and Barbuda is in a unique position to offer the ‘Nomad Digital Residence’ programme because, with our very low fatalities from COVID-19, very small number of active cases and our effective system of containing community spread, our country is one of the safest environments in the world’.