Digital Nomad Visa Rejection Reasons and Appeal Procedure

I can feel your immense joy of getting a response to your digital nomad visa application after a month. It seems like getting the reward for your patience. But after opening the most awaited reply you see the rejection of your application. At that moment you may feel your dreams fading away.

The country you’ve been dreaming of for months isn’t letting you in now. But don’t worry, I won’t let this happen with you. Hence here you’ll unveil the core reasons for the rejection of digital nomad visa applications. So that you can avoid these mistakes while applying. Let’s get straight into it.

Digital Nomad Visa Rejection Reasons 

So here are the reasons that result in the rejection of the digital nomad visa application:

• Invalid Documents

Make sure to check out your documents properly before submitting them. Your passport and other documents must not be near expiry dates. Because they may be considered invalid while being checked by the immigration authorities, which can result in your remote visa denial.

• Criminal Report

You have to provide a spotless criminal record while applying. If you’re involved in serious crimes previously then there are high chances of visa rejection. As foreign countries are super conscious about their peace and security.

• Wrong or False information

Providing wrong or false information in your documents even by mistake results in the denial of the visa application. So make sure to cross-check the information before submitting your application. 

• Health Insurance 

After the pandemic, most countries have zero tolerance for incomplete or no health insurance. Therefore you must meet the health coverage criteria of the specific country completely before submitting your documents. Otherwise, they may not issue your remote permit.

• Income Criteria 

If you fail to provide the bank statements and proof of the required financial means for your digital nomad visa. So they won’t consider your remote pass application.

• Unclear Reasons 

Unclear reasons are the top causes for a nomad visa refusal.You must have to mention clear and engaging reasons while applying for a remote visa. Your purpose of visit must be valid and compelling enough to save your visa from refusal.

• Violation

If they find out you violated any visa terms before, then you may get banned or it may result in a visa denial.

#1 Europe:

Now don’t fear the word “rejection” because here we’re gonna dig into the digital nomad visa rejection rate. And in case your visa has already been denied, so you can follow the procedure mentioned below for the specific country that you’ve applied for:

European countries are the most loved destinations by digital nomads from all over the world. As the cost of living in Europe is cheaper than in other regions of the world. Moreover, digital nomads enjoy a high lifestyle in Europe. 

Germany:

The rejection rate of a “Germany Freelance Visa”is just 8%. As 92% of applications of digital nomads are accepted.  But if your Germany digital nomad visa gets denied you can appeal through the following way:

• You have to write an appeal letter within a month which is known as “Remonstration” for your rejected German Freelancer Visa application.
• You have to write an application citing the issues along with strong reasons and proof of documents.

• If they still refuse your application again then you have a right to appeal in “Administration Court” in Berlin. But the process is pretty difficult.
• Moreover, you have to send the appeal letter (remonstration) and all the documents by mail or you can also meet them in person.
• You can mail your appeal letter at

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany 15, Walter Carrington Crescent Victoria Island, Lagos Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Greece:

Only 3% of the applications for Greece’s digital nomad visas get rejected. The main reason for your application denial is your stay in the Schengen area which doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria for Greece remote visa. So let’s jump into the procedure of how you can appeal for it.

• First of all, clearly state the reasons backed by documents due to which your visa has been refused. 
• You can also provide other documents that can make your appeal stronger.
• Now submit your appeal letter to the Greece embassy.
• Wait until you get a reply.
• If your appeal gets denied again in this case you can file an action with the help of a lawyer.

Portugal:

The rejection rate of Portugal’s digital nomad visa application is higher as compared to other countries. The success ratio is 70% for Portugal visa applications. But you can appeal through the following procedure.

• If your Portugal D7 visa gets rejected you can also avail the option of reapplying instead of appealing.
• Moreover, if you wanna appeal, just write an application with documentation evidence and forward it to the Portugal Embassy.
• Wait for some days to get a reply. In case you don’t get their response then you can choose to apply for a Portugal digital nomad visa again.

Norway:

Norway is one of those countries that offer the best opportunities to remote workers. According to statistics Norway’s visa application rejection rate is around 26%. Here is its appeal procedure.

• You have to submit an appeal letter within three weeks after the denial of your application.
• Then upload your document for proof on the Norwegian Directorate Of Immigration website.
• They will forward your application to the Immigration Appeal Board.
• Wait for their decision, and if your appeal gets denied. You can apply again for a Norway digital nomad visa.

Malta:

The rejection rate of Malta’s digital nomad visa lies between 7% to 10% and it’s due to incorrect filling of your visa application. So you can appeal through the following procedure.

• Appeal within fifteen days for Malta digital nomad visa.
• You can write an appeal letter and take it to “Immigration Appeal Board Malta”.
• But you can also send it by email to visa.appeals@gov.mt.
• Then wait for some days for their response.

Georgia:

Georgia digital nomad visa has an easy application process. There are rare chances of refusal but according to data, 10% of remote permit applications get rejected due to improper and incomplete submission of documents online. So you can appeal in the following way.

• You have to download the appeal form for Georgia digital nomad visa within ten days.
• Your appeal letter and all the documents must be translated into Georgian language.
• A travel document is a must but you can submit it in English.
• The ministry will look at your appeal and you’ll get the decision within a month.

Czech Republic:

Only 5% of Czech Republic digital nomads’ visas get denied. So here is its appeal procedure:

• You have to submit your appeal with the reasons why the decision of the ministry is incorrect. ( within 15 days)
• You can either submit it by mail or in person.
• It will take 60 days to review your appeal for the denial of a Czech digital nomad visa.

Spain:

Spain has one of the highest visa success rates. And its remote permit rejection rate is 3%.The Spain visa is mainly canceled due to a suspicious criminal record and false information. But if you think the refusal of your visa application is not a correct decision of the Spain immigration authority then you can appeal for it.

• After receiving a courier or email for your Spain digital nomad visa denial you have 15 days to appeal for it.
• Mention all the reasons that can strengthen your appeal letter.
• You can appeal to the local embassy or directly to the consulate that rejected your visa application.
• Make sure to convert your appeal letter to Spanish. 
• Moreover, it usually takes a year for their response (in some cases it takes months).
• If they still reject your appeal and you think that your documents and eligibility criteria are 100% correct. Then you can file an action in the Superior Court of Madrid. 
• But if you don’t wanna go through the court process, then we suggest you reapply for a Spanish digital nomad visa.

Estonia:

Estonia has a low refusal rate for digital nomad visas and it’s around 2% to 3%. However, you can apply the below-mentioned procedure for appeal.

• You can appeal within 30 days to the “Consulate of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” in Estonia.
• Then pay the fee to the Ministry of Finance. The fee for an appeal against the rejection of the Estonia visa is €80.
• After paying the fee you can submit your appeal application here.
• Wait for some days to get their response.

Romania:

According to statistics from 2023, 17% of Romania’s digital nomad visa gets denied. Hence getting a Romanian visa is not a piece of cake. But you can appeal in the following way.

• You can appeal for your visa application within 30 days to “Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania”
• They will review your appeal and you’ll get their response after a few days.
• If it gets denied again then instead of wasting your time in the court process the best choice would be to reapply for Estonia Digital Nomad Visa.

Croatia:

The rejection rate for Croatia’s digital nomad visa is 2.69%. If your visa gets rejected you can appeal through the following procedure:

• You can submit an appeal for your refused visa application within 15 days and it must be in Croatian language.
• Moreover, you have to give the fee of 45,30 USD for reviewing your application again. 
• If the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs will again reject your application you can take your matter to the Administrative Court within 30 days.

Latvia:

The rejection rate for Latvia digital nomad visa is 3.5%. You can appeal against them through the following procedure.

• Write an appeal letter within 30 days of rejection to the consulate who rejected your application.
• You can write an appeal letter in English, Latvian or Russian.
• Moreover, send the supporting documents either by mail or in person.
• Make sure that your appeal letter must be approved according to Article 26 of Electronic Documents. For this, you need an “Apostille Stamp” on your documents from the local government, court or embassy of your country.

Italy:

There aren’t any proper statistics for Italy’s digital nomad visa denial. But the rejection rate for other Italian visas is 12%. So if your remote visa gets rejected you have a right to appeal if you think your documents are strong enough to support your application.

• You have to submit an appeal letter to the embassy within 60 days of your denied application.
• For making your appeal stronger you have to hire an Italian lawyer. And the “Regional Administrative Court of Lazio” will hear your appeal.
• Wait for the decision. If even the court gives a decision against your appeal then you can apply again for an Italian digital nomad visa.

Netherlands:

Dutch have a higher rate of rejection of remote visas around 16.8%. Here is the procedure for submitting an appeal.

• You have to submit your application with reasons for your appeal within a month after denial.
• Reach out to the “Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service”. They will take around six months to review your application. 
• And at the end, if your appeal gets successful you’ll be accessed with a Dutch digital nomad visa within a few days.

Cyprus:

Cyprus only accepts 500 applications for a digital nomad visa. And you have the right to appeal for the refusal of your application in the following way.

• Submit your application to “Cyprus Immigration Department”.
• Make sure to attach the supporting documents.
• If they still reject your application you can go for legal assistance.
• But legal assistance is a tedious task. Hence it is suggested to apply for the Cyprus remote visa again.

Russia:

Rejection for a Russian digital nomad visa is 2.5%. The main reason for the visa refusal is not giving detailed reasons for your stay in Russia. But if your application gets denied  you can appeal for it in the following way.

• Discuss your matter with “Russian Immigration Services”.
• Submit your appeal within the deadline of 30 days.
• Wait for their response. It takes about six months to get a reply from the Russian immigration authority.

#2 North America 

Landing towards the continent “North America” is a dream of many nomads across the world. A hub of adventures and vibrancy is what it’s famous for. Moreover, there are about four countries in North America that issue digital nomad visas. 

Costa Rica:

There isn’t a much higher refusal rate for Costa digital nomad visas. But if it is rejected due to some negligence then you can appeal for it.

• Write an appeal letter within 30 days.
• You have to submit the appeal to the “Costa Rica Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
• You’ll get a reply from the ministry within a few months about the rejection or acceptance of your appeal.
• Moreover, if your appeal gets rejected again then you also have a chance to reapply for a Costa Rica remote visa.

Mexico:

According to the statistics for 2023, around 9000 out of 10,000 applications for digital nomad visas were accepted by the Mexican government. Hence from this, we can see that there is a relatively low refusal rate. But if your visa gets denied you can appeal the decision by following the procedure below.

• Write an appeal letter and also attach all the evidence that you consider can make your appeal stronger.
• Now submit these documents to the Mexican Embassy.
• They’ll take a few months in reviewing your application for rejection for a remote visa, and after getting a positive response you can enjoy your nomadism in Mexico for a year.

Panama:

Panama has not much visa rejection rate but being a part of North America the overall rejection rate is 10%. So if your remote visa for Panama gets rejected you can appeal to the embassy in the following way.

• Gather all the documents that can make your application stronger. 
• Now write an appeal letter concisely and send all this information by mail to the “Panamanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs” at their address. (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Avenida Balboa, Oeste Panamá, República de Panamá).
• Wait for two to three months for their response, but if you didn’t get the response you can contact the “Embassy of Panama” for sorting out this matter.

Belize:

The denial percentage for a Belize digital nomad visa is just 5%. This is low because the requirements for this visa aren’t very strict. Hence if your Belize remote visa gets denied it may be due to the incomplete documents. So if you think that your visa got rejected on the wrong basis then you can appeal by the process below.

• Write an appeal letter within 30 days mentioning the reasons for which you’re appealing.
• Attach the documents as evidence with the appeal letter.
• Send all these documents by mail to the Belize Immigration Department (Belize City, Belize Central America). But you can also submit them in person.
• They’ll reply to you within a month and after approval, you’ll get your visa in a few days. But in case it gets rejected again. You can reapply for the digital nomad visa.

New Zealand:

New Zealand holiday working visa for which most digital nomads apply has a high refusal rate. The rejection rate depends upon your nationality. But according to the statistics, its refusal rate is between 12% to 32%. So if your remote visa for New Zealand gets rejected you can follow these guidelines mentioned below for appeal.

• Write an appeal letter to Immigration New Zealand within 28 days of the rejection of your application.
• Submit the supporting documents and mail them to the immigration authority. (Immigration New Zealand PO Box 10-190 Wellington 6140 New Zealand).
• If you didn’t get any reply from Immigration New Zealand then you can appeal to “Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT)”
• After IPT’s decision, you can’t appeal anywhere. As their decision is considered final.
• So the best way after rejection is to reapply for a New Zealand digital nomad visa because there are low chances of acceptance of appeal.

Caribbean:

The Caribbean is a hub of Islands that offer digital nomads within its nine regions. The most popular regions include Barbados, Bermuda, Dominica, Cayman Island, Anguilla and St.Lucia.

The refusal rate for Caribbean digital nomad visas varies from state to state, Majority refusal rate for various countries is around 20%. So if your visa application gets refused follow the below-mentioned process for appealing.

• The appeal process for Caribbean digital nomad visas is not similar for every country. 
• For this, you have to contact the Caribbean Embassy in your respective country.
• But according to expats if once your visa gets denied. Then there are lower chances of approval of your appeal. Hence the better way is to apply again.

#3 South America 

South America is also an ideal place for digital nomads. The cost of living is lower than North America. There are around four states that are offering digital nomad visas for remote workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs. 

But if your remote visa of any state in this region gets rejected so you don’t need to worry as here we are with a complete guide for the appeal procedure. So let’s jump in.

Colombia:

Colombia’s visa for digital nomads has a high rejection rate. It mostly depends on the country you’re applying from. Colombia’s visa denial rate is as high as 70% and for some countries, it’s 3%. 

But if you think that there is an error in their decision of your refusal of your application. Then you have the right to appeal. So here is the appeal procedure.

• Write an appeal letter by stating the facts clearly and attaching the correct document for proof with your appeal.
• Now submit this appeal to “The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”
• Along with the submission of your documents, you have to pay a fee of around $100,000.
• They’ll respond to you within 30 days. If they still reject your application you can reapply to it.

Brazil:

The rejection rate for Brazil’s digital nomad visa is 10%. The main reason is when you fail to meet the requirements mentioned. But if you think that there was a mistake in the denial of your visa by Brazilian immigration authorities then you can appeal in the following way.

• Submit your appeal along with support document to “Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”
• You can send the documents by mail or submit soon too.
• Moreover, there is also a processing fee of $50.
• Then wait for 30 days to get a response from the Brazilian Immigration Authority.
• If the appeal gets refused you can also reapply.

Argentina:

Argentina’s rejection rate for digital nomad visas is low compared to other regions in South America. So if your application gets rejected you can appeal through the following procedure.

• Submit your appeal with supporting documents to Dirección Nacional de Migraciones (DNM).
• You can send both by mail or in person, whatever you feel is convenient.
• Now wait for their response and if it takes too much of your time then the best option is to apply again.

Ecuador:

Ecuador’s digital nomad visa is one of the easiest visas to apply for. It has a low refusal rate of around 5%. But if your application is one of those refused ones then you can follow the below-mentioned steps for appealing.

• You can write an appeal letter to the Ecuadorian Embassy for reviewing your application.
• Make sure to attach the supporting details with your appeal letter as it increases the chances of acceptance.
• Then wait for some days for their response. If they deny your appeal then you can apply again for the visa.

#4 South Africa

Due to the affordable cost of living, South Africa has become one of the best choices for digital nomads. There are some states in South Africa that offer remote visas to nomads at simple requirements. 

Mauritania:

There aren’t exact statistics for Mauritania digital nomad visa rejection. But most of the applications are usually successful. In case your visa gets denied you can follow these steps of appeal.

• Write an appeal letter stating all the reasons why you consider an error in their denial decision.
• Now submit your documents to the Mauritanian Immigration Department.
• The immigration panel will review your appeal application.
• Within 30 days you’ll be notified of their decision.

Cabo Verde:

Cabo Verde authorities haven’t mentioned any rate of denial for their digital nomad visa. However, if your application gets denied you have the right to appeal.

• Write an appeal letter along with documentation evidence that can make your appeal stronger.
• Mail these documents to the Cabo Verde Immigration Department.
• You have to mail the following address: Cabo Verde Immigration Department Avenida Marginal, Praia Cabo Verde.
• Now wait for some weeks for reviewing your appeal. 
• If they reject your appeal then you don’t need to worry as there are also a lot of other regions you can apply for.

#5 Asia

Asia is one of the cheapest regions on earth where you can enjoy luxury at an affordable rate. It has the best opportunities for digital nomads and the denial rate of remote visa application is also low in the Asia.

Dubai:

The rejection rate for Dubai digital nomad visa is 10%. And it is mainly due to not meeting the income requirements for that visa. But if your documents are correct then you can appeal for refusal in the following way.

• Write an appeal letter to the immigration authority along with the supporting documents.
• Then mail your documents to the following addresses: Dubai Immigration Department, Al Twar, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
• Now wait for their response and within several days you’ll get notified.

Thailand:

The rejection rate for Thailand’s digital nomad visa is low. But if your visa application has been denied here is the way to appeal for it.

• Write your appeal to the “Immigration Bureau of Thailand” and also provide additional information in a professional way that supports your appeal.
• Also, contact the Thailand Embassy as they’ll guide you further about taking the proper steps.
• They’ll review your application and if they still deny it you can apply for it again.

Malaysia:

The rejection rate for Malaysia Digital Nomad Visalies between 5% to 10%. The best part is that they refund 75% of the application fee if it gets denied. Hence if you think your application is rejected on the wrong basis then you can appeal for it.

• Write an appeal letter to “The Director General of the Immigration Department”, Malaysia.
• You have to attach a lot of documents. The list you can see on their official site.
• Mail all your documents to the following address: Immigration Affairs Division, Ministry of Home Affairs 4th Floor, Blok D2, Parcel D Federal Government Administration Centre 62546 Putrajaya.
• If your appeal gets rejected then there is also an option for a second request.
• So if you opt to review your appeal even after rejection then submit it to the “Immigration Affairs Division”.
• They’ll give you a response within 14 working days. 
• And if your appeal gets accepted you’ll be issued with a Malaysia digital nomad visa within 5 days.

Turkey: 

The refusal rate for Turkey digital nomad visa is 16.5%. So if your visa application was cencencencentect then you can appeal in the following way.

• Upon refusal of your Turkey digital nomad visa, you have to consult the Turkish Embassy.
• After approaching the embassy, book your appointment for the solution of your denial.
• If they found your appeal correct you’ll get your visa issued within several days.
• But if they reject your request again, you can reapply for a visa with the consultation of the Turkey Embassy.
• You can see the additional details here.

Taiwan:

The success rate for Taiwan’s digital nomad visa is high compared to other countries. But if your application gets rejected you can appeal. But there are no proper strategies for appealing for the rejection of an iwan visa. 

They don’t even disclose the reasons for rejection. But you can apply again after 3 to 4 months after your Taiwan digital is rejected.

Conclusion 

As we can see from the above statistics that most of the countries have lower rejection rates. Hence you need a little focus while submitting your application because the major reason for the refusal for a digital nomad visa application is usually when the documents are incomplete. But don’t lose hope if your appeal gets rejected repeatedly. As the world is full of opportunities you can apply to other countries as well!