Bermuda Digital Nomad Visa and Remote Work Rules in 2026

Bermuda does not accept new applications for the former Work From Bermuda / One Year Residential Certificate program. The Government announced that applications stopped effective 28 February 2025. That date is the controlling fact for anyone searching for a “Bermuda digital nomad visa” in 2026.

A legacy government service page for the one-year certificate remains accessible online and still describes the old eligibility rules. It should not be read as proof that the program reopened. Existing certificate holders were given a limited period after expiry to regularize their position or depart, while people wishing to remain were directed toward the ordinary permission-to-reside framework.

What the former program did

The old Work From Bermuda certificate was designed for adults working remotely for an overseas employer, operating an overseas business, or studying remotely at post-secondary level. It allowed a one-year stay but did not permit gainful local employment in Bermuda. Applicants needed health insurance and sufficient means.

Those historic rules are useful background, but they are no longer an application route for a new 2026 applicant. ReloTide therefore does not present the former $275 certificate fee or old processing target as a current open digital-nomad product.

What remote workers can consider now

For a person who earns income outside Bermuda and does not intend to take local employment, the main current route to assess is Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis. The September 2025 residence policy uses a $75,000 annual-income baseline, requires private health insurance and supporting financial evidence, and requires at least 90 days of residence in Bermuda in each calendar year. The Government has said permission can be granted for periods of up to five years.

This route is not a renamed digital-nomad visa. It is a broader non-employment residence permission. A person who intends to take a Bermuda job must instead use the work-permit framework.

Local work remains separate

A residence document does not by itself authorize a local job. Bermuda's May 2026 Work Permit Policy governs foreign employment. If a remote worker later accepts employment with a Bermuda business, the employer normally needs the appropriate work permit before that work begins.

Similarly, starting or operating a Bermuda company can trigger separate immigration, licensing, payroll-tax and corporate requirements. Founders should read the Entrepreneur and Business Permits guide.

Tax is not decided by the immigration label

Bermuda does not levy a conventional personal income tax on individuals, but it does levy Payroll Tax in circumstances involving employment, self-employment and services carried on in Bermuda. A remote worker should therefore assess where services are performed, the relationship with the overseas employer or client, any Bermuda business presence, and home-country tax rules.

The fact that income is paid from abroad does not automatically prove that no Bermuda payroll or business obligation exists.

Documents for the current alternative

A current annual-residence application can require a valid passport, multi re-entry visa where applicable, private health insurance, police and character material, medical evidence, proof of financial support, bank evidence, and documents showing the foreign employment, pension, investment income or assets relied on. Dependants increase the financial threshold.

See the Annual Residence Permission guide for the current checklist and household thresholds.

Who should not use this search intent

This page is not the right route for someone who:

  • has an offer of local Bermuda employment — use the Work Permit guide;
  • is investing at least BMD $2.5 million into an eligible Bermuda asset or venture — assess the EIRC;
  • is joining an eligible Bermudian, PRC or qualifying Work Permit partner — assess Partner and Family Residence; or
  • is enrolling full-time at Bermuda College — use the Student Residence guide.

For broader comparisons, see North America destinations, Digital Nomad visas and the visa-type directory.

Bottom line

There is no open 2026 application for the old one-year Work From Bermuda certificate. New remote workers should map their circumstances to the current residence framework rather than submitting against a legacy program page. The closest current non-employment residence option is Permission to Reside on an Annual Basis, and any local work requires separate authorization.

Last verified: 17 September 2026. This page is informational and has not been reviewed by a Bermuda immigration lawyer or tax adviser.

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