United States

The United States has no digital nomad visa and no visa for remote work for a foreign employer. Most remote workers come as short-term visitors, either visa-free through the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) or on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Visitor status covers business meetings and tourism; it does not allow local employment or work for a U.S. employer (USCIS).

• Visa Waiver Program: nationals of the 42 VWP countries can visit for business or tourism for up to 90 days with an approved ESTA, which must be granted before travel (DHS). The ESTA costs $40.27 since Jan. 1, 2026 (Federal Register) and is valid for up to 2 years. VWP visitors cannot extend their stay (USCIS).
• B-1/B-2 visitor visa: everyone else applies at a U.S. embassy or consulate, usually with an interview. The application fee is $185 (22 CFR 22.1). The border officer sets the length of stay at entry and records it on the I-94; business visitors on a B-1 get up to 6 months (USCIS). Visitors admitted on a visa can ask USCIS for more time on Form I-539 before that date (USCIS).
• Investors: the EB-5 investor Green Card gives permanent residence to people who invest at least $800,000 in a qualifying project and create U.S. jobs. It suits someone ready to move for good, not a remote worker passing through.
• Other routes: employer-sponsored work visas and the E-2 Treaty Investor visa for nationals of treaty countries who run a U.S. business also exist. This site has no page for them yet.

The choice for most remote workers comes down to passport and trip length: a VWP national planning up to 90 days uses an ESTA, while a longer stay or a non-VWP passport means a visitor visa.

Rent decides most budgets, and prices swing widely between cities. Numbeo figures for a single person, with rent for a one-bedroom apartment plus other monthly costs:

• New York City (Numbeo, September 2026): about $4,440 a month for a central one-bedroom or $3,030 outside the center, plus about $1,680 in other costs. Total: roughly $4,700 to $6,100 a month.
• San Francisco (Numbeo, September 2026): about $3,780 central or $2,610 outside, plus $1,540. Total: roughly $4,200 to $5,300.
• Los Angeles (Numbeo, July 2026): about $2,650 central or $2,380 outside, plus $1,470. Total: roughly $3,800 to $4,100.
• Chicago (Numbeo, September 2026): about $2,380 central or $1,680 outside, plus $1,300. Total: roughly $3,000 to $3,700.

These totals leave out health insurance, which visitors buy privately and which can be a large monthly cost. Furnished short-term rentals usually cost more than the long-lease rents above. Smaller cities and suburbs tend to be cheaper, but this guide has no checked figures for them, and a car is often needed outside the big transit cities.

Five bases that suit different kinds of remote worker:

• New York City: the deepest mix of industries, events and coworking spaces, with a subway system that makes a car unnecessary. It is also the most expensive base in this guide.
• Chicago: big-city amenities and public transit at clearly lower rents than the coastal cities, with cold winters.
• Austin: a young tech and startup crowd and a busy live-music scene. Summers are very hot and most people drive.
• Denver: a good base for people who want hiking and skiing within reach of a city with plenty of coworking.
• Los Angeles: suits creative and entertainment work and a mild climate, but distances are long and a car is close to a must.

Each city page covers neighborhoods, internet and costs in more detail.

Internet is fast in most cities. The Speedtest Global Index put the median fixed broadband speed at about 307 Mbps and the median mobile speed at about 187 Mbps in August 2026. Rural areas can be much slower, so check a rental's connection before booking outside the cities.

Coworking spaces are common in every large city, from national chains to independent spaces, with day passes, hot desks and private offices. Prices vary by city and neighborhood. Coffee shops and public libraries usually offer free Wi-Fi, which works for light tasks but is less reliable for calls.

The three national mobile carriers are Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, and prepaid plans and eSIMs are easy to buy. A phone plan that allows hotspot use is a useful backup when cafe Wi-Fi drops.

The United States has no simple 183-day rule. A foreign national becomes a U.S. resident for tax purposes in one of two ways (IRS):

• Green card test: holding a Green Card, which includes EB-5 investors.
• Substantial presence test: at least 31 days in the current year and 183 days over three years, counting every day this year, one-third of the days last year and one-sixth of the days the year before (IRS).

A visitor who spends about five months a year in the country two years running can pass the test in the second year without noticing. The IRS allows exceptions, including a closer connection exception for people whose tax home and ties are clearly in another country, and some days do not count, such as short transits (IRS).

Residents report income earned inside and outside the United States (IRS). Nonresidents are taxed only on U.S.-source income (IRS). There is no special tax regime for remote workers.

What to check before a long stay:

• A running count of days in the country over the current and two previous years.
• Whether the home country has a tax treaty with the United States and what its residence tie-breaker says (IRS).
• Whether a closer connection statement needs to be filed with the IRS for a year that passes the day test.

• Arrival record: the border officer creates an electronic I-94 record with the admit-until date. Check it on the CBP I-94 website after entry, since that date, not the visa's expiry, sets the stay (USCIS).
• Registration: visitors admitted with an I-94, including VWP visitors, already count as registered and do not need to file the separate Form G-325R (USCIS).
• Health insurance: visitors pay for medical care privately, and hospital bills can be very high. Travel or international health insurance that clearly covers the United States is worth confirming before arrival. The emergency number is 911.
• Money: cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere. Opening a U.S. bank account as a nonresident depends on the bank's rules, and nonresidents certify their foreign status to U.S. banks and payers on IRS Form W-8BEN.
• SIM and eSIM: prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs from the major carriers are sold online and in stores.
• Getting around: outside a handful of big cities, public transit is limited and most people drive or use ride-hailing apps. Domestic flights connect the major cities.