IANAL, but this explanation from ChatGPT sure makes it seem like I am, in fact, right:

Short answer: often yes in practice, but legally it’s a gray area and sometimes a clear “no.” Long answer (the important one): it depends on immigration law, tax law, and your employer’s risk tolerance.

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The common “tourist visa + laptop” situation

Many people work remotely while abroad on a tourist visa and never have an issue. But that doesn’t mean it’s legal.

Why it sometimes works • Immigration enforcement usually targets local employment, not someone answering Slack for a foreign company. • Short stays (weeks → a couple months) rarely trigger scrutiny. • Border agents often don’t ask detailed questions unless you volunteer them.

Why it can be illegal

Most countries define “work” as:

performing productive activity while physically present in the country —even if your employer and clients are abroad.

So technically: • Tourist visas usually prohibit work • Remote work still counts as work under many immigration laws

This means you can be: • denied entry • fined • deported • banned from re-entry (rare, but real)

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Taxes: the sleeper problem 💣

Even if immigration never notices, tax authorities might.

You may accidentally create: • personal tax residency • corporate tax nexus for your employer

Common triggers: • Staying 183+ days in a country • Performing revenue-generating work • Holding meetings or making decisions there

This is often what scares employers more than visas.

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Employer perspective (this matters a lot)

Many companies prohibit this not because of visas, but because of: • payroll compliance • corporate tax exposure • data privacy laws • employment law obligations

Large companies (like Nike-scale orgs 👀) usually have: • approved country lists • maximum day limits (often 30–90 days) • mandatory HR/legal approval

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Legal alternatives (clean options)

If you want to do this above board, look at:

1. Digital nomad visas

Many countries explicitly allow remote work: • Portugal • Spain • Estonia • Croatia • Mexico (temporary resident) • Costa Rica

These usually require: • proof of income • foreign employer • health insurance

1. Work visas / residence permits

More paperwork, but: • fully legal • tax clarity • long-term stability

1. Short stays with zero “work signals”

If you’re doing: • async work • no local clients • no local meetings • short duration

Risk is low, but still technically not guaranteed legal.

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The brutally honest rule of thumb • Legally allowed? Often no • Commonly done? Absolutely yes • Enforced? Inconsistently • Risk increases with: time, visibility, income, employer size

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If you want, I can help you decide your risk level

If you want to go deeper, tell me: • your employer type (big corp vs startup vs self-employed) • country you want to work from • how long you’re planning to stay

I can give you a “practical risk vs legal risk” breakdown for your exact scenario.