A Digital Country on the Internet is Coming Soon (Here's What You Need To Know)

How would you like to get access to a global social safety net on the internet, complete with a “digital country”, with its own passport, tax system, retirement pension, healthcare, and visa access to foreign countries? Find out how in this episode.

The co-founders of SafetyWing have big plans, including Plumia, an internet country founded on who you are and what you believe, rather than where you’re from.

Plumia’s current focus is unlocking borders and expanding global mobility rights to as many people as possible. First up is the Nomad Border Pass, which will provide visa-free travel for up to 10+ countries (as early as 2025).

Then, the Plumia digital passport is on the way, with an anticipated launch date of 2032.

In this episode of the Traveling with Kristin podcast, Kristin Wilson chats with the Executive Director of Plumia, Lauren Razavi, to tell us all about their plan. Lauren is a technologist, political scientist, and global citizen who’s been working remotely since 2010 and "nomading" since 2013.

Tune in to learn about the new digital country that’s taking the internet by storm, and how you can be a part of it right now!

Special Offers:

The Best Travel Pants by Unbound Merino
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance (International Travel Medical Insurance)
Nomad Health by SafetyWing (Global Health Insurance)
Digital Nomads For Dummies book

Topics Discussed:

Lauren’s nomadic background & her career at SafetyWing.
The three countries Lauren calls home.
Culture and cost of living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Nomad Border Pass: A one-stop-shop for digital nomad visas and global mobility.
Covid’s negative impact on visa policies.
How to join Plumia (right now).
Plumia’s official definition/criteria of a digital nomad.
Features of the ideal digital nomad visa & their application process.
Mitigating the long-term negative impacts of gentrification by nomads.
Malaysian Nomad Visa: Why Malaysia’s digital nomad community is growing.
What retirement looks like for Millennials and Gen Z.
Income taxes challenges for digital nomads.
Future plans and goals for Plumia.

Questions Answered:

How did your digital nomad lifestyle lead to your current career?
What are the biggest barriers to global mobility and what solutions have you found?
What is Plumia?
How is Plumia creating an international standard for nomad visas?
What formula should countries use to determine the minimum income requirement for nomad visas?
Can retirees benefit from nomad visas?
Are sabbaticals the new retirement?
Will countries work together to prevent digital nomads from being taxless citizens?
How will Plumia change people’s global identities?

Episode Resources:

Learn more about Plumia and subscribe to their newsletter to stay updated!
Join Plumia Social Gardens
Subscribe to SafetyWing’s Borderless newsletter
Buy Global Natives by Lauren Razavi
Nomad Capitalist

Related Podcasts:

Related Videos:

Connect with Guest, Lauren Razavi:

Visit her website
Follow on Medium
Follow on Instagram @laurenrazavi
Follow on Twitter/X @LaurenRazavi
Subscribe to Plumia on YouTube

Connect with Kristin and Support the Show:

Lauren Razavi

Executive Director, Plumia

Lauren Razavi is a technologist, political scientist, and global citizen. The child of a refugee, she was an early adopter of remote work and has lived as a digital nomad since 2013.

Lauren is Executive Director of Plumia, an innovation lab that aims to build a country on the internet, as featured in TIME Magazine. The lab is part of SafetyWing (Y Combinator 2018), an all-remote tech company where Lauren works across media, strategy, and investor relations.