15/11/2025
If you ever dreamed of living abroad or becoming a digital nomad, I hope our story shows you that it’s possible — even from Bangladesh. I and my wife are sharing our full journey in parts.
Here is Part 1: Our move from Bangladesh to Malta.
Our Journey Begins — Leaving Bangladesh for Malta as Digital Nomads
Leaving home is never easy. But for us — a couple living a simple, peaceful life in Uttara, Dhaka — the decision to start a new life abroad was something we had been dreaming about for years.
I grew up in Pabna, later moved to Dhaka with my wife, and lived the very typical Bangladeshi lifestyle: family, work, routine, and responsibilities. Professionally, I was already working remotely as a Chief Digital Strategist for a US company, which eventually became the foundation that made our digital nomad journey possible.
But our story didn’t begin with excitement — it began with uncertainty.
Why We Decided to Leave Bangladesh
Back in 2020, during the political unrest and rising safety concerns, we first started thinking about leaving. We wanted a safer life, a calmer environment, and better opportunities — not just for work, but for our future as a family.
But at that time, leaving Bangladesh wasn’t easy.
If you didn’t have a student visa or a work permit abroad, the doors were mostly closed.
Then we discovered something new:
The Digital Nomad Visa — a concept first launched by Estonia in 2020.
It sounded perfect… but also very risky.
No one we knew in Bangladesh had ever applied for a Digital Nomad Visa. We didn’t know a single person who tried it.
We didn’t know if the embassy would even understand the application.
We didn’t know if we were wasting time — or worse, wasting money.
But we decided to try.
🌍 Choosing Malta — The First Step of Our New Life
We filtered our options to three:
1. Portugal
2. Spain
3. Malta
Portugal required a 12-month advance rental agreement — something almost impossible to arrange from Bangladesh.
Spain didn’t respond to our emails or inquiries about the DN visa from Bangladesh.
Then came Malta.
✔ Easy application
✔ No rental agreement needed
✔ Small processing fee (€300 per applicant)
✔ Helpful communication
✔ English-speaking Mediterranean island
✔ Safe and beautiful
It felt like the right choice — the perfect mix of practicality, beauty, and opportunity.
And so in March 2024, after years of thinking, waiting, and delaying because of COVID…
we finally took the leap.
✈️ The Flight — and the Funny Twist
We applied for the visa with Turkish Airlines bookings, assuming an approximate flight date. And the most unbelievable thing happened:
Our visa got approved on the exact day of our scheduled flight.
So we had to shift the flight 2 weeks later…
Then again, after approval, we moved it forward by 1 week because we just couldn’t wait to begin our new life.
The journey with Turkish Airlines was fantastic. Istanbul Airport’s iGA Lounge blew our minds — huge, modern, full of food and comfort. Thanks to a privilege on my credit card, we enjoyed it for free.
But Malta welcomed us in its own dramatic way.
As we approached the island, the plane touched the runway for literally 1 second… then shot back up into the sky.
Bad weather.
The captain calmly announced, “We’ll try again.”
On the second attempt — we officially landed in Malta.
This was it.
🛂 First Moments — A Friendly Welcome
Immigration was surprisingly smooth. The officer was friendly, smiling, and had a great sense of humor.
We mentioned we booked an Airbnb in Bugibba, but I accidentally pronounced it as “Bugibaba.”
He burst out laughing and repeated it back to us:
“Enjoy your stay in Bigibaba!”
That laugh eased so much of our tension.
That moment felt like a warm welcome — as if Malta was saying, “Relax, you’re going to love it here.”
🏘️ Struggles — Our First Real Challenge
Transport was easy — free bus service with a simple application. (We will share details in later part of our journey story)
But housing?
That was the real battle.
We had only one month to find a home before our Airbnb ran out.
We visited 10+ real estate agencies, checked dozens of apartments, and our budget made it even harder.
Just when things felt impossible…
We found it.
A beautiful duplex penthouse in San Pawl, just by the beach.
Bright, airy, peaceful — it felt like our first real home outside Bangladesh.
That day felt like a victory.
🌙 A Beautiful Beginning — Eid in Malta
And the most memorable moment?
We received our residency permits on Eid-ul-Fitr.
A symbolic sign.
A reminder that we were starting a new chapter… together.
From Bangladesh to Malta — our journey had officially begun.
