What many digital nomads have been waiting for has finally become a reality. The digital nomad visa has been published and is now available, and foreigners wishing to move remotely from Spain can now apply.
Here is a complete guide that will show you all the requirements for this residency, its tax advantages (and how you can save money with it), and many other legal tips you need to know before applying.
So, if you want to start working abroad in a country that offers perfect living conditions without the 3-month constraint of a tourist visa, keep reading!
Key takeaways
- What it is: a residence permit for non-EU citizens who want to live in Spain while working remotely for a company or clients abroad, and your spouse and children can be included in the same application.
- Income limit: no more than 20% of your total income can come from Spanish companies or from Spain, and the company or clients you work for must be located outside Spain.
- Requirements: 3 months of working relationship before applying, 3 years of experience or a recognised degree, a clean criminal record, private health insurance and the MI-T application form.
- How to apply: apply at a Spanish consulate from your country of origin, or online with the UGE from inside Spain as a tourist. After approval you register your fingerprints and collect your TIE about 30 days later.
- Timing: the fast-track resolution takes 20 working days and the administrative silence is positive, although in practice correction requests can extend the period to 20-45 days.
- Tax regime: if you work for a foreign company, you can apply within 6 months of getting residence to be taxed as a non-resident, with a flat 24% on income up to €600,000 for 6 tax years.
The legal background of the digital nomad visa Spain
In 2013, the Spanish government published the Entrepreneur Law, a regulation that was intended to attract foreign talent and investment to Spain. With it, the entrepreneur visa and many other residency figures appeared.
But that law was not enough.
With that same drive and with a very similar aim, the government has published a law, this time focusing heavily on startups, talent, and innovation.
A law that is much more adapted to the current market needs, called the Startup Law.
Its goal is to set Spain as one of the leading countries in attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and qualified workers. That creates the perfect mix as a country, as Spain also offers everything you may need when it comes to finding the ideal living conditions (especially for remote workers).
In this other article about the Startup Law, we talk much more in-depth about how this regulation brings crucial and beneficial tax measures and makes it much easier and straightforward to set up a company in Spain, as well as fostering investment in tech startups.
Nevertheless, our focus in this article is different.
Perhaps the most important measure of the Startup Law is the one that focuses on recovering and bringing new international talent to the country, favoring the establishment of remote workers and digital nomads.
And that is done through the digital nomad visa.
What is the digital nomad visa in Spain?
The digital nomad visa is a residence permit that can be extended up to 5 years and allows non-EU citizens to live and work remotely from Spain (that is, legally operating as a digital nomad in the country).
Yes, to work remotely!
Foreigners who wish to move to Spain and keep working for a company abroad, or who have clients spread all around the globe, will find a residence permit that is perfectly tailored to their needs (instead of applying for a non-lucrative visa which, in fact, does not allow them to work).
One of the great advantages of this residency is the double application option:
- On one hand, you can apply directly from Spain with a tourist visa, getting your 3-year card directly
- But on the other hand, it is also possible to obtain a 1-year visa from your country of origin (at the Spanish consulate) so that you can enter Spain and later change it to this 3-year card
Do these years count for nationality?
The answer is yes. The years on this 3-year card (and its subsequent renewals) count for both Spanish nationality and long-term residency (which you can get after 5 years as a remote worker or digital nomad in Spain).
Apart from the tax advantages that we will explore later in this post, this permit also allows you to include your spouse and children in the same application, thus being able to move with your family to Spain.
But that’s not all, because it’s included in the Entrepreneurs Law, you will also benefit from a fast-track resolution in just 20 working days, and the applicable administrative silence is positive (so if you have no response within this period, your application is considered finally approved; in practice, the period can be extended to 20-45 days if there are correction requirements).
In addition, you will be able to move freely throughout the EU with this residence card.
Let’s now explore its requirements so that you can perfectly understand if this is the right option for you.
Requirements for the Spain digital nomad visa
Next is the complete list of requirements that finally apply and that you must fully understand.
But before going into detail with each requirement, you should keep in mind that there are two different profiles of foreigners who can obtain this permit (with slightly different requirements):
- Employed workers whose company allows them to travel and work remotely from another country (in this case, Spain)
- Self-employed workers with several clients spread all over the world or with different sources of income derived from online activities but spread outside Spain
Hence, if you want to apply for a remote work visa in Spain:
- The company/s for which you are currently working (or have a working relationship as a freelancer with), must be located outside of Spain
- Income received from Spanish companies (or in Spain) can’t represent more than 20% of the total
- You must demonstrate that you have been working for your company or having a freelance relationship with your clients for at least 3 months before your application
- You must demonstrate the possession of at least 200% of the IPREM, which is 34,188€ annually, which can be demonstrated through a working relationship
If you are travelling with family, the minimum amount required increases:
| Applicant | % of SMI | Monthly amount approx. |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | 200% | €2,849 |
| + spouse or partner | +75% | +€1,068 |
| + each child | +25% | +€356 |
- You have two different options to demonstrate that you have sufficient experience and education to be able to complete the application:
- Demonstrate 3 years of work-related experience prior to application
- Be a graduate or post-graduate from a reputable university, vocational training, or business schools of recognized prestige
- You can’t have a criminal records, nor have an entry to Spain prohibited. For that, you must submit your criminal records certificate with a minimum validity of 90 days, and they must be legalized and apostilled.
- Submit a declaration of no criminal record for the last 5 years
- You will have to fill out the MI-T application form
- Pay the corresponding administrative fee: 790 038
- Hire private health insurance, with full coverage throughout Spain
And, finally, we find a difference depending on whether you work for a company as an employee or are a freelancer:
- If you have a contract with a foreign company (as an employee), it will be essential that this company has been operating for at least 1 year prior to your application. And, besides that, the company must state that your position allows remote work and that they specifically allow you to do so
- If you are a freelancer, you must be working for at least one company (that must be outside Spain), and it will be through the terms and conditions of your contract that the possibility to work remotely is specified
If you are the owner, partner or administrator of your own company, in the latest files a stricter criterion is being applied to self-employed applicants who are also owners or managers of the foreign company that justifies their remote activity.
If this is your case, we recommend that you carry out a prior assessment with a lawyer before gathering the documentation.
Tax benefits when obtaining your digital nomad visa
Apart from all the residency benefits seen so far, one of the main appeals of this residence permit comes from the tax side.
The extra argument created to make this permit even more advantageous is the special tax regime that will allow digital nomad visa holders to save on taxes.
Basically, as long as you are not an independent freelancer but work remotely for a company abroad (it generally does not apply to self-employed workers, except in three specific cases that you can see in this article about what taxes digital nomads pay in Spain), you will be taxed through an improved Non-Resident Income Tax Regime.
When you fully understand how taxes in Spain for foreigners actually work, you can easily grasp that paying non-resident income tax instead of the regular income tax that residents must pay allows you to pay much LESS for the income you generate.
In case you haven’t been in Spain for the past 5 years (instead of 10, as the general rule states), you will be allowed to pay a flat tax rate of just 24% on your income, instead of a progressive rate that can reach up to 54% (depending on the CCAA, since the tax base is 47%, although it increases in communities such as Valencia or Catalonia)
In order to be considered as a non-resident for tax purposes, you will have to initiate a separate and different application process from the one you complete for the residency process, and you will do so with the Spanish Tax Agency during the 6 months after you obtain your residency authorization.
This is a process comparable to the Beckham Law.
This, in addition to allowing you to pay only 24% of income derived from work up to € 600,000, will eliminate the need to pay wealth tax for those properties you own outside of Spain or have to make the informative declaration known as model 720.
Finally, digital nomad visa holders will be able to request the deferral of the IRNR in the first and second year with a positive taxable income (without interest).
This very advantageous tax regime extends during the year of your arrival in Spain and the following 5 tax years (6 years in total), as long as you maintain your residence as a digital nomad. After that period, you will move on to the general personal income tax regime.
Can I work in Spain with the digital nomad visa?
So far, we have mentioned how the digital nomad residency allows non-EU citizens to work remotely from Spain.
While that accounts for working in Spain for a foreign company, can you work in Spain for a Spanish company or client?
The answer is yes, but with an important limit. You can also work for a Spanish company as long as a) you maintain the relationship with the foreign company that allowed you to obtain this visa, and b) the income you generate from the Spanish company does not account for more than 20% of your total income.
How to apply for a digital nomad visa in Spain
How does the application process work?
1. Understand the 2 application paths
In order to apply for a Spanish DNV, you have two different options, both directed at the UGE:
- Apply for the digital nomad visa from your country of origin. You would get a 1-year visa (that can be modified to residency later on)
- Apply directly in Spain, as a tourist, and obtain a 3-year permit (renewable for 2)
2. Gather all documents
Preparing your file and gathering all documents is perhaps the most important step in the whole process.
That is true because some can take time to obtain (like the criminal records certificate), as well as turn into a tedious process (as you need to legalize/apostille them).
We have already seen the different documents you will have to prepare, but make sure to include the right application form, your passport, and documents that certify your working relationship.
3. Submit your application
If you start the process from your country of origin, you will have to request an appointment at the Spanish consulate to submit your application.
Each consulate has its own rules and method for making an appointment (as well as specific digital nomad visa requirements), so make sure to check how it works in yours.
In case you apply directly from Spain, you can submit the application at the UGE online through its online system.
In both cases, you will be assigned an NIE number after submitting your application, which will accompany you throughout your whole life as a foreigner in Spain.
4. Wait for the resolution
One of the advantages of the DNV is that it offers a fast-track application, meaning that you will get a favorable response after just 20 labor days (much faster than the typical 3 months).
In case you applied at the consulate, you will receive a visa with which you can travel to Spain.
And in case you were in Spain as a tourist, you would directly receive the 3-year residency card.
5. Register your fingerprints and get your TIE
Finally, you will need to visit the police office as one of the final steps to register your fingerprints and get your physical residency card.
For that, you must make an appointment (you can do that online on the “cita previa extranjeria” platform), which can be a bit complicated in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona.
On the day of the appointment, you will pay the corresponding fee and register your fingerprints; come back 30 days after to pick up your physical residency card.
Frequently asked questions about the digital nomad visa in Spain
Before we end, let’s go through some of the most frequently asked questions about Spain’s digital nomad visa:
What is the Spain digital nomad visa cost?
The corresponding fee (tasa 790 038) for Spain’s digital nomad visa is €73.26 for initial applications and €78.67 for renewals.
How long does it take to obtain the Visa?
It takes around 20 days or less to obtain a resolution for a digital nomad visa.
This process also follows positive administrative silence, which means that if one does not receive a resolution in 20 days, they can consider their application approved.
To obtain the physical residence card in Spain, one must go to a police office to have their fingerprints taken. Then, the card should be ready for pick-up in around one month.
What can I do if my application for the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa is rejected?
If your application is rejected, you can file an appeal for reconsideration.
There is a one-month period to file an appeal, which begins the day after one receives the notification of the visa denial. For example, if you are notified of the denial on March 1st, the 1-month period for filing an appeal would start on March 2nd.
Is the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa the same as the Non-lucrative Visa?
No, the Spanish digital nomad visa is not the same as the non-lucrative visa.
- The digital nomad visa is for non-European citizens who would like to work remotely in Spain for companies or clients abroad.
- The non-lucrative visa, on the other hand, is for non-European citizens who would like to live in Spain without doing any type of work (not remotely nor in-office).
Are there any restrictions with the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes, there are restrictions with the Spanish digital nomad visa. Only 20% of the applicant’s total income can come from within Spain.
That being said, the majority of the total income must come from employers or clients outside of the country.
What is the validity period of the Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
- If one applies from their country of origin, the digital nomad visa would be valid for one year.
- If one applies directly from in Spain, the digital nomad visa would be valid for three years.
Is it possible to renew or extend the Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
Yes, it is possible to renew or extend the digital nomad visa in Spain. As long as the individual continues to meet the requirements, he/she can apply for visa renewal.
Is there a specific income threshold required to qualify for the Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes, there is a specific income threshold required to qualify for the digital nomad visa. One must have a yearly salary of €34,188, which is €2,849 per month.
Choose the date that suits you best for a consultation with our lawyers, and let us guide you step by step.
Related content of interest:
- Tax benefits for digital nomads
- Types of visas available in Spain
- Work remotely from Spain
- Non-Lucrative residency as an alternative
At Balcells Group we have been foreigners effortlessly moving to Spain for over 11 years. We help expats from all around the world with their immigration, business, tax and legal needs; ensuring a legally safe and enjoyable transition to the Spanish territory. Our multilingual team understands the importance of adapting to the cultural and legal specificities of our international clients. We offer a comprehensive service that combines the expertise of several generations of lawyers with the innovation needed to address today’s legal challenges, always striving to simplify processes and ensure reliable, effective results.
