Spain's Digital Nomad Visa is for qualifying non-EU nationals who work remotely for organizations mainly outside Spain. Employees can work only for companies outside Spain; self-employed applicants may earn up to 20% of their professional activity from Spanish companies. Applicants can use either a consular visa route or, while legally present in Spain, an in-country residence-authorization route.
Updated September 4, 2026 By Okan Karaduman
What the Spain digital nomad visa is.
Spain's law defines an international teleworker as a third-country national authorized to live in Spain while working remotely through computer and telecommunications systems for companies outside Spain. If you are deciding whether the route fits you, start with the quick eligibility check, then compare your facts with articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies of Law 14/2013.
Remote work must be the core of your activity
Your work must be possible online without requiring a permanent physical presence in Spain.
Your main work should sit outside Spain
The file should clearly show that your employer, clients, or business activity are mainly connected to companies outside Spain.
Employee, freelancer, contractor, or owner
Different work setups can qualify, but the evidence changes. An employee usually relies on employer permission and salary proof; a freelancer or owner needs client, company, invoice, and bank records. Compare the employee route with the contractor route before building the file.
Spanish clients are limited
Self-employed applicants can work for Spanish companies, but that work cannot exceed 20% of total professional activity. Employees cannot use the allowance for a Spanish employer.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa requirements.
Meeting the legal test is only the first layer. In my own file, the practical work was making the contract, company records, payment evidence, qualifications, insurance or Social Security evidence, and application form describe one consistent situation. The UGE authorization and requirements page publishes the government's current supporting-document guidance.
- You are a third-country national. EU citizens and people covered by EU free movement rules do not use this route.
- You are in regular status if applying from Spain. You cannot apply from an irregular situation.
- Your work can be done remotely. The role should not require physical presence or on-site supervision.
- Your work is mainly outside Spain. Employees usually rely on an employer outside Spain. Self-employed applicants usually rely on clients or a company relationship outside Spain.
- You meet the income requirement. The rule is 200% of the current SMI for the main applicant, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional family member. Using the annual 2026 SMI across 12 months gives about €2,849 for the main applicant, €1,068 for the first family member, and €356 for each additional family member.
- The relationship is not brand new. The work or professional relationship must usually exist for at least three months before applying.
- The employer, client, or company is established. The organization behind your remote work should show real and continuous activity for at least one year.
- You have qualifications or experience. A relevant degree or at least three years of relevant work experience can be used.
- You have no relevant criminal record. Under current practice, applicants usually prepare certificates for countries of residence during the previous two years, plus a declaration covering the previous five years. I share an editable starting point for this in the templates page.
- You have health coverage. Either public coverage through Social Security or private health insurance accepted for this route.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa income requirement.
Spain calculates the income requirement from its minimum wage (SMI). The main applicant needs 200% of SMI, with an additional 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional family member. These percentages come from the government's international-teleworker instructions.
For 2026, Royal Decree 126/2026 sets the SMI at €1,221 per month in 14 payments, with an annual minimum of €17,094. Spread across 12 months, the annual SMI is €1,424.50.
Use the 2026 DNV income calculator to compare your exact family requirement with a 12-payment, 14-payment, or annual income figure.
Check the filing office: some Spanish consulates, including Washington and Houston at the time of this review, publish a direct monthly-SMI calculation of €2,442 rather than the annualized €2,849 figure. Use the amount required by the authority handling your application. Your evidence can be in another currency, but it should clearly meet that threshold and match the work relationship used in the application.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa documents to prepare.
This was the part that took the most care in my own application. The exact list changes by route and country, but your contract, letters, invoices, bank records, and company or client records must all describe the same work arrangement. You can also use the document checklist, client letter guide, and apostille guide.
Application basics
Signed application form, full passport copy, and proof of fee payment.
Work relationship
Employment contract, service contract, client letters, or company ownership/control proof.
Company activity
Evidence that the employer, client, or company behind your remote work has had real and continuous activity for at least one year.
Remote work authorization
A letter authorizing remote work from Spain, with role, functions, compensation, and remote-work conditions.
Income evidence
Recent payslips or invoices and bank movements that match those payments.
Profile proof
CV plus a relevant degree or evidence of at least three years of relevant work experience. If you use a degree, FastNIE has a diploma and transcript apostille service.
Background and health
Criminal record documents, sworn declaration if needed, health insurance or Social Security proof. I also share a criminal record declaration starting point on the templates page. For US applicants, FastNIE has an FBI apostille and shipment service.
Translations and legalization
Some non-Spanish documents may need sworn translation, apostille, or legalization depending on the document and country. You can use Translayte for sworn translations and FastNIE for US/UK apostille and notary services.
Employer letter should usually confirm
- your position and start date
- salary or compensation
- permission to work remotely from Spain
- that the company is established outside Spain
Client or service proof should make clear
- who the client is
- what service you provide
- how long the relationship has existed
- how payments connect to your bank records
Company activity proof can include
- registry or incorporation documents
- tax or business certificates
- website or public company evidence
- documents showing ongoing activity
Where to apply.
There are two application routes, with different forms, authorities, evidence details, and initial durations. Law 14/2013 gives the consular visa a maximum validity of one year and the in-country residence authorization a maximum validity of three years.
Apply through a consulate
Apply at the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of legal residence. The visa is issued for up to one year, and the required documents and process vary by consulate and country.
Apply from Spain
If you enter Spain legally, you can apply through UGE before your permitted stay expires. The residence authorization can be granted for up to three years.
How to apply from inside Spain Spanish consulate application guide Step-by-step application plan
Family members.
Spouses or partners, dependent children, and dependent ascendants can apply with the teleworker when they meet the relationship and dependency requirements. Each person needs a separate application and supporting documents; the exact evidence for unmarried partners, adult children, and ascendants varies by office.
After approval.
Approval did not finish the move for me, and it will not finish yours. You still need to handle appointments, identity documents, tax and Social Security setup, healthcare access, banking, housing, and basic first-month admin.
- NIE and TIE: NIE may be needed before or during the application setup. TIE is the physical card step after approval.
- Tax and company setup: decide whether you need RETA, company registration, or accountant support.
- Healthcare: connect your route to either Social Security coverage or acceptable private coverage.
- Apartment search: prepare documents, watch for scams, and understand deposits before signing.
- Digital access: digital certificate is often part of the online application flow from inside Spain, and it remains useful later for tax, Social Security, and government services.
Prepare the application with the full guide. EUR 49 EUR 29
Launch price: code LAUNCH29 is applied automatically at checkout.
I built the guide for the working stage I found hardest to piece together: document order, letter templates, income-proof examples, screenshots for key steps, and the setup after approval. It also includes two 15-minute calls with me if a specific question stops you.
Still unsure about your own situation?
We can check the route and income together in a free 15-minute call.
Official sources
Use the guidance for the route you are taking. Spanish consulates publish their own application instructions, while UGE handles applications filed from Spain.
Law and national guidance
- Law 14/2013, articles 74 bis–74 quinquies (BOE)
- UGE authorization requirements
- 2026 minimum wage, Royal Decree 126/2026 (BOE)
Application guides
Spain digital nomad visa FAQ
Who is the Spain digital nomad visa for?
Adult non-EU remote workers who want to live in Spain while working for employers, clients, or companies mainly outside Spain.
Can self-employed workers apply?
Yes. They need to prove a professional relationship with clients or a company outside Spain for at least three months. Spanish professional work cannot exceed 20% of total activity.
What income number should I use?
For 2026, use about €2,849 per month for the main applicant, plus about €1,068 for the first family member and €356 for each additional family member. Confirm the figure with the authority handling your application because some consulates publish a different direct monthly-SMI calculation.
What are the slowest documents?
Criminal records, apostilles or legalization, sworn translations, company registry documents, bank certificates, and client or employer letters often take the most time.
Should I apply from my home country or from Spain?
Being outside Spain does not limit you to the consular route. If you can enter Spain legally, you may travel there and apply through UGE before your permitted stay expires. That residence authorization can be granted for up to three years. Alternatively, you can apply at the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of legal residence. The consular visa is issued for up to one year, and the required documents and process vary by consulate and country.
Does the guide cover what happens after approval?
Yes. It continues into NIE/TIE, RETA or company setup, the Spanish tax system, healthcare, apartment search, banking, and first-month admin.
Social Security and RETA.
Registration with Spanish Social Security is part of the route because the work is carried out from Spain.
Employees should check whether their home-country authority can issue a Certificate of Coverage or A1-style document that Spain accepts for the DNV file. Some UK employees use A1 certificates, while some U.S. W-2 employees use the SSA Certificate of Coverage route. If no accepted certificate is available, the employer may need to address Spanish Social Security registration. Read the focused Spain Digital Nomad Visa social security guide before finalizing this part.
Social security guide Freelancer requirements Spain nomad visa taxes