Spain Digital Nomad Visa

Income requirements. To obtain a Spain Digital Nomad Visa, the applicant must confirm remote working income of at least €2,646 per month, or €31,752 per year.

The income threshold for a digital nomad depends on the Spanish minimum wage, SMI. In 2024, it is €1,134. A digital nomad must demonstrate an income twice the SMI amount to obtain a visa.

For families, the monthly income requirements are higher:

• €993 must be added for a spouse;

• €331 for each additional family member, such as a child.

Visa and residency expenses. The applicant must pay government fees, purchase or rent property in Spain, and obtain health insurance.

A registered address in Spain is required to apply for a residency permit. To obtain a Digital Nomad Visa, for instance, providing a hotel booking is sufficient.

Spanish medical insurance is only necessary for those working remotely for a foreign company. Freelancers do not need this insurance.

Employees of foreign companies, self-employed individuals, and sole proprietors are eligible to apply for the Digital Nomad Visa. When applying, they must confirm that they have been working with legal entities outside of Spain for at least 3 months. Contracts with individuals are not accepted.

The employment contract must be concluded only with companies that have operated for over a year. The duration of the contract should be at least 3 years.

Remote employees of foreign companies can qualify for a visa and residency in Spain only if their employer is registered in a country that has a bilateral social security agreement with Spain.

The employee must also obtain permission from the employer to work remotely in Spain.

Self-employed individuals are allowed to work in Spain if their income from local companies does not exceed 20% of their total monthly income.

The following documents must be submitted with the visa application:

1. Copies of passports for all family members. Passports must be valid for at least 1 year.

2. A colour passport-sized photograph.

3. A filled-out MI-T application form.

4. Certificates of no criminal records from all countries where adult applicants have resided in the last 2 years.

5. Marriage and birth certificates, if applicable.

6. Proof of income in the form of a bank statement, employment contract, letter from the employer, or work completion certificate.

7. Proof of qualifications or at least 3 years of work experience.

8. CV, i.e. a resume in a free format.

9. Health insurance with the coverage of at least €30,000 per person.

10. Receipt of payment of the government fee.

All documents must be translated into Spanish and certified by a notary.

Digital nomads in Spain have access to a preferential tax program — a special tax regime for incoming expatriates, also known as the Beckham Law. It allows them to pay an income tax in Spain at a flat rate of 24% for the first 6 years. The taxed income is up to €600,000 annually; the exceeding amount is taxed at 45%.

The tax benefits of the Beckham Law are only available to company employees and entrepreneurs. Self-employed individuals do not receive tax benefits in Spain.

To pay taxes and conduct real estate transactions, a digital nomad needs an NIE, a foreigner’s identification number. It can be obtained from the Spanish police at the place of residence or through the Spanish consulate.

Validity. The Digital Nomad Visa is valid for 1 year, during which the applicant arrives in Spain and applies for a residence permit.

The residence permit card is valid for 3 years. It can be extended for another 2 years.

To apply for a residence permit renewal, it is necessary to do so 60 days before or within 90 days after the card’s expiration date.

The main applicant must gather a complete set of documents, similar to when obtaining the initial residence permit. Additionally, a certificate of payment of social security contributions must be provided.

Relatives must submit separate applications. They must also provide certificates of no criminal record from all countries where they have resided in the last 2 years.

Permanent residency is granted to foreigners who have lived in Spain for at least 5 years and have spent at least 183 days per year in the country. Permanent residency is indefinite. Only the resident card needs to be renewed every 5 years.

The Spanish passport is available to a foreigner who has lived in the country for more than 10 years. Candidates for citizenship must additionally pass two exams: a Spanish language proficiency test at a minimum of the A2 level and a test on Spanish culture and laws.

Spain prohibits dual citizenship. This means that the first citizenship must be renounced upon obtaining a Spanish passport.

An exception applies only to citizens of Andorra, France, Portugal, and Ibero-American countries: South American countries where Spanish is the official language. The latter include, for example, Brazil, Cuba, Paraguay, and Chile.