Kingdom of Spain · digital nomad · Leads to settlement

Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 1 June 2026

Residence permit for remote workers and international freelancers under the Startup Law (Ley de Startups).

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyInitial 1-year consular visa, extendable to 3-year residence permit, then renewable for further 2 years; counts toward permanent residence after 5 years.

Processing time: UGE-CE decisions typically 20 working days; consulate 1–3 months.
Government fees: Visa application fee varies by consulate; residence permit and TIE fees additional.
Typical duration: Initial 1-year consular visa, extendable to 3-year residence permit, then renewable for further 2 years; counts toward permanent residence after 5 years.
Sponsorship required: No
Leads to permanent residency: Yes

Reviewed 1 June 2026Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗

Overview

Spain's Digital Nomad Visa (Visado de teletrabajador de carácter internacional) was introduced by the Startup Law in December 2022. It allows non-EEA nationals to live in Spain while working remotely for companies outside Spain, or as freelancers with predominantly non-Spanish clients (typically 80%+ non-Spanish income).

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

✓Remote work for a company based outside Spain, or freelance activity where at most 20% of income derives from Spanish clients.
✓Employment relationship or professional contract of at least 3 months' standing with the foreign company.
✓University degree or at least 3 years of relevant experience.
✓Minimum income at roughly 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI); higher uplifts for family.
✓Private health insurance covering Spain.

Common blockers

!Too high a share of Spanish-client income (above 20%).
!Qualifications not matching degree-or-experience requirement.
!Income below 200% SMI for principal applicant, or insufficient for dependants.

Typical evidence

·Employment contract or freelance contracts.
·Letter from employer confirming remote-work authorisation.
·Recent payslips and tax records.
·Degree certificate or evidence of 3+ years experience.
·NIE and health insurance.

Application pathway

Decide consular vs. in-country route
Apply at a Spanish consulate for a 1-year visa then extend; or enter on tourist status and apply to UGE-CE for the 3-year residence permit directly (faster in practice).
Prepare evidence package
Employer letter, contract, qualifications, income, insurance, clean criminal record.
Submit application
To Spanish consulate or, in-country, to UGE-CE via the online Mercurio system.
Receive approval and obtain TIE
Book TIE appointment (fingerprints) at a Spanish police station.
Renew and progress to long-term residence
After 5 years of lawful residence, apply for permanent residence.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

ApplyApplicant
Submit Ley 14/2013 residence application ↗
Use the official electronic procedure to submit an in-country international telework residence application and related documents.
Ministerio de Inclusion, Seguridad Social y Migraciones · verified 1 June 2026
Official guidanceApplicant
Check telework requirements ↗
Use this official information sheet to confirm eligibility, income and document requirements before applying.
Ministerio de Inclusion, Seguridad Social y Migraciones · verified 1 June 2026

Fees and processing time

A typical Digital Nomad Visa (Spain) application runs about €1,007.02 in government fees (single applicant, applying from abroad). A decision then typically takes 3 weeks – 6 weeks. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

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Frequently asked questions

How much income do I need for the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa?+

Roughly 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) for the principal applicant, with uplifts of approximately 75% for a spouse/first dependant and smaller uplifts for further dependants. Exact figures update annually with the SMI.

Is the Spain DNV tax-favourable?+

Qualifying applicants can apply for the Beckham-style special expats regime (Régimen especial aplicable a trabajadores desplazados a territorio español under Article 93 LIRPF), which flat-taxes non-Spanish-source income at 24% for the first €600k and exempts most overseas income for 6 years. Tax advice from a Spanish asesor fiscal is essential.

Can I move to Spain on the Digital Nomad Visa without a job offer in Spain?+

Yes. The Digital Nomad Visa is for non-EEA nationals who work remotely for a company based outside Spain, or freelance with predominantly non-Spanish clients, and it is not employer-sponsored, so no Spanish job offer is required. Confirm your eligibility against the official Ministerio guidance.

Can I work for Spanish clients on the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?+

Only to a limited degree. The route requires that at most 20% of your income comes from Spanish clients, and too high a share of Spanish-client income is a common reason applications are refused. Check the current rules with the official source before applying.

Does the Spain Digital Nomad Visa lead to permanent residence?+

Yes. It starts as a 1-year consular visa, extends to a 3-year residence permit and renews for a further 2 years, and the time counts toward permanent residence after 5 years of lawful residence. Confirm current settlement rules with the official source.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor →

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Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)

By Sam Parks · Last reviewed: 1 June 2026

Residence permit for remote workers and international freelancers under the Startup Law (Ley de Startups).

Overview

Eligibility

Typical criteria

✓Remote work for a company based outside Spain, or freelance activity where at most 20% of income derives from Spanish clients.
✓Employment relationship or professional contract of at least 3 months' standing with the foreign company.
✓University degree or at least 3 years of relevant experience.
✓Minimum income at roughly 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI); higher uplifts for family.
✓Private health insurance covering Spain.

Common blockers

!Too high a share of Spanish-client income (above 20%).
!Qualifications not matching degree-or-experience requirement.
!Income below 200% SMI for principal applicant, or insufficient for dependants.

Typical evidence

·Employment contract or freelance contracts.
·Letter from employer confirming remote-work authorisation.
·Recent payslips and tax records.
·Degree certificate or evidence of 3+ years experience.
·NIE and health insurance.

Application pathway

Decide consular vs. in-country route

Apply at a Spanish consulate for a 1-year visa then extend; or enter on tourist status and apply to UGE-CE for the 3-year residence permit directly (faster in practice).

Prepare evidence package

Employer letter, contract, qualifications, income, insurance, clean criminal record.

Submit application

To Spanish consulate or, in-country, to UGE-CE via the online Mercurio system.

Receive approval and obtain TIE

Book TIE appointment (fingerprints) at a Spanish police station.

Renew and progress to long-term residence

After 5 years of lawful residence, apply for permanent residence.