Spain Digital Nomad Visa 2026: All You Need to Know
2026 update (reviewed 31 October 2026)
We checked this guide against official Spanish sources and corrected it. The income rule is 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI): with the 2026 SMI of €1,221 × 14 = €17,094 a year, that is €34,188 a year for one person, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one (confirm the monthly figure with your consulate). You need a degree or three years’ experience (not both); the visa lasts one year, the residence permit you apply for in Spain lasts up to three years, and you can apply for that permit from 60 days before your visa expires. The tax section now describes the optional Beckham regime correctly: you must request it, you remain an IRPF (resident) taxpayer, and employment income, including a foreign employer’s salary, is taxed at 24% up to €600,000 and 47% above, for the year you move and the following five years.
Sources: UGE, digital nomads FAQ · BOE, Real Decreto 126/2026 (SMI 2026) · AEAT, special regime for workers moving to Spain
Spain’s digital nomad visa (the international teleworking visa created by Ley 28/2022) has been available since early 2023. It’s become a reality to live and work in Spain for a year as a remote worker or a freelancer through this visa type. To qualify, you need to show income of at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) for one person, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. For 2026 the SMI is €1,221 per month in 14 payments, or €17,094 per year (Real Decreto 126/2026), so the requirement for one person is €34,188 per year. Consulates convert this into a monthly figure in different ways, so confirm the exact monthly amount with your consulate.
Once you get Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of working in Spain as a digital nomad.
Remember that this visa type is different from the Spanish tourist visa. Short stays in Spain, with or without a tourist visa, are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you are staying legally in Spain, you can apply there for the digital nomad residence permit without first getting a visa.
What are the Types of Spain Digital Nomad Visas
You can apply for a Spain digital nomad visa that’ll be valid for a year. Or, you can submit your application for the digital nomad residency permit, valid for three years for remote workers. While you can get a digital nomad visa in your country, you must be in Spain to obtain your digital nomad residency.
What else can you expect from the digital nomad residency permit?
- You can obtain a permanent residency visa or become a Spanish citizen, which can be better if you continue working remotely long-term in Spain.
- Remember, to apply for a permanent residence visa, you need to stay in Spain for at least five years.
Some of the benefits of a digital nomad visa:
- If you apply in Spain for the residence permit, the application is processed in about 20 days.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa Application: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Who Can Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa for Spain?
If you’re a digital nomad from outside the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, such as the UK, you can apply for Spain’s new digital nomad visa.
If you’re a remote worker or freelancer from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you don’t need this visa: you can already live and work in Spain under EU free movement rules and only need to register as a resident if you stay longer than three months.
You’ll also need a Foreigner Identity Number (NIE). It is requested together with your visa application (some consulates ask you to apply for it separately and attach it), so it is not a step you have to complete first.
The digital nomad visa is a temporary residence visa type. And it’s aimed at remote workers.
You can apply for this visa type in Spain if you meet one of the following conditions:
- If you’re working for a company outside Spain
- If you’re a digital entrepreneur or freelancer and you have clients from all around the world
- If you’re self-employed and some of your clients are in Spain, as long as that work is no more than 20% of your total professional activity (employees must work for a company outside Spain)
Step 2: Timeline and Validity Period of the Digital Nomad Visa
Application within Spain while you are staying there legally: Digital nomad residency permit valid for three years
Application for the new digital nomad visa when you’re in your country and submit your request through a Spanish Consulate: Digital nomad visa valid for one year. You can apply in Spain for the digital nomad residence permit once 60 days or fewer remain on your visa.
Application for the permanent residency permit: Lived in Spain for at least five years.
Application for Spanish citizenship: Lived in Spain for at least ten years.
With a Spanish residence permit, you can make short stays in other Schengen countries (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), but it doesn’t give you the right to live or work there.
Family Members
What about your family members? Your spouse or unmarried partner can obtain the visa as well. Suppose you have dependent children or relatives in the ascending line who are a part of the family unit. In that case, they can also apply for a digital nomad visa. Each family member raises the income requirement: 75% of the SMI for the first one and 25% of the SMI for each additional one.
Remember to request your NIE number together with your application.
What are the required documents for you as a worker and your family members:
- National visa application form: You or your representative will complete and sign a visa application form.
- Photography: You’ll have a recent color photograph in passport size, taken against a light background when you face forward without dark or reflective glasses or any garments that can conceal the oval of your face.
- Valid passport: You’ll need an original and a photocopy of the page or pages with your biometric data. Some consulates also ask for a passport valid for at least one year, with at least two blank pages and issued within the last ten years. If you apply in the UK and you’re not a British national, you’ll also need a valid UK residence permit.
- Criminal record certificate: If you’re an applicant over the legal age, you must submit both the original and a copy of your criminal record certificate(s) from the country or countries where you resided in the past two years. You’ll also need to sign a sworn statement that you have had no criminal record in the last five years. How recent the certificate must be differs by consulate (some require it to be issued within the last three months). For the UK, you’ll also need an ACRO Certificate.
- Proof of residence in the consular district: You’re expected to show evidence of your legal residence within the consulate’s jurisdiction.
- Proof of representative’s identity and capacity: If you submitted your visa application through a representative, you’ll need to present copies of your representative’s ID or passport and a document proving their authority (like a power of attorney). You should show the originals at the time of your application. You’ll need legalization or an apostille for your foreign documents and add an official Spanish translation if necessary.
- Payment of the visa fee: You’ll need to pay in local currency when submitting your application.
- Health insurance: You must provide the original or a copy of your certificate from a company authorized in Spain. The policy should cover risks insured by Spain’s public health system. Travel insurance is not accepted, and the policy must not be reimbursement-only or have copayments or waiting periods. An S1 form and proof of registration with the Spanish National Social Security is also acceptable as public health insurance.
Spanish Digital Nomad Visa Requirements
- You need to prove your ability to work online from Spain
- Possess expertise in your field
- Show job stability for at least three months
- Have a well-established company with a one-year history
- If you’re self-employed, ensure work for Spanish clients is no more than 20% of your total professional activity
- Prove that you’re over the age of 18
- Show a specific monthly minimum income
- Hold a degree from a university, a vocational training centre or a business school of recognised prestige, or have at least three years of relevant work experience in your current professional field.
- Show income of at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) for one person, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. For 2026 the SMI is €1,221 per month in 14 payments, or €17,094 per year (Real Decreto 126/2026), so the requirement for one person is €34,188 per year. Consulates convert this into a monthly figure in different ways, so confirm the exact monthly amount with your consulate.
- Prove also your income with bank statements, payslips, and employment contracts.
- Prove having a clean criminal record
- If you’re in Spain, show you have the proper legal authorization
Documents for Your Spain Digital Nomad Visa Application
If you have a university degree or at least three years of work experience, here are the documents you’ll need for a digital nomad visa application in Spain.
You’ll need to meet the following requirements:
- Visa application form
- Recent photograph
- Valid passport and photocopy of biometric data pages
- Criminal record certificate
- Proof of legal residence
- If applying through a representative, proof of the representative’s identity and capacity.
- Payment of the visa fee
- Health insurance covering risks insured by Spain’s public health system
As an international worker in Spain, here are some of the specific requirements you’ll need to meet:
- Certification of working for a foreign company for at least three months before your visa application
- Certificate from the commercial registry (or equivalent) showing your company’s incorporation date and business activity
- Compliance with social security obligations in your country or Spain
- Proof that your income from your remote work is at least 200% of the Spanish national minimum wage (SMI), plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one
- University degree or professional certificate proving that you have at least three years of experience in the business activity.
Timeline: The decision deadline is usually ten days but may be extended. You can collect your visa in person within one month of notification. The visa is valid for one year or per the authorization to live and work in Spain.
Cost: If you apply in Spain, the fee (tasa 038) for an initial application is €73.26. If you apply for the visa at a consulate, you pay the visa fee in local currency, and the amount varies by country.
Taxes for Spain Digital Nomad Visa
If you move your tax residence to Spain with a digital nomad visa, you can opt for the special tax regime for workers moving to Spain, known as the Beckham regime (article 93 of the Personal Income Tax Law, LIRPF). Under it, you remain an IRPF (resident) taxpayer but are taxed under non-resident rules: employment income is taxed at 24% up to €600,000 per year and at 47% above that.
The regime is optional and you must request it. It applies for the tax year in which you become resident in Spain and the following five tax years. To qualify, you must not have been tax resident in Spain in any of the previous five tax periods.
Under the regime, all your employment income is treated as obtained in Spain, so the salary you receive from a foreign employer is taxed in Spain. Other income from foreign sources is generally not taxed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spain offer a digital nomad visa?
Yes, Spain offers a Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers employed by non-Spanish companies or self-employed individuals working primarily with foreign clients.
What can be the minimum income for a Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?
You must demonstrate financial means of at least 200% of the Spanish national minimum wage (SMI). In 2026 that is €34,188 per year for one person (SMI €17,094 per year, Real Decreto 126/2026), plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. Confirm the exact monthly figure with your consulate.
Can I work remotely for a US Company?
Yes. You can work remotely in Spain for a US company with the Digital Nomad Visa.
What should you do if your Spain Digital Nomad Visa is denied?
If your application is denied, you can appeal for reconsideration to the office that refused it (the consulate or the UGE) within one month or submit a legal appeal to the High Court of Justice of Madrid within two months.
How can I extend my Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
Before your one-year visa expires, you can apply in Spain to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE) for the digital nomad residence permit, from 60 days before the visa’s expiry date. You still have to show continued eligibility, such as ongoing work for a non-Spanish company or foreign clients and sufficient financial means.
Who can be eligible for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa?
Eligible individuals include remote workers with a contract from a non-Spanish company and self-employed individuals with foreign clients. You must meet financial and professional experience criteria.
What are the restrictions on Digital Nomad Visas in Spain?
Restrictions include the rule that employees must work for a company outside Spain, while self-employed applicants can work for Spanish clients only up to 20% of their total professional activity. And the visa doesn't automatically grant tax residency or full access to public healthcare.
