How to apply for the digital nomad visa in Spain: complete guide for 2026

Every year, more professionals and families from the United States and the United Kingdom choose Spain as their home: for the quality of life, the light, the culture and the time it gives back. The digital nomad visa in Spain is the residence route designed for them. It allows non-EU nationals to live here while they keep working for clients or employers abroad.

In this guide I explain who qualifies, what the authorities ask for in 2026 and how to apply, either from your country or from Spain. It is the same approach I follow with my own clients: plan with time, prepare every document carefully, and make the move with peace of mind.

What is the digital nomad visa in Spain?

The official name is the residence for international telework. It was created by Spain’s Startups Law (Ley 28/2022), which added article 74 bis to Law 14/2013 on support for entrepreneurs. It is designed for people who work remotely, using only computers and telecommunications, for companies located outside Spain.

It suits three main profiles:

• Remote employees of a company based outside Spain.
• Self-employed professionals with clients abroad.
• Founders and consultants whose business and clients are mainly outside Spain.

Requirements for the digital nomad visa in 2026

1. A genuine remote working relationship

• Employees: at least three months working for the company before applying, and the company’s written authorisation to work remotely from Spain.
• Self-employed: a contract of at least three months with the foreign client, and the terms under which you will work remotely.
• Company seniority: the company (or main client) must have been operating for at least one year.
• Spanish clients: self-employed professionals may work for Spanish companies, but this work cannot exceed 20% of their total professional activity. Employees may only work for their foreign employer.

2. Qualifications or professional experience

You need a university degree or postgraduate qualification, a vocational or business school qualification, or at least three years of professional experience in your field. Regulated professions require proof that the qualification is recognised.

3. Sufficient income

The income requirement is linked to Spain’s minimum wage (SMI), which for 2026 is €1,221 per month in 14 payments, or €17,094 per year.

• Main applicant: 200% of the SMI. In practice, about €34,188 per year, or roughly €2,849 per month.
• First family member: an additional 75% of the SMI, about €12,820 per year.
• Each additional family member: an additional 25% of the SMI, about €4,273 per year.

The authorities look at income from your remote work. Savings can support the application, but the origin and availability of the funds must be documented.

4. Clean criminal record

You must have no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you have lived during the last two years. You will need a police certificate from those countries, legalised or apostilled and translated into Spanish by a sworn translator, together with a signed declaration of no criminal record for the last five years.

5. Health coverage

Either Spanish Social Security coverage, or private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain with full cover. Travel insurance, reimbursement-only plans and policies with co-payments or waiting periods are not accepted.

6. Social Security: budget for it from the start

This is the point that deserves the most attention. In most cases, holders of this residence pay Social Security contributions in Spain: employees through their foreign employer’s registration with Spanish Social Security, and self-employed professionals through the Spanish self-employed scheme (RETA).

Some applicants try to rely instead on a bilateral social security agreement and a certificate of coverage from their home country. In practice, applications based on these agreements carry a high risk of refusal, for a variety of reasons.

Before applying, review the full cost of this residence route, including Social Security contributions, and decide whether it makes sense for you. Many applicants overlook this part and are surprised when the first payments arrive. Proper advice before you apply, and following it, is the best way to avoid costly surprises later.

Two ways to apply

From your country: the visa route

You apply at the Spanish consulate for your place of residence. Some consulates, including New York, require you to obtain a NIE (foreigner identity number) before you apply. The visa is granted for one year, and the consulate must decide within ten days of a complete application, although this can be extended if they request an interview or more documents.

Before the visa expires, you apply in Spain for the residence authorisation to continue living here.

From Spain: the residence authorisation route

If you are legally in Spain, for example during a visa-free stay, you can apply directly for the residence authorisation. The application is filed online with the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE), and the government fee for 2026 is €73.26 per applicant.

The residence authorisation is granted for up to three years and can then be renewed. After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for long-term residence.

Family members

Your family can apply with you or join you later. This includes your spouse or registered partner, minor children, adult children who depend on you financially, and dependent parents. Family members receive authorisation to live and work in Spain, both as employees and self-employed.

Common mistakes that delay or refuse applications

• Applying before completing three months with the employer or client.
• A company letter that does not clearly authorise remote work from Spain.
• Not budgeting for Spanish Social Security contributions, or relying on a social security agreement without proper advice.
• Choosing health insurance with co-payments or waiting periods.
• Police certificates that are out of date, not apostilled or not translated by a sworn translator.
• Income that does not match the documents: contracts, invoices and bank statements must tell the same story.
• Not working with a lawyer registered with a Spanish Bar Association who specialises in these applications.

Tax: plan before you arrive

Becoming resident in Spain usually means becoming tax resident. Depending on your circumstances, the special tax regime for inbound workers may be available, but it has its own conditions and deadlines. It is worth reviewing your tax position with a specialist before you move, not after.

Living in Spain as a remote professional

Many of the international families I advise choose Seville, Málaga or the coast of Andalusia: the climate, the culture, an excellent healthcare system, and a growing community of professionals who, like them, have made Spain their home. If you also plan to buy a home, it is wise to coordinate the residence application and the purchase from the start, so that the timing works for both.

Planning to buy a home in Spain as well? Read Buying a property in Spain: what foreign buyers need to know, or learn more about my work as a real estate lawyer in Seville.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for the digital nomad visa from Spain?

Yes, if you are in Spain legally, for example during a visa-free stay. You apply for the residence authorisation directly, without returning to your country.

How long does the digital nomad residence last?

The visa issued by a consulate is valid for one year. The residence authorisation obtained in Spain is granted for up to three years and can be renewed.

Can I work for Spanish clients?

Only if you are self-employed, and only up to 20% of your total professional activity.

Can my family come with me?

Yes. Your spouse or partner, children and dependent parents can apply, and they can work in Spain.

What my clients say

The families who settle in Spain most smoothly have something in common: they prepare their application with time and follow expert legal advice at every step. Volkan Yilmaz  obtained his  digital nomad visa and their family’s residency in southern Spain this way. They describe Spanish administration as a maze of unexpected hurdles that we worked through together, update by update, until the residency was secured. In their words: She’s in it until the finish line!

Read their full testimonial

Personal guidance for your move

Every application I handle is prepared personally, with the discretion and attention to detail that an important decision deserves: we review your profile, choose the best route, and check every document before it is filed. With 23 years of experience in Spanish immigration and real estate law, my aim is that you can focus on your new life while the legal side is in expert hands. If you are planning your move, I would be glad to help: you can request a private consultation or read more about my visa and residency services.

This article contains general information based on the regulations in force when it was written (2026). It does not replace personalised legal advice. Requirements and amounts may change, so please check your own case before applying.