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Digital Nomad Visa Spain · Law 14/2013 SMI 2026 · OPI data as of 31.03.2026

Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa

Residence for remote work for foreign employers and clients. The key facts in numbers — the rest in the calculators below.

  1. 1Check the requirements7 questions · 1 minute
  2. 2Do the mathsincome, savings, costs
  3. 3Collect documentschecklist and date plan
By Dmitry Sheynkman · Spanish residency expert and tax adviser · updated 28.09.2026
minimum income2,849€ a month for the applicantcouple 3,918 €with a child 4,274 € active nomad permits32,467+129% since end-2024 20working days to a decision 3years of residence at once 24%Beckham Law tax 5years to permanent residence 73.26€ government fee 58%in Barcelona and Madrid

Digital nomad visa Spain requirements: do you qualify?

Choose how you earn and answer seven questions — the dashboard shows what is missing.

Spain’s digital nomad visa is a residence permit for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain — as employees, freelancers or business owners. In 2026 you need at least 2,849 € a month, a relevant degree or three years of experience, and a client or employer that has existed for over a year. Applied from Spain, it gives three years of residence at once.

⚠Will not work as is: income only from private individuals (students, course buyers) — you need at least one company client with a contract; income paid in crypto — you need contracts and payments into a bank account; salary paid “for tax optimisation” into a personal account or in cash.
EmployeeEmployment contract with a foreign company and its permission to work from Spain. The Beckham Law is available.
Freelancer / self-employedContracts with foreign companies; at least 80% of income from abroad. In Spain you register as autónomo.
Business ownerA company abroad older than one year that does not need your physical presence; income from it comes from abroad.

What Spain’s digital nomad visa gives you

And what it does not: the right to work for a Spanish employer and automatic tax exemption.

3 + 2 + 2Long term3-year residence when applying from Spain, renewals for 2 years
5 yearsPath to permanent residenceyears on this permit count; citizenship after 10 years
familyWith youspouse or partner and children apply together with you
workFor adult family membersadult family members can work in Spain
24%Beckham Lawfor employees — on income up to 600,000 €, for 6 years
SchengenFree travel90 days in any 180 in other Schengen countries
healthcareAnd schoolsthe public system on the same terms as residents
20 daysFast decisionworking days at UGE, and silence means approval

Where digital nomads live in Spain

Active digital nomad residence permits by province — main applicants without family members, OPI data from the Ministry of Inclusion as of 31 March 2026. Top ten provinces on the left, the full map on the right.

32,467active digital nomad permits in Spain
58%live in Barcelona and Madrid
+129%growth since 31 December 2024
  1. Barcelona12,41738.2% of all nomads · +140% since end-2024 · rent 19.1 €/m²
  2. Madrid6,39319.7% of all nomads · +143% since end-2024 · rent 21.7 €/m²
  3. Valencia3,67711.3% of all nomads · +110% since end-2024 · rent 14.0 €/m²
  4. Málaga3,0899.5% of all nomads · +129% since end-2024 · rent 17.2 €/m²
  5. Alicante2,1746.7% of all nomads · +87% since end-2024 · rent 12.4 €/m²
  6. Tarragona4581.4% of all nomads · +107% since end-2024 · rent 10.1 €/m²
  7. Balearic Islands4541.4% of all nomads · +85% since end-2024 · rent 20.2 €/m²
  8. Granada3971.2% of all nomads · +218% since end-2024 · rent 10.1 €/m²
  9. Girona3231.0% of all nomads · +89% since end-2024 · rent 13.2 €/m²
  10. Murcia2920.9% of all nomads · +163% since end-2024 · rent 9.5 €/m²
Open the full map ↗

Rent is the median idealista asking price in the province. On the map, the “Startups” and “Highly qualified” switch shows other permits under the same Law 14/2013.

Beyond the 90/180 rule: what the residence card changes

As a visitor you count days. As a resident you live in Spain — with obligations that come with it.

90 / 180days — the visitor limit across the whole Schengen area
no limiton time in Spain with a residence card
29Schengen countries to travel to, 90 days in any 180
EES · ETIASdo not apply to residence permit holders

What it gives

  • Living in Spain without counting days.
  • Trips across Schengen up to 90 days in any 180 with your passport and TIE card.
  • No EES fingerprints at the border and no ETIAS authorisation.

What it does not

  • Living in another Schengen country: after 90 days you need its permit.
  • Working from another country as your base — the permit is for working from Spain.
  • Cyprus and Ireland are not in Schengen — their own rules apply.

Obligations you need to keep the permit

WhatWhen
Get your TIE cardwithin a month of entering on a visa or of approval
Register your address (padrón)in the town where you live most of the year
Report changes of address, nationality, marital statusto the police within a month
Follow the remote work rulesemployees — foreign companies only; freelancers — Spanish clients up to 20%
Keep the permit conditionscontracts, insurance, income are checked again at renewal
Apply for renewalbefore expiry or within 90 days after; later — refusal
ℹYou don’t have to move right away. There is no strict minimum number of days in Spain for renewal. The condition is to keep the permit’s basis and file Spanish tax returns on time. After 183 days in a year you are a Spanish tax resident. For permanent residence, each absence must be under six months and all absences over five years no more than ten months.

Digital nomad visa Spain income requirement: family calculator

The threshold is 200% of the annual minimum wage (SMI) divided by 12, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. Gross amounts.

Spouse / partner
0
Children and other dependants
0
Family size flows into the checklist, costs and taxes. A child’s age does not change the amount.
€
Convert foreign-currency income at the current rate and keep a buffer of about 10%.
How you apply
You need to show
2,849€ a month
34,188 € a year
Enter your income — we’ll show your margin or the savings that close the gap.
FamilyMonthlyYearlyHow it’s calculated
⚠A common mistake is using the monthly SMI. 200% of 1,221 € gives 2,442 €, but UGE uses the annual SMI of 17,094 € divided by 12 — that is 2,849 €. The 407 € difference is a frequent reason for requests for more documents.

How to apply for the digital nomad visa: from Spain or via a consulate

Click a card — the steps and timeline below will rebuild.

Being in Spain legally when you file

Visa-exempt (US, UK, Canada, Australia and others)Enter visa-free and file with UGE within your 90 days: filing on time keeps your stay legal until the decision.
Entered via another Schengen countryWithin three days, declare your entry at a Spanish police station (Declaración de Entrada) — without it UGE cannot see that you are in Spain legally.
Need a Schengen visaEnter with it and file before it expires. If that is not possible, apply at the Spanish consulate where you legally reside: a one-year visa, then three years of residence.

While UGE reviews the application you may travel, but your 90/180 days keep running until the approval. Don’t buy tickets before choosing your route.

Digital nomad visa Spain documents: checklist

The list adapts to your profile and family. Ticks are saved in this browser.

0%ready
ApostilleSworn translation— documents not in Spanish or English are translated into Spanish
ℹCriminal record certificate is needed from the country or countries where you lived over the last two years, apostilled and — if not in Spanish or English — with a sworn translation. You also sign a separate declaration of no criminal record for the last five years; it does not replace the certificate.

Where to get the documents for the digital nomad visa

Where to go, what to do step by step, how long it takes and what it costs.

Criminal record certificatepolice authority + apostille
Where: the national police or records authority of each country you have lived in over the last two years — e.g. FBI Identity History Summary (US), ACRO Police Certificate (UK), RCMP certificate (Canada), AFP National Police Check (Australia)
  1. Order the certificate from the official authority (online in most countries; the FBI requires fingerprints)
  2. Get it apostilled in the issuing country — US: Department of State; UK: FCDO Legalisation Office
  3. If it is not in Spanish or English, have it translated by a Spanish sworn translator together with the apostille
Time:from a few days to several weeks depending on the country; plan for 3–6 weeks including the apostille
Spain usually accepts certificates issued within the last 3 months. Order it last among your documents but early enough to get the apostille. You also sign a separate declaration of no criminal record for the last 5 years.
Degree apostilleapostille authority of the issuing country
Where: the apostille authority of the country that issued your degree (US: the Secretary of State of the issuing state; UK: FCDO)
  1. Some countries require a notarised copy first — check the issuing authority’s rules
  2. Apostille the degree certificate (and the transcript if your specialisation is only visible there)
  3. Sworn translation into Spanish if the degree is not in English
Time:from a few days to a few weeks
A degree must be relevant to your current work. Without a relevant degree, three years of experience in the same field also qualify — prove it with employer letters and contracts.
Company registrationemployer, clients or your company
Where: the official company register of the country where your employer, client or own company is registered (e.g. Companies House in the UK, the Secretary of State in the US)
  1. Check the registration date: your employer or client company must be older than one year
  2. Order an official certificate of incorporation / good standing
  3. Apostille it and add a sworn translation if it is not in English or Spanish
Time:usually a few days plus the apostille
Add a link to the public register entry and the company website: a company that cannot be found online raises doubts about the documents.
Social security certificatefor employees
Where: the social security authority of your home country: a certificate of coverage under its social security agreement with Spain (e.g. US Social Security Administration; UK HMRC; an A1 form within the EU)
  1. Ask your employer to request a certificate of coverage for work in Spain
  2. Check that the dates cover your planned stay
  3. If there is no agreement with your country, the employer has to register with Spanish Social Security
Time:from a few days to several weeks depending on the country
Only for employees of a foreign company. Freelancers and business owners register in Spain as autónomo.
Sworn translationtraductor jurado from the official list
Where: a sworn translator (traductor jurado) from the official list of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs — they can be based anywhere
  1. Find a translator in the Ministry’s search by surname and language
  2. Send a scan or the original: translations come on paper with a stamp or electronically with a qualified signature
  3. Check the name, language and number on the stamp
Cost:no fixed tariff; budget roughly 25–40 € per page
Documents in English are usually accepted without translation by UGE; everything else is translated in full, including the apostille.
Bank certificate and statementsfor three months
Where: your bank: a signed or stamped bank certificate in your name plus account statements for the same period
  1. Request statements for the last 3 months showing the income from your employer or clients
  2. Check that the payments match your contracts, invoices or payslips
  3. Sworn translation if they are not in English or Spanish
Time:the 3-month period should end close to your filing date
The threshold is 2,849 € a month (+1,069 € for the first family member, +356 € for each additional one). A statement exported from an app without the bank’s signature or stamp is not enough.
Declaration of entryif you entered via another Schengen country
Where: any National Police station; the airport police post after baggage claim is the fastest
  1. Download the current Ministry of Inclusion form
  2. Fill it in, in capitals, in two copies
  3. Bring your passport with copies and proof of your route (boarding pass, ticket)
  4. Keep your stamped copy for the residence and TIE applications
Time:within 3 days of entering SpainCost:free
Needed if you entered Spain from another Schengen country, including via a connecting flight: the route matters, not the stamp.
Fees 790-038 and 790-012how to pay
Where: fee 790-038 — on the Ministry of Inclusion portal (sign-in with a digital certificate or Cl@ve); 790-012 for the TIE card — the National Police form
  1. Generate 790-038 before filing with UGE: the amount fills in automatically
  2. Pay online or at a Spanish bank and keep the NRC receipt number
  3. After approval fill in 790-012 (first card) and pay it at a bank
Cost:790-038 — 73.26 € in 2026; first TIE card (790-012) — 16.08 €
For the digital nomad visa the fee is 790-038, paid before filing: without the NRC you cannot submit the application.
FNMT digital certificateto file online with UGE
Where: FNMT: registration offices in Spain (tax agency, social security, by appointment) or Spanish consulates
  1. Install the FNMT configuration software
  2. Request the certificate on the FNMT website with your NIE and get a request code
  3. Verify your identity at an office with your passport and the document showing your NIE
  4. Download the certificate on the same computer and back it up as .pfx/.p12
Time:download about an hour after the office visit; valid for 4 yearsCost:free
You can get it as soon as your NIE is assigned. Without your own certificate, the application is filed by a representative with a professional certificate.
Health insuranceSpanish insurer
Where: a Spanish health insurer registered with the DGSFP
  1. Choose a policy with no co-payments and no waiting periods
  2. Pay the whole year upfront and get proof of payment
  3. Get a certificado de seguro in Spanish with the wording “sin copagos ni carencias”
Cost:depends on age and region: roughly 620–1,100 € a year for an adult
Travel insurance does not qualify. The policy must cover the whole permit period and all applicants; with monthly payments it counts as valid for one month only.
NIEassigned during processing
Where: UGE — the number is assigned while your digital nomad application is processed
  1. File with UGE — no separate NIE application is needed
  2. The NIE appears in the decision
  3. The same number will be on your TIE card
Cost:no separate fee
Your NIE never changes — only the card is renewed. With the NIE assigned you can already get an FNMT digital certificate.
TIE cardfingerprints and card
Where: National Police; fingerprint appointments on the Cita previa Extranjería portal
  1. Choose your province and the procedure “toma de huellas — expedición de tarjeta”
  2. Fill in form EX-17 (first card) and pay 790-012
  3. Bring EX-17, passport and copy, the approval decision, a colour photo and the 012 receipt; some provinces also ask for the padrón certificate
  4. Get the resguardo, then collect the card
Time:apply within a month of approval or entry; the card is ready in about a monthCost:first TIE — 16.08 € (790-012)
The month counts from approval or entry, not from the appointment date: look for an appointment in the first days. Booking an appointment on the official site is free.
Address registration (padrón)at the town hall
Where: the town hall (Ayuntamiento) where you live
  1. Book an appointment on the town hall website (small towns often take walk-ins)
  2. Bring your passport, NIE/TIE if you have one, and a rental contract or the owner’s consent
  3. Get the volante or certificado de empadronamiento
Time:usually on the dayCost:free
You do not need a residence permit to register — a passport is enough. Register soon after arrival: the first registration date is the start of your official residence.

Degree or experience: how to prove your qualification

One of the two is enough: a university degree relevant to your work or at least three years of experience in the same field. Both is safer.

Through education

  • A degree relevant to your work: the field matches your contract.
  • There is no list of “recognised” universities; a related field works if the link is clear from the documents.
  • The degree needs an apostille (and a sworn translation if it is not in English).
  • Courses and certificates add to a degree but do not replace it.

Through experience — 3+ years

  • Letters from past employers with position and dates, old contracts, invoices.
  • The experience must be in the same field as your current contract.
  • For IT, a portfolio and project links help.
  • A CV that connects your experience to your current work.
✓Tie it together in a cover letter: education → experience → current contract. Cases without a degree are approved regularly but need careful preparation — weak proof of experience is a common reason for requests for more documents.
⚠Regulated professions — doctor, psychologist, dentist, physiotherapist, teacher, engineer, architect, lawyer: the file includes a notarised waiver of practising in Spain. Working remotely for foreign clients in your profession is still allowed.

How much the digital nomad visa costs: calculator

2026 government fees plus market ranges for translations, certificates and insurance.

Route
Who applies
just youchange family size
Total, estimate
—
excluding lawyer or gestor fees

Fee 790-038 — 73.26 € per person, 790-012 for the TIE card — 16.08 €; booking a fingerprint appointment on the official site is free. The consular fee depends on the applicant’s nationality (reciprocity). Translations, certificates and insurance are market ranges — check prices with your translator and insurer. If your documents are in English, you may need far fewer translated pages.

Digital nomad taxes in Spain: Beckham Law or the general scale

Move the income slider — we calculate income tax under both regimes and show which is better.

How you earn
80,000 €
Family
no childrenchange
better
Beckham
—
24% up to 600,000 €
better
General scale
—
from 19% to 47%
⚠Beckham applies to employment only and has no deductions: below ~60,000 € a year the general scale with deductions is often better — the calculator only includes the personal and child allowances. Autónomos pay on the general scale. You apply for the regime within six months of registering with Spanish Social Security; foreign passive income is not taxed in Spain under it.

Income tax estimate on the state scale plus an average regional scale: 19% up to 12,450 €, 24% up to 20,200 €, 30% up to 35,200 €, 37% up to 60,000 €, 45% up to 300,000 €, 47% above; personal allowance 5,550 € and child allowances. Excludes social security, regional deductions and regional differences — a precise calculation needs a review of your case.

Timeline: from the first document to the residence card

About 2–2.5 months to a decision. Apostilled certificates take longest, so start them on day one.

What to do after your digital nomad visa is approved

Approval is not the end: some steps have strict deadlines. Go top to bottom.

  1. right away
    Get and keep the decision

    Download the approval resolution. If UGE stayed silent for 20 working days, the application is approved — request written confirmation of positive silence: you will need it for the card and Social Security.

  2. right after the NIE
    Get a digital signature

    You can get an FNMT certificate as soon as your NIE is assigned — no need to wait for the TIE card: request online, verify your identity at an office with your passport and the UGE decision showing the NIE. Free. With it — autónomo, taxes, renewal and all public services online.

  3. after the signature
    Change the notification recipient at UGE — if you want to receive them yourself

    If a representative filed for you, notifications keep going to them: requests at renewal, decisions, messages. To receive them yourself, change the recipient at UGE — easiest right after approval, once you have a digital signature.

  4. within a month
    Book fingerprints and get your TIE card

    The month counts from approval or entry on a visa, so look for an appointment in the first days. You need form EX-17, fee 790-012 — 16.08 €, a photo, passport and the decision. The card is ready in about a month, with your NIE on it.

  5. first weeks
    Register your address

    Empadronamiento at the town hall — free, usually on the day. The first registration date is the start of your official residence, and some provinces ask for it for the TIE.

  6. within 60 days
    Register as autónomo — if you are a freelancer

    Register with Social Security and the tax agency within 60 days of approval, ideally in the first 15: that date starts your activity in Spain. An employee stays in their home country’s social security with a certificate of coverage, or moves to the Spanish one if the employer registers in Spain. If the card has no right-to-work note, show the residence decision to Social Security.

  7. within 6 months
    Apply for the Beckham Law — if you are employed

    24% on income up to 600,000 € for six years. Apply within six months of registering with Spanish Social Security — miss it and the regime is closed.

  8. after registering
    Join the public health system

    With your padrón and Social Security registration you get a health card at your local health centre. The private policy bought for the visa stays valid until it ends.

  9. before expiry
    Renew on time

    After a consular visa — apply to UGE 60 days before it ends for three years of residence. Then the permit is renewed for two years: before expiry or within 90 days after, later — refusal. After five years, permanent residence.

Why applications are refused and how to avoid it

Most refusals and requests are technical. Open an item to see the fix.

ℹA refusal can be appealed within a month or you can reapply with the error fixed. If UGE’s silence period has passed, the decision is positive.

Cases: how people got the digital nomad visa

Real stories from recent months — no names. What got in the way, what was done and how it ended.

Refused without a reason, approved on reapplication: 73 days

73 days
Software developer employed by a foreign company, applied from Spain during a Schengen stay
Problem
The first application was refused over “doubts about the accuracy of the information” without naming the document, and the Schengen stay ended on 15 July.
Solution
We reviewed the file as the caseworker would and found an apostille whose QR code would not open from Spain without a VPN. Instead of an appeal (up to 10 months) the documents were collected again, every QR code was checked from Spain, and the application was refiled on 12 July.
Outcome
Approval came on 23 September 2026 — 44 days after the legal deadline.
💡 Before filing, open every QR code and link on your apostilles from Spain without a VPN — the way the UGE caseworker will check them.

Family of three: approved two years after a refusal

47 working days
Family of three (two adults and a child) who had lived in Georgia for four years; the main applicant runs a Georgian sole proprietorship providing creative services to a US client
Problem
The same visa had been refused two years earlier, and the old documents described physical goods shipped by post — which contradicts remote work.
Solution
The file was rebuilt: a three-year contract, the client’s letter and invoices were rewritten to describe remote professional services; Georgian documents were apostilled in two versions because there are no Georgian sworn translators in Spain.
Outcome
The deadline passed on 6 August (positive administrative silence), but no certificate arrived; three written approvals came on 14 September 2026.
💡 Client documents must describe remote services: anything that contradicts the basis of the visa has to be removed before filing.

Single applicant without a degree: family to join later

49 days
Self-employed remote worker with Russian clients; family — wife and daughter
Problem
Only the main applicant got a five-week single-entry Schengen visa; the wife and daughter were refused. There was no university degree.
Solution
He applied alone, planning for the family to join later; qualification was proven with at least three years of experience. Filed on 5 December, three weeks before the visa expired.
Outcome
After a request for more documents on 8 January and a reply on 21 January, approval came on 23 January; the family was still abroad at the time of publication.
💡 Applying in stages legalises the main applicant but does not make travel easier for the family: if moving together matters, this route does not fit.

Family of four: a request about the client

37 days
Family of four (two adults and two children); remote work under a contract between two businesses
Problem
A month after filing, the authority asked for proof that the client actually operates, and the head of the family had no entry stamp.
Solution
An entry declaration was made at the arrival airport; the request was answered on the fourth working day out of ten with the client’s tax payments, invoices and explanations.
Outcome
Approval for all four two days after the reply.
💡 Collect proof that your client really operates (its invoices and tax payments) before filing, not during the request window.

Unmarried couple: pareja de hecho two weeks before the Schengen stay ended

20 working days
Couple without a registered marriage; the main applicant works remotely under a contract with a foreign client
Problem
The partner could not apply as a spouse, and the Schengen stay ended two weeks after the earliest notary appointment.
Solution
They registered a pareja de hecho at a notary in Barcelona and filed both applications the same day; for the partner, confirmation of positive silence was requested.
Outcome
The main application was approved on the last, 20th working day; the partner’s three days after the silence request.
💡 Filing extends your legal stay until the decision, so before your Schengen stay ends you need to file — not to get the decision.

Family of four with two passports and autónomo registration

27 working days
Family of four (two adults and two children), remote work under a services contract with a foreign company; some family members hold a second citizenship
Problem
They had to choose which passport each person would use, and the authority passed the legal deadline without any requests.
Solution
They filed as one application, some members on one passport and some on another; after the deadline they requested confirmation of positive silence and registered as autónomo after approval.
Outcome
Three-year residence for the whole family on working day 27; at autónomo registration they had to prove the right to work because the TIE card lacked “AUTORIZA A TRABAJAR”.
💡 If your TIE card has no right-to-work note, answer Social Security with a reference to the law and the residence decision.

My digital nomad visa plan

Built from your answers above. Save it as a PDF or copy it — and come to the consultation with a plan.

When to order what

Discuss the plan with an expert

Digital nomad visa Spain: FAQ

What is Spain’s digital nomad visa?

It is a residence permit for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain — as employees, freelancers or business owners. It was introduced by the Startup Law 28/2022, with the conditions set out in Law 14/2013. When you apply from Spain, the permit is granted for three years at once.

How much income do you need for the Spain digital nomad visa in 2026?

2,849 € a month gross for the applicant — 200% of the annual minimum wage (SMI) of 17,094 € divided by 12. Add 75% (about 1,069 €) for the first family member and 25% (about 356 €) for each additional one: a couple needs 3,918 €, a family with a child 4,274 € a month.

Can savings count towards the income requirement?

Yes. If your current income is below the threshold, savings in your account can cover the gap for the whole permit period: the monthly shortfall × 36 months. For example, with 2,500 € instead of 2,849 € a month you would need about 12,600 € in savings.

What documents do you need for the digital nomad visa?

Passport, application form and fee, criminal record certificate with apostille, a declaration of no criminal record, a relevant degree or proof of three years of experience, a CV, three months of bank statements, the contract with a foreign company or clients and those companies’ registration documents. Employees also need private health insurance and a social security certificate of coverage.

How long does the digital nomad visa take?

Preparing the file takes 4–6 weeks, mostly for apostilled certificates. An application filed with UGE from Spain is decided within 20 working days, and silence counts as approval. In total, about 2–2.5 months from the first document to the decision.

How much does the digital nomad visa cost?

Fee 790-038 is 73.26 € per person and the residence card 16.08 €; booking a fingerprint appointment on the official site is free. Applying through a consulate adds a consular fee that depends on your nationality. On top of that come apostilles, sworn translations, certificates and health insurance if you need it.

Can digital nomads use the Beckham Law?

Yes, if you are employed: 24% on income up to 600,000 € a year for six years, applied for within six months of registering with Spanish Social Security. A freelancer registered as autónomo pays on the general progressive scale.

Can you work for Spanish clients on a digital nomad visa?

Freelancers can, but Spanish clients may make up no more than 20% of your total professional activity. The visa does not allow employment with a Spanish company.

Let’s review your case

Dmitry Sheynkman is a Spanish residency expert and tax adviser. He checks your profile against UGE requirements before you file — not after a refusal.

  • whether your contract, company and income qualify
  • which documents and translations you actually need
  • Beckham or the general scale — what is better for your family
Book a free case review Message on WhatsApp
The first review is free and non-binding.