Digital Nomad Visa · 🇪🇸 Spain

Spain Digital Nomad Visa (2026): income, cost & how to apply

Figures verified · July 2026

The long-game option: renewable up to five years with a real path to permanent residency.

Requirements at a glance

• Non-EU/EEA citizen working remotely for non-Spanish companies (freelancers: max 20% of income from Spanish clients)
• Income ≥ ~€2,850/month, proven via contracts, payslips, or bank statements
• 3+ months of prior relationship with your employer/clients; company operating for 1+ year
• Degree, professional certification, or 3+ years of relevant work experience
• For employees: social-security coverage — either an A1 certificate from a treaty country or the employer registers in Spain (this is the step that trips up most applicants)
• Clean criminal record (last 2–5 years), private health insurance

How to apply

1. Decide on the route: consulate in your home country (1-year visa) or apply from inside Spain within your legal 90 days (3-year permit).
2. Assemble the file: work contract(s), income proof, qualifications, criminal record with apostille, insurance, and the social-security piece for employees.
3. Submit and wait for approval, then get your TIE residence card in Spain.
4. Renew before expiry; after 5 years of residence you can apply for permanent residency.

Money: savings alternative & taxes

Savings route. A bank balance covering the equivalent amounts is generally accepted in place of monthly income.

Tax. Eligible employees can opt into Spain's special expat regime (the 'Beckham law' framework extended by the Startup Act): a 24% flat rate on Spanish-taxable employment income up to €600,000 for up to 6 years. Freelancers generally can't use it — get advice.

Processing time. Consulate route: typically 2–4 weeks for the visa. In-Spain applications via UGE: around 20 working days by law, longer in practice.

Worth knowing: The 20%-Spanish-clients cap for freelancers and the employer social-security requirement are enforced — plan these before you apply, not after.

Frequently asked questions

How much income does the Spain digital nomad visa require in 2026?

About €2,850 per month — the law sets it at 200% of the minimum interprofessional salary (SMI), so the exact euro figure changes when the SMI does. Add roughly €1,070/month for a spouse and €355/month per child.

What is the tax rate for digital nomads in Spain?

By default, normal Spanish progressive rates once you're tax-resident. Eligible relocated employees can opt into the special regime with a 24% flat rate on employment income up to €600,000 for up to six years. The option has strict conditions and mostly excludes self-employed applicants — take professional advice before counting on it.

Can I get permanent residency through Spain's digital nomad visa?

Yes — this is Spain's big advantage. The permit is renewable up to five years, and five years of continuous legal residence qualifies you to apply for long-term/permanent residency.

Can freelancers with Spanish clients apply?

Only partially: self-employed applicants may earn at most 20% of their income from Spanish companies. The core of your work must be for clients outside Spain.

Do I apply from Spain or from my home country?

Both routes exist. Applying at a consulate abroad gives a 1-year visa; applying from inside Spain (while legally there, e.g. within your visa-free 90 days) can grant a 3-year residence permit directly, which many applicants prefer.

Primary source: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs / UGE. Thresholds tied to wages or salaries change every year — the figures above were verified July 2026. Travel insurance that satisfies visa requirements: nomad insurance from ~€2/day.