Come Visit
Al Shafar Tower 1 – Level 15,
Dubai, UAE.
Edition 2026 · Residency for remote workers
Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Live in Europe for the long term without an EU passport and without investing a single euro. Qualify on your remote income alone, apply from inside Spain, and receive a three year residence permit with a clear route to permanent residency and citizenship.
3 years
Initial permit when you apply from inside Spain
€2,849 / mo
Minimum income (200% of the 2026 minimum wage)
20 days
Legal window for a decision, with positive silence
2 years
Citizenship clock for Latin American nationals
Section One
Why remote workers choose Spain
Most European residency routes ask for a six figure investment. Spain asks for proof that you already earn a living abroad. For location independent professionals, that single difference changes everything.
Apply From Inside Spain
If you have visa free access to the Schengen area, you can land as a visitor and file your application online from within Spain. Approved cases receive a three year residence permit instead of the one year visa issued by a consulate abroad.
No Investment Required
This is a residence permit, not a golden visa. There is no property to buy, no fund to subscribe, and no capital to lock away. You qualify on steady income earned from clients or an employer based outside Spain.
A Real Path to a Passport
Five years of legal residence opens the door to long term residency. Citizenship follows after ten years, or after just two years for nationals of Latin America, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Andorra, and people of Sephardic Jewish origin.
Section Two
What the Spain Digital Nomad Visa actually is
The Digital Nomad Visa was created under Spain’s Startup Law (Ley 28/2022), in force since 2023, as part of a package designed to attract remote talent and innovation. In the immigration code it sits under the international teleworking provisions, and it is processed by a specialist national unit rather than a local office.
There are two ways in, and both lead to the same residence status. The first is the consular route: you apply at a Spanish consulate in your country of residence and receive a telework visa valid for up to one year, which you later convert into a residence card. The second, which far fewer people realise exists, is to enter Spain as a visitor and apply online for the three year residence authorisation from within the country.
When you file from inside Spain and the case is approved, immigration must reach a decision within 20 business days. Crucially, positive administrative silence applies: if the unit fails to decide within the legal window, your permit is treated as granted. You are already living in Spain while the file is processed, not waiting at home for months.
Initial permit
3 years
Minimum income
€2,849 / mo
Decision window
20 business days
Spanish income cap
20% maximum
Renewal
Plus 2 years
Long term residence
At 5 years
Tax option
24% flat
Citizenship
10 yrs / 2 yrs
Section Three
Two ways to apply, two very different outcomes
The route you choose decides how long your first permit lasts and how quickly you can settle. For most people who already qualify, applying from inside Spain is the stronger move.
Route One
From a consulate abroad
- Telework visa valid for up to one year
- Converted into a residence card after you arrive
- In practice the process runs around four months
- No positive silence: a late file is not auto approved
- Useful if you cannot travel to Spain first
Recommended for most
From inside Spain
- Three year residence authorisation from day one
- File online, ideally within your first 60 of 90 Schengen days
- Decision in 20 business days, with positive silence
- You live in Spain while the case is processed
- No consulate appointment required
Section Four
Who qualifies, in plain terms
Compared with most European options the bar is reasonable, especially if you already work remotely. These are the points that decide a file.
Genuinely remote work
You work for a company or clients based outside Spain, as an employee on a remote contract or as a freelancer serving foreign clients.
Income of about €2,849 a month
The main applicant shows 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, roughly €34,188 a year for 2026. Add about €1,068 for a partner and €356 for each child.
Mostly foreign income
If you freelance, no more than 20% of your professional income may come from Spanish clients. At least 80% must be earned abroad.
An established relationship
You have worked with that employer or those clients for at least three months, and the company has been operating for at least one year.
Qualification or experience
You hold a university degree, or you can show at least three years of professional experience in your field.
The standard documents
Private health insurance valid in Spain, a clean criminal record for the years you have lived abroad, and proof of where you will stay.
Section Five
The Beckham Law tax advantage
24%
flat rate, versus progressive rates that climb toward 47%
Spain’s special regime for inbound workers, widely known as the Beckham Law, can tax your Spanish employment income at a flat 24% on the first €600,000 each year. Foreign income generally falls outside the Spanish net while you hold the regime.
You must not have been a Spanish tax resident in the five years before your move, and you apply within six months of registering with Spanish social security. Under the 2026 Startup Law refinements, holders of the Digital Nomad Visa can now access the regime, not only salaried employees, and a spouse and children may be included.
For freelancers, the treatment is more nuanced, and the tax saving should never be the only reason you move. Confirm your own position with a qualified Spanish tax adviser before you rely on it.
Section Six
From a tourist landing to a second passport
Used well, this permit is far more than a year of working from a Spanish balcony. It is a structured path to settling in Europe for good.
1
Enter and apply
Land in Spain as a visitor and file the residence application online while you are in legal stay.
2
Three year permit
On approval you hold a three year residence authorisation, renewable for a further two years.
3
Long term residence
After five years of continuous legal residence you apply for long term status, no longer tied to the nomad category.
4
Citizenship
Naturalise after ten years, or after just two years if you hold a qualifying nationality.
Latin American nationals enjoy a double advantage in Spain: naturalisation after two years and, by treaty, the right to keep their original nationality. Official programme details are published by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs at exteriores.gob.es.
Book Now
Book a private consultation
Every situation is a little different. The fastest way to know whether this path fits you is a short call with someone who works with these permits every day. Pick a time that suits you below.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I really apply from inside Spain as a tourist?
Yes, if you hold a passport with visa free access to the Schengen area, such as a United States passport. You enter as a visitor and file the residence application online, ideally within your first 60 of the 90 days of legal stay. Approved cases receive a three year permit rather than the one year visa issued by a consulate.
How much income do I need to show in 2026?
The main applicant shows 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, which works out to about €2,849 a month, or roughly €34,188 a year. A partner adds about 75% and each child about 25%. The figure is tied to the minimum wage, so it is reviewed as that wage changes.
How long does a decision take?
When you apply from inside Spain the unit has 20 business days to decide. Positive administrative silence applies, so a file that is not decided in time is treated as approved. In practice most approvals arrive within a few weeks.
Can I bring my family?
Yes. A spouse or partner and dependent children can be included, with the income requirement rising by about 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional person.
Does this visa lead to permanent residency and citizenship?
It does. The three year permit renews for a further two years. After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for long term residence, and citizenship follows after ten years, or after only two years for nationals of Latin America, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, Andorra, and people of Sephardic Jewish origin.
What is the Beckham Law and can I use it?
It is a special tax regime that can apply a flat 24% rate to Spanish employment income up to €600,000 a year. Recent reforms opened it to Digital Nomad Visa holders, not only employees. The treatment for freelancers is more nuanced, so confirm your own position with a qualified Spanish tax adviser. This page is general information, not personal tax advice.
Build the right plan, with the right adviser
Tell me about your work, your income, and your timeline. I will tell you honestly whether the Spain Digital Nomad Visa is your best route, and map the steps if it is.