Digital nomad visa Spain: The international telework residence permit

The Spain digital nomad visa is a temporary residence authorization that allows citizens of third countries to reside legally in Spain while working remotely for foreign employers or an international client portfolio.

The digital nomad visa Spain introduced under Law 28/2022, the Startup Act, has become the most practical route for non-EU professionals who want to live in Spain while working remotely for companies and clients located outside the country. Formally known as the international telework residence authorization, this permit was designed for a very specific profile: qualified employees, freelancers, consultants, developers, designers, translators and marketing specialists whose work can be performed entirely through digital means.

At our firm, our immigration lawyers manage the entire process on your behalf, from the eligibility review to the delivery of your residence card. This guide explains everything you need to know in 2026, updated after the latest regulatory changes.

What Is the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?

Unlike a standard work permit, it does not require integration into the Spanish labour market: your income must come mainly from abroad.

Key features of this remote work visa for Spain:

• Duration: up to 3 years when applying from within Spain, or a 1-year visa when applying at a Spanish consulate, convertible into a 3-year residence permit once in Spain. It is renewable for 2 additional years.
• Path to permanence: after 5 years of legal residence you may apply for long-term residence in Spain, and eventually for Spanish citizenship (after 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, 10 years for most other nationalities).
• Mobility: the permit grants free movement within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Family: your spouse or partner and dependent children can be included from the very first application.

Who Can Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa in Spain?

This residence permit is addressed to non-EU and non-EEA citizens who fall into one of these categories:

Foreign companies also rely on this figure to relocate remote talent to Spain in full compliance with Spanish immigration, Social Security and tax regulations.

Spain Digital Nomad Visa Requirements 2026

These are the Spain digital nomad visa requirements currently applied by the immigration authorities:

Genuine remote work relationship

You must prove an employment or professional relationship of at least 3 months with a foreign company, and that company must have been operating for at least 1 year. Your contract or client agreements must expressly allow remote work.

Professional qualification or experience

A university degree, recognized specialized training, or at least 3 years of accredited professional experience in your field.

Income requirements

The spain digital nomad visa income requirements are calculated on the Spanish minimum wage (SMI), not the IPREM. Following Royal Decree 126/2026, the thresholds are:
Main applicant: 200% of the SMI, approximately 2,850 euros per month, around 34,200 euros per year. First family member: an additional 75% of the SMI, approximately 1,060 euros per month.
Each additional family member: an additional 25% of the SMI, approximately 357 euros per month.
Income is proved with employment contracts, payslips, client invoices and bank statements. If your monthly income falls slightly short, savings covering the shortfall for the full duration of the permit may be accepted. Our recommendation as lawyers: document more than the minimum.

Social Security coverage

This is the requirement most applications fail on, and the one least explained online. Employees need a certificate of coverage from their home country if a bilateral Social Security agreement with Spain exists (as with the United States or the United Kingdom, among others). If no agreement applies, the usual solution is registering as self-employed (autonomo) in Spain. We analyze your specific case before filing anything.

Health insurance and clean criminal record

Private health insurance with full coverage in Spain from an authorized insurer, plus a criminal record certificate, apostilled and translated, from the countries where you have resided during the last 2 years,

together with a sworn declaration covering the last 5 years.

Required Documents

Official application form. Full passport in force. Employment contract with a foreign company, or proof of a continued professional relationship for freelancers. Degree certificate or evidence of professional experience. Bank certificates, payslips or invoices proving income. Certificate of Social Security coverage or autonomo registration plan. Private medical insurance valid in Spain. Apostilled and translated criminal record certificate. Proof of address in Spain when applying from within the country. All foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and officially translated into Spanish.

How to Apply: Consulate Route vs UGE Route

There are two ways to apply for the digital nomad visa Spain, and choosing the right one changes your timeline significantly:

Consulate route: you file at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence and receive a 1-year visa, which you later convert into a residence permit in Spain. Resolution usually takes 15 to 45 business days depending on the consulate.

UGE route (from within Spain): if you can enter Spain legally, for example as a tourist, you may apply online before the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas) within your 90-day legal stay. This route grants a 3-year permit directly and has a legal resolution period of 20 business days, with positive administrative silence: if no answer is issued in time, the application is deemed approved. This is the route we recommend for most eligible clients.

Important 2026 update: converting a non-lucrative visa or other non-work permits into this authorization from within Spain is no longer permitted, and the UGE has tightened its review of employment contracts and Social Security compliance. Professional preparation of the file matters more than ever.

Taxes for Digital Nomads in Spain: The Beckham Law

One of the strongest advantages of the spain digital nomad visa is tax. Holders who become Spanish tax residents may opt into the special expat regime, commonly known as the Beckham Law, and pay a flat 24% income tax rate on employment income up to 600,000 euros per year, instead of progressive rates that reach 47%. The option must be requested within 6 months of registering with Spanish Social Security, and Spain maintains double taxation treaties with more than 90 countries. Our tax team evaluates whether the regime benefits your specific situation before you commit.

Bringing Your Family

Your spouse or registered partner, dependent children and, in exceptional cases, dependent ascendants can apply together with you from the start. Each family member receives a residence permit linked to yours, and spouses are allowed to work in Spain.

Cost and Processing Times

Government fees are modest: around 80 euros in consular fees, plus approximately 10 euros for the NIE and 73 euros for the residence card (TIE) per person. The real investment is in preparing a file that gets approved the first time. From initial consultation to residence card, most well-prepared UGE applications complete within

2 to 4 months.

Start Your Application with Specialist Immigration Lawyers

The requirements are objective, but the practice of the UGE in 2026 is strict: a missing clause in your contract or an unresolved Social Security question is enough for a refusal. Our immigration lawyers prepare, file and monitor your application end to end, in English and Spanish, and coordinate the tax side so your move to Spain starts on solid ground.