Spain Digital Nomad Visa — FAQ & do-it-yourself guide

It is a residence route for non-EU/EEA/Swiss people who work remotely for companies or clients located outside Spain, letting them live in Spain legally while doing that work. Its formal name is the authorization for international teleworking, created by Spain's Startups Law (Ley 28/2022, which amended Ley 14/2013). It exists in two forms: a visa issued by a Spanish consulate abroad, and a residence authorization issued from inside Spain by the UGE (see the section on where to apply).

In broad terms you qualify if all of the following are true:

• •You are a non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen.
• •You work remotely for an employer or clients based outside Spain (employees must have a foreign employer; self-employed/freelancers work mainly for foreign clients).
• •You have a clean criminal record.
• •You meet the financial means requirement (income and/or savings — see below).
• •You have qualifying education or experience (a degree/postgraduate qualification, a recognized professional certificate, or at least 3 years of relevant experience).
• •Your relationship with the employer/clients is at least 3 months old, and the company has at least 1 year of real, continuous activity.
• •You have health insurance valid in Spain.

This is general guidance, not a determination — confirm the current requirements with your consulate or the UGE.

Both can apply, but the rules differ slightly:

• •Employees must work for an employer located outside Spain. Under the DNV, a salaried employee generally cannot work for a Spanish employer at all.
• •Self-employed / freelancers must work mainly for non-Spanish clients, but may do some work for a company located in Spain — capped at 20% of their total professional activity (see the 20% cap section).

There are two routes, and choosing between them is one of the most important early decisions:

1. Consulate abroad (the visa route). You apply at the Spanish consulate that covers where you legally live. If approved, you get an initial visa valid for up to 1 year. You then travel to Spain and, if you want to stay longer, convert it into a longer residence authorization and obtain a TIE card.

2. UGE inside Spain (the residence-authorization route). If you are already legally in Spain (for example, as a tourist within your permitted stay), you can apply directly to the UGE — the *Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos* — for a residence authorization of up to 3 years. You do not need a prior visa for this route.

In short: the consulate route gives ~1 year first; the in-Spain UGE route can give up to 3 years directly.

The UGE (*Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos*) is the specialized unit of Spain's Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration that decides DNV residence authorizations filed from inside Spain. It is known for being relatively fast and for applying positive administrative silence (see the timeline section).

It depends on your situation, and you should confirm details for your case:

• •The UGE (in-Spain) route is popular because the initial permit can be up to 3 years and the UGE has a fast statutory deadline. You must be legally in Spain when you file.
• •The consulate route is done from your home country and gives an initial ~1-year visa first. Consulate processing times and exact document lists vary by consulate, sometimes significantly. This is a common source of confusion, so read your specific consulate's page carefully.

You must show financial means of 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI). That percentage is stable and comes from the law; the euro amount depends on the current SMI and how it is calculated.

For 2026, the SMI is €1,221/month paid in 14 instalments (€17,094/year). Spanish immigration offices usually annualize this to a 12-month figure: €1,221 × 14 ÷ 12 = €1,424.50/month. Doubling that gives a single-applicant requirement of approximately €2,849/month (about €34,188/year).

Important caveat: some consulates instead apply 200% to the *raw* monthly SMI, which produces a lower figure. So treat ~€2,849/month as an approximate, conservative figure and confirm the exact amount with your consulate/UGE, especially the SMI in force on your application date.

On top of the main applicant's 200%, you add:

• •+75% of the SMI for the first family member.
• •+25% of the SMI for each additional family member.

Using the app's annualized basis (€1,424.50), that is roughly +€1,068/month for the first family member and +€356/month for each additional one. So a couple would need approximately €2,849 + €1,068 ≈ €3,917/month.

Caveat: these euro figures depend on which SMI base the consulate uses. Some consulates apply the percentages to the *raw* monthly SMI (€1,221), which gives lower amounts (around +€916 and +€305). The percentages (75% / 25%) are firm; the euros are approximate — confirm with your consulate.

Yes. You can prove means by income, by savings, or a combination. If your monthly income falls short of the threshold, the shortfall can be covered by savings.

As a planning rule of thumb (not an official figure), this app estimates the savings needed as the monthly shortfall × 24 months — for example, a €849/month shortfall works out to about €20,376 in savings. This multiplier is not fixed in law and varies in practice. Official guidance says funds should cover the full validity period of the authorization — which points to roughly 12 months for the consular visa or up to 36 months for the 3-year in-Spain permit, and different practitioners use 24 or 36 months. Bottom line: the 24-month figure is one common convention, not a legal rule — confirm the multiplier for your route with your consulate or the UGE.

The core rule is that you work for companies outside Spain. The law allows a limited carve-out: a self-employed applicant may also work for a company located in Spain, as long as that work is no more than 20% of their total professional activity.

Two important clarifications: (1) the law phrases it as 20% of professional activity, though in practice it is often treated as an income cap; and (2) the 20% carve-out is for the self-employed — salaried employees may not work for a Spanish employer at all (effectively 0%). Compliance is checked at renewal, so keep records.

At least 3 months before the application date. For employees, the company certificate states your seniority (at least 3 months); for freelancers, you show a professional relationship with one or more non-Spanish companies for at least the last 3 months.

The foreign employer/company (or group) must show real and continuous activity for at least 1 year. The precise standard is 'at least one year of genuine activity,' proven with a commercial registry / companies-house certificate — not merely that the company was registered.

You meet the qualification requirement either way:

• •Education / credentials: a degree or postgraduate qualification from a university, a recognized vocational/professional-training program or professional certificate, or a business school; or
• •Experience: at least 3 years of professional experience in functions similar/relevant to the remote role.

You only need one of these, not both.

Exact lists vary by consulate/UGE, but the common set is:

• •Passport (and NIE/current residence permit if you already have them)
• •Employment contract / service agreement and a remote-work authorization letter from your employer
• •Company registration certificate and proof the company has ≥1 year of activity
• •Payslips and/or invoices, plus bank statements
• •Degree/diploma or professional certificates, or proof of 3+ years of experience; often a CV
• •Criminal-record certificate
• •Health insurance policy/certificate (or an S1 form)
• •Where relevant: social security declaration / A1 or coverage certificate
• •For family: marriage certificate, birth certificates
• •Plus apostilles and sworn Spanish translations where required (see below)

**Foreign *public* documents must be authenticated before Spain will accept them — most importantly the criminal-record certificate, your degree, and marriage/birth certificates** for family. Authentication is done in one of two ways:

• •Hague Apostille if the issuing country is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention; or
• •Consular (diplomatic) legalization if it is not a Hague country.

Documents issued by an EU member state generally need no legalization at all — though a non-EU applicant's criminal-record certificate typically still needs an apostille/legalization. Private/supporting documents (passport, CV, bank statements, payslips, employer letters) usually need neither apostille nor sworn translation. Requirements vary by consulate — confirm yours.

Any required foreign document not already in Spanish generally needs an official Spanish translation — usually a traducción jurada by a translator appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC). Key points:

• •The **apostille must be affixed *before* translation**, because the translator also translates the apostille.
• •The translation itself does not need a separate apostille.
• •Other official translation forms can be accepted (e.g. done/certified by a Spanish consulate). Which translators are accepted varies by consulate — use your consulate's approved list where one is provided.

You need an official criminal-record (police) certificate. Note two points where common online guidance is often wrong:

• •Coverage period: official Spanish consulate pages generally require the certificate to cover the country/countries where you lived for the last 2 years — *not* 5. Separately, you sign a responsible declaration self-attesting to no criminal record for the last 5 years. (The 5-year figure belongs to that declaration, not the certificate. A few consulates word this differently, so check yours.)
• •Recency: the certificate generally cannot be older than 6 months at submission (unless it states a longer validity). The commonly cited '~90 days' figure is not the official standard.

The certificate must be apostilled/legalized and have a sworn Spanish translation. Country specifics: US applicants typically need an FBI federal certificate (federal apostille); UK applicants use an ACRO certificate.

You need full health coverage valid in Spain:

• •A private policy from an insurer authorized to operate in Spain (registered with the DGSFP), covering all the risks covered by Spain's public health system, for the full validity of the authorization, with no copayments and no waiting periods. Travel insurance does not qualify.
• •Alternatively, public coverage works: an S1 form registered with Spanish Social Security, or a certificate of rights under an applicable international social-security agreement, satisfies the requirement.

Practical note: because first-time applicants usually don't yet have Spanish Social Security coverage, most people buy a compliant private policy for the initial application and consider the public route later (e.g. at renewal).

It depends on the route: the consular visa is valid up to 1 year; the in-Spain UGE authorization is up to 3 years (or the length of your work contract if shorter). It is renewable, typically in 2-year periods, as long as you still meet the requirements. After 5 continuous years of legal residence, you can become eligible for long-term (EU) / permanent residence, which is a stronger status not tied to the DNV's work conditions.

The NIE is your foreigner identification number (used on Spanish paperwork). The TIE (*Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero*) is the physical residence card you carry in Spain.

• •If you hold a 3-year residence authorization (or convert your visa to one), you apply for the TIE in person after arriving in Spain, generally within about 30 days.
• •If you only hold the initial 1-year consular visa, a TIE is not strictly required for that year — you can live in Spain on the valid visa, and you apply for the TIE later (typically shortly before the visa expires) if you extend your stay via the UGE.

Yes. Your family unit — spouse or registered partner, dependent minor children, and dependent ascendants — can be included. You must meet the higher financial threshold (+75% of SMI for the first family member, +25% for each additional one) and provide their documents: marriage certificate, birth certificates, and their own criminal-record certificates where applicable, each apostilled/legalized and sworn-translated as needed. Family members are generally added together with, or joined to, the main applicant's application.

Yes — general information only, not tax advice. DNV holders who are employees of a non-Spanish company may elect Spain's special regime for displaced workers (the 'Beckham Law,' Article 93 of the IRPF law). Under it, Spanish-source employment income is taxed under non-resident rules at a flat 24% up to €600,000/year (and 47% above that), for the arrival year plus 5 more years.

Key points: it is an option you must actively elect (via *Modelo 149*, generally within 6 months of registering for Social Security/starting work); you must not have been a Spanish tax resident in the prior 5 years; and it is aimed at the employee route — self-employed/autónomo situations often don't qualify. Your personal tax position is specific to you, so speak to a Spanish tax adviser about your own situation.

General information only, not advice. Depending on your situation and country, you may either be covered by your home-country social security via a coverage certificate (e.g. an A1 within the EU, or a certificate under a bilateral totalization agreement — often shown with an S1), or you may need to register and contribute in Spain (common for self-employed autónomos). This affects both your healthcare route and your obligations, so confirm your case with a qualified professional.

For the in-Spain UGE route, you pay the government fee tasa modelo 790, código 038 (the fee for work/residence authorizations), generated and paid on the official portal — recently around €73–76 for the initial authorization (renewals slightly higher). The paid receipt must accompany your application or it won't be accepted. Getting the physical TIE later involves a separate small fee (tasa 012).

For the consulate (visa) route, you instead pay the consular visa fee directly to the consulate (roughly €80–90, varying by nationality/reciprocity). Amounts change — verify the live figure when you file.

It depends on the route:

• •UGE (in-Spain): the statutory deadline is 20 working days, and it benefits from positive administrative silence — meaning if the UGE doesn't decide within the period, the application is deemed approved. In practice decisions often arrive within a couple of weeks. Note: if the UGE issues a request for more documents (*requerimiento*), the clock pauses, and you may need to formally request a silence certificate to confirm an approval — so it isn't fully automatic.
• •Consulate (abroad): no 20-day rule and no positive silence. Times vary widely by consulate (commonly a few weeks to a couple of months).

Build in extra time for the slow parts you control: apostilles and sworn translations can each take days to weeks.

The most frequent, avoidable problems are:

• •Insufficient or poorly evidenced income/savings — not clearing ~200% of SMI, or savings that don't cover the required period.
• •Missing apostilles or sworn translations, or getting them in the wrong order (apostille must come before translation).
• •Criminal-record certificate too old (over 6 months) or covering the wrong period/countries.
• •Non-compliant health insurance — travel insurance, policies with copayments or waiting periods, or insurers not authorized in Spain.
• •Company/relationship conditions not met — under 3 months with the employer/clients, or company under 1 year of activity.
• •Too much Spanish-source work (over the 20% cap for freelancers; any Spanish employer for employees).
• •Inconsistent documents — names, dates, amounts, or job titles that don't match across contract, payslips, and bank statements.
• •Using the wrong/old consulate requirements — many online lists are outdated or from a different consulate.

• •Start from your specific consulate's (or the UGE's) official page and use that checklist as the source of truth.
• •Do apostilles and translations early — they're the slowest step. Apostille first, then sworn-translate.
• •Make your money story airtight: enough income and/or savings, with matching contract, payslips/invoices, and bank statements.
• •Get a compliant insurance policy (authorized in Spain, no copays, no waiting periods) — or arrange S1/public coverage.
• •Keep all figures and names consistent across every document.
• •Confirm the current SMI-based thresholds and fees before filing, since they change.
• •Keep proof of the ≥3-month relationship and the company's ≥1-year activity.

It offers an optional, affordable human document-readiness review *before* you submit. A real reviewer looks at the documents you upload and flags what's missing, the wrong type, or an obvious problem, so you can fix issues before filing. It does not submit anything for you and does not decide your visa.

Plans (prices are VAT-exclusive; Stripe adds VAT at checkout for EU customers, none outside the EU):

• •Essential — €99: a human check of every document you upload, flagging missing docs, wrong types, and obvious mistakes, with a written report. One applicant, no re-check.
• •Standard — €129 (recommended): everything in Essential, plus specific fix-it notes, a prioritized to-do list, and one free re-check after you fix things.
• •Plus — €199: everything in Standard, for two applicants (e.g. you + partner), a second re-check, and email Q&A.

There's also a free eligibility questionnaire to try first. Uploaded files are stored only for the review and deleted automatically afterward (GDPR).

No. NomadVisaService is not a law firm and provides no legal advice. It cannot and does not guarantee approval — the only bodies that can grant or refuse a DNV are the Spanish consulate or the UGE. The service is a pre-submission document check to reduce avoidable mistakes; final decisions, and any legal or tax questions about your specific case, rest with the Spanish authorities and, if you need it, a qualified immigration lawyer or tax adviser.