Digital nomad visa: international teleworker residence in Spain
Spain’s international teleworker residence — the digital nomad route — was created by Ley 28/2022 (the Startups Law), which amended Ley 14/2013. It lets remote employees and freelancers live in Spain while working mainly for companies or clients based abroad. You can apply from outside Spain at a consulate, or from within Spain if you are here legally.
This route suits
- Remote employees of companies based outside Spain
- Freelancers and consultants whose clients are mainly outside Spain
- Professionals with a degree or at least three years’ relevant experience
- Families relocating together around one remote income
It’s not designed for
- People whose work is mainly for Spanish companies or clients
- New businesses or employment relationships that cannot yet show the required track record
- Anyone who does not intend to work — the non-lucrative route is designed for that
Key requirements
Remote work for foreign employers or clients
Your employer or clients must be mainly outside Spain. Freelancers may work for Spanish clients, but that work cannot exceed 20% of their total professional activity.
Established relationship
The relationship with your employer or main clients must have existed for at least three months before applying, and the company must have been operating for at least one year.
Qualifications or experience
A university degree or professional qualification, or at least three years’ professional experience in the work you will do remotely.
Income reference
The reference is 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) per month, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. The SMI is updated periodically, so we confirm the current figure at consultation.
Permission to work remotely
Employees usually need a letter from the employer authorising remote work from Spain. Social Security coverage — Spanish or under a bilateral agreement — is also part of the file.
Health cover and certificates
Public or private health insurance valid in Spain, and a criminal-record certificate, apostilled and with a sworn translation where required.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we confirm your situation in a consultation.
Last reviewed: Legal basis: Ley 14/2013 as amended by Ley 28/2022 · RD 1155/2024
How the process works
Eligibility and route review
We test your contract, clients, company history and income against the criteria, and decide whether to apply from abroad (visa) or from within Spain (residence authorisation).
Evidence pack
We assemble and review contracts, employer letters, company documents, Social Security evidence, qualifications and income — checking that each piece supports the others.
Filing
From abroad, the application goes to the consulate; from within Spain, it is filed electronically with the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos). Where a filing legally requires a colegiado professional, it is submitted by our named partner (abogado or gestor administrativo colegiado).
Requerimientos and follow-up
We monitor the application and prepare any response to a requerimiento with you within the deadline.
TIE and settling in
After approval we book your TIE appointment and coordinate padrón, Social Security and the other arrival steps.
After approval
Once approved, you obtain your TIE. Visas issued abroad and authorisations granted in Spain have different initial durations, and both can be renewed while you keep meeting the requirements. Your tax position also changes: some applicants can consider the special regime for inbound workers (Modelo 149), which is worth assessing with a tax adviser before or shortly after arrival, as deadlines apply.
Why files get refused or delayed
- Contracts or client agreements that don’t show the three-month relationship or the company’s one-year history
- Freelance income where the Spanish-client share exceeds the 20% limit, or isn’t clearly evidenced
- No employer letter authorising remote work from Spain, or no Social Security solution
- Inconsistent income evidence between contracts, invoices and bank statements
- Missing apostille or a translation that is not sworn
- Certificates too old for the consulate’s or UGE’s validity window
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the digital nomad visa from inside Spain?
Yes, if you are legally present in Spain — for example during a visa-free stay — you can apply for the residence authorisation through the UGE rather than at a consulate. The choice affects timing and the initial duration, so we assess it case by case.
Can I have Spanish clients on a digital nomad visa?
Freelancers can, but work for Spanish clients cannot exceed 20% of their total professional activity. Employees must work for a company based outside Spain. You should be able to show this clearly with contracts and invoices.
How much income do I need for the Spanish digital nomad visa?
The reference is 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI) per month, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. The SMI is updated, so we confirm the current figure at consultation.
Do digital nomads pay tax in Spain?
If you become tax resident in Spain, you generally pay Spanish tax. Some applicants can consider the special regime for inbound workers, requested with Modelo 149. Eligibility and deadlines are technical, so it is worth assessing with a tax adviser.
Can my family come with me on the digital nomad visa?
Yes. Spouses or partners and children can usually apply as family members, and the income reference increases for each one. They are included in the same planning so their documents are ready at the same time.
Turn this into a plan
The route finder takes two minutes. A consultation turns it into a plan.