The digital nomad visa for Spain is one of the most popular amongst the nomad community for the sheer range of excellent towns and cities that it encompasses. Want to live in a beautiful, vibrant cultural centre like Barcelona or Madrid? Easy. Want to spend the winter soaking up the sunshine in the Canary Islands? This is also an option with this visa.
Spain's appeal lies in its diversity of locations and favourable tax rates, in roughly equal measure, though the taxation arrangements aren't quite as favourable as those in Malta.
Spain's digital nomad visa was launched in January 2023 after legislation to boost the economy and attract inward investment to the country was passed in November 2022. It is aimed at people from outside the EU, EEC, or Switzerland.
This is because people from those areas already have freedom of movement and can spend as much time in Spain as they please, as long as they register with the municipality and pay appropriate taxes.
There are several perks to the Spanish digital nomad visa, and we have taken a look at some of these below:
A huge perk of the Spanish digital nomad visa is the ability of those who qualify to pay just 24% of tax on earnings up to a threshold of €600,000 for the first four years. This compares favourably with someone earning a similar amount in the UK and being in the 45% tax bracket. People earning this kind of income could save a significant amount of tax.
The tax rate is good but it is still not on par with the favourable tax rates offered in Malta.
This is also favourable when compared to Spain’s regular tax regime for residents and is only an option because of the Startup Law, which was designed to bring new entrepreneurs into the country.
Spain is consistently ranked as having a high quality of life. Much of this is due to the favourable weather, the excellent food and the fact that it can be relatively cheap compared to much of Western Europe. This is obviously dependent on where you go and how tourist-focused the local economy has become.
The sheer range of different places that can be explored while on a digital nomad visa means that even those with intense wanderlust can still travel extensively within Spain and not get bored. If you crave all-year-round sunshine then this is the digital nomad visa for you.
Spain’s digital nomad visa, sometimes referred to as a telework residence permit, is initially one year long. It can be extended to six years in total, and then permanent residence can be applied for once you have stayed long enough to qualify.
This is an excellent chance for people from outside Europe to qualify for permanent residence in one of the most popular, diverse and culturally vibrant parts of the EU.
As with most digital nomad visas, particular criteria underpin the Spanish one, and these can be found below:
Before you can gain access to the Spanish digital nomad visa, you must be able to demonstrate an income of at least twice the Spanish minimum wage. In 2024, the figure that must be met is approximately €2,520 per month and this is subject to annual change based on inflation and other relevant factors. This income threshold is increased if you have an unmarried partner, a spouse and/or dependent children.
The whole premise of this visa is predicated on the fact that you can work remotely. This means that you must be able to show the Spanish authorities that a company outside Spain employs you or that you have clients outside Spain. Up to 20% of your clients may be permissible to be from Spain, but your main focus should not be on Spanish clients or employers.
Applicants for the teleworking residence permit should be able to show that they have a stable working relationship with their employer. This means that they should have been working for their current company for three months or longer when applying for the visa. The employer must be able to confirm that the applicant has a fully remote position and is authorised to undertake their work from Spain.
Although this is an optional extra, it may help the approval process go more smoothly. The Spanish government considers a relevant bachelor’s degree or professional qualification or more than three years of experience in your field as a way to strengthen your application.
A clear criminal record is a prerequisite for obtaining most digital nomad visas, as countries do not want to admit convicted criminals to a route that may end in residency or citizenship. A certificate of good conduct must be submitted from either your home country or from anywhere you have lived in the past five years.
Nearly all visas will share this requirement because the country doesn’t want applicants to come to the country specifically to use the public health system, potentially making its citizens wait longer for treatment.
This is a pretty straightforward process, though you should ensure that you have all of the documents you need to complete it. Being organised at the beginning will make the rest of the process much easier.
The application can be made either from outside or inside Spain. If you are outside Spain, you can approach your local consulate or embassy.
The application fee for this visa can range between €60 to €100, and the processing time can take between 20 and 60 days. You should factor this in when thinking about how and when to apply. If you get this wrong and overstay in Spain before you have the correct visa, this can be a very costly error, so it is best to avoid this if possible.
Once you have been approved, you must apply for a Tarjeta de Identitad de Extranjero (often abbreviated to TIE) at the local immigration office.
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