Quick Answer
Income 2026: €2,442 gross a month (200% of the SMI), +€915.75 for the first family member and +€305.25 for each further one
Who: Non-EU nationals working remotely for companies outside Spain; the self-employed may invoice Spanish clients up to 20%
Where: Consulate (1-year visa, 10 working days) or from Spain at the UGE (3 years, 20 days, deemed granted if silent)
What sinks applications: a company under 1 year old, under 3 months of relationship, insurance with co-payments, no social security registration
Tax: 24% up to €600,000 for 6 years, for employees who meet article 93
Table of Contents
The digital nomad visa, which the law calls "residence for international remote work", has existed since December 2022 (Law 28/2022 added it to Law 14/2013). It lets a non-EU national live in Spain while working remotely for companies based elsewhere.
It is the residence route we get the most questions about, and the one with the most versions in circulation: last year's income figure, invented deadlines, and tax promises the law does not make. This guide is written from the text of the law, the 2026 minimum wage decree, and the documents of the Large Companies Unit (UGE), the office that decides. Every claim points to an official source at the end. Where the law is silent, we say so.
Who qualifies
- You are not an EU citizen and have no equivalent free-movement rights. For Europeans the visa neither exists nor is needed.
- You are over 18 and not in Spain irregularly. Being here as a tourist is regular.
- You work remotely for companies based outside Spain, using only IT and telecoms means. If you are an employee, you may only work for companies abroad. If you are self-employed or freelance, you may invoice Spanish companies for up to 20% of your activity.
- Your relationship with that company is at least 3 months old on the day you apply, and the company authorises remote work in writing.
- The company has at least 1 year of real, continuous activity.
- You are qualified: a degree from a university, vocational school or business school of recognised standing, or 3 years of professional experience in similar functions.
- No criminal record in Spain or in the countries you lived in during the last 2 years, with certificates, plus a sworn declaration covering the last 5.
- Health insurance, public or private, with an insurer authorised in Spain, or Spanish social security coverage.
- Sufficient income for you and your family, calculated on the minimum wage. Next section.
How much you must earn in 2026
| Who | Per month (gross) | Per year (14 payments) |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant alone | €2,442 | €34,188 |
| Applicant + 1 family member | €3,357.75 | €47,008.50 |
| Applicant + 2 family members | €3,663 | €51,282 |
| Each further family member | + €305.25 | + €4,273.50 |
Two ways to apply: consulate or from inside Spain
| Visa at the consulate | Authorisation at the UGE (from Spain) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Spanish consulate in your country of residence | Online, while legally in Spain (as a tourist counts) |
| What you get | A visa of up to 1 year, valid as residence | A residence authorisation of up to 3 years |
| Decision deadline | 10 working days, extendable if an interview or documents are requested | 20 days from filing |
| If they do not answer | The law sets no positive silence for the visa | Positive silence: deemed granted |
| Afterwards | In the 60 days before it expires, apply for the 3-year authorisation | Renewals for 2-year periods |
Documents: the full list
- Signed application form: the national visa form at the consulate, the MIT form at the UGE.
- Full passport, valid for at least one year with two blank pages; the consulate does not accept passports issued more than 10 years ago.
- Fee paid: form 790 code 038 for the UGE; the visa fee, in local currency, at the consulate.
- Contract or commercial relationship proving at least 3 months with the company, plus a company letter authorising remote work (employees) or the terms of the engagement (self-employed).
- Commercial registry certificate of the company showing its incorporation date, proving the year of activity.
- Income: payslips or invoices and bank statements for the last three months; a company letter stating the salary in euros.
- Qualification: degree (apostilled and translated) or documents proving 3 years of experience in similar functions, plus your CV.
- Social security: what the next section requires.
- Criminal record certificates from the countries you lived in during the last 2 years, apostilled and translated, plus the sworn declaration covering the last 5 years.
- Health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain. The UGE expressly rejects travel insurance, reimbursement-only policies, policies with co-payments or waiting periods. Not needed if you prove Spanish social security coverage.
Social security: the requirement that sinks applications
- If you are an employee of a foreign company: the company must register with Spanish social security as a company without a workplace in Spain and commit to registering you in the General Scheme. The only alternative is a certificate of coverage from your home country under a bilateral social security agreement with Spain. Without one of the two, the application is refused.
- If you are self-employed or freelance: a commitment to register with RETA (the self-employed scheme) once the authorisation is granted and before starting work in Spain. The UGE states expressly that importing coverage from the home country is not possible here. What being autónomo in Spain means and what it costs each month.
Tax: the 24% regime
- Not having been tax resident in Spain in the 5 years before the move.
- The move results from an employment relationship performed remotely by IT means. The law says this is met "in particular" for employees holding the remote-work visa.
- No income obtained through a permanent establishment in Spain.
Family
After approval
- TIE: if the authorisation lasts more than six months, you must apply for the foreigner identity card. That means an appointment and fingerprints. How to get an appointment and TIE guide.
- Empadronamiento: the first procedure on arrival and a requirement for almost everything else. Guide.
- Social security registration: the one you committed to. Without it, the authorisation is extinguished.
- Travel in Schengen: the long-stay visa and the residence permit both allow travel in the other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180.
- Nationality and long-term residence: the authorisation is legal residence. Law 14/2013 has no rule of its own on how these years count; the general rules on continuity of residence apply. If you are from an Ibero-American country, the two-year route matters: guide for Latin Americans.
What it costs
- Authorisation fee (UGE): the UGE states €73.26 per initial application, for the applicant and for each family member, based on Order ESS/1571/2014 (form 790 code 038).
- Visa fee at the consulate: charged in local currency and varying by nationality under reciprocity. Official example: the consulate in Washington charges US citizens $190 in 2026 and other amounts to British, Canadian and Australian citizens; check your consulate's table, which changes quarterly.
- What is not a fee: apostilles, sworn translations, the insurance and, if you use one, the lawyer. For translations there is the sworn translator directory.
Conclusion
In 2026 the digital nomad visa asks for €2,442 gross a month, three months with a company that has been running for a year, a degree or three years of experience, and a social security step many people discover late. With those in order, the application from Spain is decided in 20 days and gives three years of residence. What sinks most applications is not the income: it is the company that is too new, the insurance with a co-payment, and social security.
If your case has a detail this guide does not cover, tell us below. We answer by email, and the questions that keep coming up end up here.
Related guides
- Moving to Spain from Latin America 2026: Complete Guide
- Digital Nomad Taxes in Spain 2026: Complete Guide
- NIE Spain 2026: Complete Guide to Your Tax ID
- Spain Non-Lucrative Visa 2025: Complete Guide
- Healthcare System Spain 2025: Complete Guide for Expats
- Autónomo in Spain 2026: Complete Self-Employed Guide
Official Sources
The figures and requirements in this guide have been verified against the following official sources. Rules change often — always check the original source before acting.
- BOE — Law 14/2013, articles 61 to 76 (international remote work)
- BOE — Law 28/2022 (startups law), which created the visa
- BOE — Royal Decree 126/2026, minimum wage for 2026
- Large Companies Unit (UGE) — International remote workers
- UGE — Documents for initial applications (main applicant)
- UGE — Digital nomad FAQ
- Spanish Consulate in New York — Telework visa
- Spanish Consulate in Washington — 2026 fees and thresholds
- BOE — Income Tax Law 35/2006, article 93 (inbound workers regime)
- BOE — Order ESS/1571/2014, authorisation fees (form 790-038)
- BOE (OJEU) — Regulation (EU) 265/2010, movement on a long-stay visa
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply while in Spain as a tourist?
Yes. Article 74 quinquies allows anyone legally present in Spain to apply for the authorisation, and a tourist stay is legal presence. Filing extends your stay until the decision, within 20 days, and gives three years of residence instead of the consular visa's one.
How much do I need to earn in 2026?
€2,442 gross a month for the applicant, 200% of the 2026 SMI (€1,221). Add €915.75 for the first family member and €305.25 for each additional one. These are pre-tax amounts, proven with payslips or invoices and bank statements for the last three months.
Can I work for Spanish clients?
Only if you are self-employed, and for at most 20% of your activity. If you are an employee, only for companies based outside Spain.
How long does it take?
The law sets 10 working days for the consular visa, extendable if an interview or documents are requested, and 20 days for the UGE authorisation, deemed granted if they do not decide in time.
Do I need to register with Spanish social security?
Yes. The self-employed with RETA, before starting work in Spain. Employees in the General Scheme through their company's registration, unless they hold a certificate of coverage under a bilateral agreement. Without registration, the authorisation is extinguished.
Can my partner and children come and work?
Yes. Spouse or partner, dependent children and dependent ascendants may apply with the main applicant, and the UGE confirms their authorisations allow work as employees or self-employed. Each family member raises the income threshold.
Do I pay 24% tax?
If you are an employee on the visa and were not tax resident in Spain in the previous 5 years, you can opt for the article 93 regime: 24% up to €600,000 for the year of the move and five more. The law does not name the self-employed; check before counting on it.
How many years does it last and how is it renewed?
The consular visa lasts up to a year; the authorisation requested in Spain, up to three. It then renews for two-year periods while the conditions hold. Filing the renewal extends the authorisation until the decision.
Do these years count toward nationality?
It is legal residence under an authorisation, which is what nationality by residence requires. Law 14/2013 has no specific rule for these years; the general rules on continuity of residence apply. Nationals of Ibero-American countries can apply after two years.
What if my company is less than a year old?
You do not meet article 74 ter, which requires at least one year of real, continuous activity by the company you have the relationship with. There is no exception for income level.
Does your case have complications?
Tell us which country you are from, who you work for and how, and where you want to apply from. We answer by email.
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