Spain Digital Nomad Visa FAQ

The Ley de Startups is Spain's Startup Act. It created the international teleworking visa, commonly known as Spain's digital nomad visa. It allows non-EU nationals who work remotely for companies outside Spain, or freelancers with limited Spanish clients, to legally reside in Spain.

You must earn at least 200% of Spain's SMI, currently modeled as EUR 2,442/month or EUR 34,188/year on the SMI basis. If you bring dependents, additional income is required per family member. The SMI is adjusted annually by the Spanish government.

Yes, but with limits. Freelancers can earn up to 25% of their total revenue from Spanish clients. The remaining income must come from international clients so that the visa remains focused on remote international work.

You need private health insurance from an insurer authorized to operate in Spain. The policy must provide full coverage with no co-pays or coverage limits for the entire duration of your stay. International policies may require additional verification.

The Beckham Law allows qualifying new residents to pay a flat 24% tax on Spanish-source income up to EUR 600,000/year for 6 tax years, instead of Spain's standard progressive rates. To qualify, you generally must not have been a Spanish tax resident in the prior 5 years and must satisfy the legal conditions.

The official processing time is 20 business days from submission of a complete application, making it one of the fastest in Europe. After arrival in Spain, you still need to apply for your NIE and TIE within 30 days.

Yes. Your spouse or registered partner, dependent children, and in some cases dependent parents can apply with you or later through family reunification. Each dependent requires additional proof of income and receives their own residence authorization.

Yes. After 3 years on the digital nomad visa, you can move into a standard residence track. After 5 years of continuous legal residence, you can generally apply for permanent residence. Citizenship usually requires 10 years of legal residence, with shorter periods for certain nationalities.

No. You apply for the D-type visa at the Spanish consulate or embassy in your country of residence, receive the visa, travel to Spain, and then register for your NIE and TIE locally.

If denied, you receive a written explanation of the reasons. You can appeal or reapply after correcting the issues. Common refusal reasons include insufficient income documentation, inadequate health insurance, or failure to prove a genuine remote work arrangement.

No. There is no formal Spanish language requirement for the digital nomad visa. However, basic Spanish can be very helpful in everyday life and when navigating administrative procedures.

Remote employees must have an employment contract with a company outside Spain, or a structure where no more than 25% of work is for a Spanish entity, plus at least 3 months of prior employment. Freelancers must show ongoing client contracts and keep Spanish-client revenue at no more than 25%.

Yes. The initial visa is valid for 1 year and can be renewed for up to 3 years total. Renewal requires demonstrating that you still meet the income, insurance, and remote work requirements.