Ley 14/2013: what this law is and how it relates to the DNV

What is Ley 14/2013?

Full title: Ley 14/2013, de 27 de septiembre, de apoyo a los emprendedores y su internacionalización. The law was issued by the Jefatura del Estado, published in “BOE” No. 233 of 28.09.2013 and has been in force since 29.09.2013 [1]. It is not a “visa law”: much of it deals with support for business and exports. The immigration rules are grouped in the section “Movilidad internacional” (Section 2 of Título V, Articles 61-76) [1].

The BOE consolidated text is for reference only and has no legal force. As of 2 October 2026, its most recent amendment is dated 09.04.2025; check the current version [1].

Which categories of foreign nationals does Ley 14/2013 cover?

Article 61 lists the categories for which the law makes entry and stay easier on economic grounds [1]:

The law does not apply to EU citizens or to those who enjoy equivalent rights of free movement (Article 61.2) [1].

Which permits Ley 14/2013 offers besides the digital nomad visa

Each category has its own chapter, and the general requirements of article 62 apply to all of them[1]. Summary of the permits in force:

There is also a permit for trainees (additional provision 18). The host organisation applies to the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno, the decision is due within 30 days, and the permit lasts up to 12 months or the length of the traineeship[1].

The main difference from the digital nomad visa: the other categories are built around activity in Spain, whether your own project, a company hiring you, a research body or a transfer within a group. A teleworker, by contrast, needs an employer or client outside Spain[1]. Guides by category: entrepreneur visa or cuenta propia, residence for highly qualified professionals, ICT visa: intra-company transfer.

What happened to the golden visa: investors excluded from 3 April 2025

The investor visa and permit (Golden Visa) sat in articles 63-67. Final provision 21 of Ley Orgánica 1/2025 left these articles without content from 3 April 2025[1][4]. No new applications can be made on this ground.

This amendment did not touch the law's other categories[4]. What people choose instead of buying property for residence: the end of the Golden Visa in Spain and the alternatives.

Why the digital nomad visa rests on Ley 14/2013

Because the DNV is not part of the general Reglamento regime: this category was added to Ley 14/2013 by Ley 28/2022 (de startups) as Articles 74 bis - 74 quinquies [1]. They define who an international teleworker is, what has to be proven, and which visa and permit are issued [1].

1. Article 74 bis: the person works remotely for companies outside Spain; an employee on an employment contract may only work for such a company, while a self-employed person may also work for a Spanish company, provided this is no more than 20% of their total professional activity [1].
2. Article 74 ter: the company must have been genuinely operating for at least one year, and the relationship with it must have lasted at least three months [1].
3. Article 74 quater: a visa for up to one year; within the 60 calendar days before it expires, you can apply for a residence permit [1].
4. Article 74 quinquies: a permit for those legally present in Spain, for up to three years, with renewal for two years [1].
5. Article 76: applications are handled online by the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE), the Dirección General de Migraciones decides, the decision deadline is twenty days, after which silence counts as approval [1][2].

The general requirements for applicants (no criminal record, insurance, sufficient means and others) come from Article 62 [1]. The documents explained: telework under Ley 14/2013. The filing procedure step by step: DNV route card; about the service: digital nomad residence permit.

Common rules for all permits: UGE, deadlines, family

Chapter VI of the law sets one set of rules for every category in the international mobility section[1]:

• UGE processes permit applications through electronic channels and the Dirección General de Migraciones decides. The deadline is 20 days from electronic filing; if there is no answer, the permit is deemed granted. The decision can be challenged by recurso de alzada (article 76.1)[1].
• While the application is pending, your current stay or residence status is extended until the decision (article 76.1)[1].
• If the permit is granted for more than six months, you apply for a TIE card (article 76.2)[1].
• Renewal is for two years if the conditions still hold. Filing extends the old permit; the same applies if you file within 90 days after it expires, although a penalty procedure may then be opened (article 76.3)[1].
• Visas in this section are issued by the consulate within 10 working days, except where consultation under article 22 of the Visa Code applies. The visa is valid for one year or the term of the permit if shorter, and lets you live in Spain without a TIE (article 75)[1].
• The national employment situation is not checked for these permits (additional provision 5)[1].
• The admission conditions must be maintained throughout, and changes reported to UGE within 30 days. If the conditions are not met, the permit may be terminated after a hearing, audiencia (additional provision 7)[1].
• For the first six months a passport is enough to register with the Seguridad Social if you do not yet have an NIE (article 76.5)[1].

Family is defined the same way for every category: spouse or partner, minor children, adult dependent children who have not formed their own family, and dependent parents. They can apply together with the main applicant or later, and applications filed together are decided together (article 62.4)[1]. According to UGE, family members of a teleworker may work without restrictions, as employees or self-employed[2]. Who does what: Extranjería and UGE. How these rules apply to remote work: international telework and who counts as a teleworker.

How does Ley 14/2013 differ from the Reglamento?

The Reglamento (Real Decreto 1155/2024) is the general regulation implementing Ley Orgánica 4/2000: it governs no lucrativa, employment, self-employment, family reunification, study and arraigo [3]. Ley 14/2013 is a special law for certain categories, and where its rules differ from the general ones, the special rules apply. Example: the law itself sets the decision deadline for the DNV (twenty days, with silence counting as approval), while for a number of categories under the general regime it is three months [1][3].

If you are moving from the DNV to a permit under the general regime, the UGE refers to Title XI of the Reglamento for switching grounds [2]. Explained in: changing your residence permit ground.

What is not in Ley 14/2013?

The law contains no income figure. Article 62 requires “sufficient means”, and additional provision 20 instructs the authorities to issue guidance setting out the requirements and links the thresholds to the minimum wage [1]. For 2026, the threshold for a single applicant is €2,849 a month, or €34,188 a year before tax, according to the authorities’ guidance [2]. Calculation: DNV income in 2026.

Nor does the text give a number of days you must be present in Spain for renewal. Additional provision 6 refers to absences of more than six months a year, but for other categories, and it does not replace proof of continuous residence for permanent residence [1]. What exactly applies to your case depends on your residence ground and residence history: this is a question for a lawyer.

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 20.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.