How much income a family of three needs for the DNV

How much income does a family of three need for a digital nomad visa?

€4,274 a month, or €51,282 a year, before deductions. That is three minimum wages on an annual basis: €17,094 times three. The threshold is made up of three parts [1].

An applicant with one family member needs €3,917 a month. The monthly amounts are derived from the annual ones by dividing by 12 and rounding, so the rows may be €1 off when added up. Where the percentages come from and why different figures circulate online is explained in the article income for the DNV in 2026.

Digital nomad visa income threshold: table for families of 2, 3, 4 and 5

The digital nomad visa threshold is based on the Spanish minimum wage (salario mínimo interprofesional, SMI). In 2026 it is €1,221 a month paid 14 times a year, and the annual amount cannot be lower than €17,094[6]. We use the annual amount divided by 12 as the monthly base, which gives €1,424.50. The UGE percentages are then applied: 200% for the applicant, plus 75% for the first family member and plus 25% for each additional one[1][6].

Every person after the second adds €356.13 a month, or €4,273.50 a year. All amounts are gross, before tax and social security contributions[1]. The percentages are the same for the consular visa and for the UGE permit[2][5]. The UGE guidance does not explain how it compares each of the three months of documents with the threshold, so aim for the rounded amount in the table in every single month, not as an average over the period.

The table holds as long as the SMI stays the same. The law ties the thresholds to the SMI (additional provision 20 of Ley 14/2013)[3], and the government sets the SMI every year by royal decree[6]. If you apply early in the year, check whether a new decree has been published and recalculate the rows: last year's amount may fall below the new threshold.

How is the income threshold calculated for a family?

The law requires the financial thresholds to be tied to the SMI (additional provision 20 Ley 14/2013) [3], while the percentages themselves are given by the UGE guidance and the consulate. For the applicant it is 200% of the SMI a month. For the family, the UGE guidance says: for two people, counting the applicant and the reunited family member, at least 75% of the SMI, and 25% for each further person [1][2]. The Moscow consulate’s visa page is more precise: at least 75% of the SMI for the first reunited family member and at least 25% for each additional family member [5].

We read these words as shares added to the applicant’s threshold: 200 + 75 + 25 = 300%. Any other reading would be absurd: a family of two would need less money than a single applicant. The UGE has not clarified this wording, so it is better to keep a margin.

Who counts as a family member for the digital nomad visa?

The law lists the spouse or a person in an equivalent relationship, minor children, adult children who are financially dependent on the permit holder and have not formed their own family, and dependent parents (Article 62.4 Ley 14/2013) [3]. All of them must show that they meet the general requirements of Article 62.3. If family members’ applications are filed at the same time as the main one, the decisions on them are issued at the same time [3]. The sources make no distinction by age or degree of kinship when calculating the threshold: a child and a spouse count the same, as the “first” and “further” family members.

Family ties are proved with documents: a birth or marriage certificate, a certificate of registration as pareja de hecho or other evidence of the relationship. For adult children you need documents showing that they depend on you and have not formed their own family, for example a student certificate or registration with the local employment service. For parents, the consulate in Moscow accepts a bank statement for the last 12 months and a pension or disability card. Documents in another language are translated into Spanish[5].

Whose income counts and how is it proven?

You prove the applicant’s income under the contract on which the application is based: payslips (nóminas) or invoices (facturas) for the last three months and a bank statement in the applicant’s name for the same period, with the payments shown separately and matching the payslips or invoices [1]. All bank statements are issued in the applicant’s name. The sources do not say whether the spouse’s own earnings count towards the threshold. The consulate in Moscow repeats the same percentages [4][5]. More on the documents: how to prove income for the UGE.

Income in dollars, roubles or tenge: how to compare it with the euro threshold

The threshold is set as a percentage of the SMI, that is, in euros[1]. The foreign company's letter must also state the salary in euros[1]. If your contract is in dollars, rubles or tenge, the amount has to be converted, and here the official texts say nothing: neither the UGE guidance nor the page of the consulate in Moscow defines which rate to use (central bank, European Central Bank or your own bank) or on which date[1][5].

That is why we advise against income that only just clears the threshold. An example with hypothetical figures: at the rate on the conversion date the applicant's salary gives €4,400 a month, for a family of three. The margin over the €4,273.50 threshold is €126.50, under 3%. Exchange rates can move more than that within a few weeks, and nobody says which date the office will use. A clear margin, or savings to cover the gap as in the example below, is the safer route.

In the explanatory letter (escrito explicativo), give the rate, its source and the date for every amount. The UGE itself recommends such a letter when the documents do not match the list exactly[1]. The bank certificate shows payments in the account currency, and the letter reconciles them with the amounts in euros. On certificates from Russian banks and their translation, see Russian income certificates for the UGE. On stating the salary in euros in the company letter, see employer letter template for the digital nomad visa.

What if your income falls short of the family threshold?

If the payments under the contract are not enough, the UGE allows the gap to be covered with savings or other liquid funds: statements from a Spanish or foreign bank in the applicant’s name covering the shortfall for the full term of the permit [1]. The document does not specify exactly how the authority calculates the balance for a three-year permit and for a one-year visa.

The calculation for your family depends on its composition, the payment schedule and the term of the permit, so it is checked before applying. The fee is paid for each applicant: DNV fees. More on families: family on the DNV: spouse, children, parents. The application step by step for the whole family: DNV route card; the service page: digital nomad residence permit.

How much savings you need to make up the threshold: a worked example

The UGE rule is this: if income under the contract is below the threshold, certificates from a Spanish or foreign bank must show savings or other liquid income covering the difference for the whole validity of the permit. The certificates must be recent, in the applicant's name and stamped or signed by the bank[1]. The consulate in Moscow adds that the funds must belong to the applicant, have a lawful origin and be available to them[5].

Below is a calculation based on a literal reading of that rule: the annual gap multiplied by the number of years of the permit. The UGE does not publish a formula, so treat this as a guide, not an official calculation. Example: a family of three, applicant's salary €3,500 gross a month, 12 payments a year.

There is no separate formula for the consular visa: the consulate in Moscow accepts any evidence of income and requires proof that the money is yours, lawful and available[5]. The visa row follows the same logic as the UGE rule. If you request a permit for less than three years, the same logic gives a smaller savings amount. How the length is chosen is explained in how many years the digital nomad visa is issued for.

There is also a limit. The UGE FAQ says the funds must come from income from work[2]. So savings can cover the gap, but they do not replace the contract the application is built on. The larger the gap, the more important it is to check the calculation before applying.

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