International remote work · Spain

Digital Nomad in Spain: documents and support

The Spain digital nomad visa in 2026 is a residence permit for people who work remotely for an employer or clients outside Spain. You need an income of at least €2,849 a month for the applicant (€34,188 a year, more with family), a degree or three years of professional experience, a policy from a Spanish insurer and a criminal record certificate. From inside Spain you apply to the UGE for a permit of up to three years; from abroad, at a consulate for a visa of up to one year. ReloVictory checked the figures against the UGE guidance of 1 October 2026.

We look at your remote work model, income sources and family. We help you choose the application route and prepare the documents; the competent authority makes the decision. Minimum income in 2026: €2,849 a month for the applicant (200% of the SMI under RD 126/2026, €34,188 a year), plus €1,068.38 for the first family member and €356.13 for each additional one.

Reviewed by: Francisco Romero Jiménez, abogado ICAB 33641, 21.10.2026

What is the digital nomad visa

Digital nomad visa, digital nomad residence permit, Digital Nomad Visa and DNV are different names for one Spanish regime. In law it is the residencia para teletrabajo de carácter internacional (articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies of Ley 14/2013), and it lets you live in Spain and work remotely for an employer or clients outside the country. From abroad you apply for a visa at a consulate; it is valid for up to one year. If you are lawfully in Spain, you apply to the UGE for a residence permit of up to three years.

What should you check before applying as a digital nomad?

Preparing a Spanish digital nomad application starts with your work arrangement: where the employer or client is based, how the relationship is documented and whether the duties can be performed remotely. Qualifications, financial resources, social security and healthcare cover also need checking. ReloVictory helps organise the documents and identify the relevant application route. The service agreement defines the support provided, while the competent authority decides the application.

Next steps

Distinguish employment from self-employed professional activity: the rules on work for Spanish companies differ.
Gather contracts, evidence of the relationship’s duration and permission or agreed terms for remote work from Spain.
Check qualifications, income evidence and the foreign company’s activity against the current UGE document list.
Review social security and healthcare cover separately; a policy’s marketing name does not establish compliance.
Identify accompanying family members and where each person will apply before ordering certificates and translations.

Related guidance

Official sources

In brief

Income per person: €2,849 a month
€34,188 a year, 200% of the minimum wage, per UGE guidance as of 01.10.2026
Family: +€1,068 for the first, +€356 for each additional one
a month, 75% and 25% of the minimum wage, per UGE guidance as of 01.10.2026
Processing time: 20 working days at the UGE
if the authority does not reply, the application is approved
Validity: Up to 3 years when applying from Spain
1 year via a consulate, then renewal
Government fee: €73.26 for the initial permit
TIE card: €16.08; consular fee at the consulate’s rate
Spanish clients: no more than 20% of your work
self-employed only; employees must have a foreign employer

Who it suits and who it doesn’t

Fits

An employee of a foreign company that has been operating for at least a year
A freelancer or business owner with foreign clients and contracts of at least three months
I have a degree or three years of experience in the profession
The work is done fully remotely

Does not fit

You are offered a job with an employer based in Spain: this does not fit the employee branch of international remote work. If a foreign group has a Spanish subsidiary and plans to employ you through it, check separately who the contracting party is, the social security position and a possible intra-company transfer. Official source
Your income is passive: savings, rent, a pension (see the residence permit without the right to work)
You currently hold a no lucrativa permit: the UGE’s official guidance answers “no” to the question of switching from it, because you cannot work on a no lucrativa
Spanish clients account for more than 20% of your work
Your relationship with the company or clients is shorter than three months

How this looks in your work model: employee, freelancer, DNV or autónomo, working for a Spanish company. If you are torn between statuses, start with no lucrativa or Digital Nomad and the comparison table of grounds.

2026 requirements

The conditions are set out in articles 62 and 74 bis - 74 quinquies of Ley 14/2013 (more on it: international remote work under Ley 14/2013). The table shows separately what the law says and what the UGE guidance as of 01.10.2026 adds: the law does not state an income figure; the authority gives it in its guidance.

Requirement	Where it comes from	How we prove it
Sufficient means: at least €34,188 a year for the applicant (per UGE guidance)	Law: article 62.3.f of Ley 14/2013 requires sufficient means for you and your family but sets no amount. The €34,188 threshold (200% of the minimum wage) comes from UGE guidance as of 01.10.2026	Contract, bank statements, proof of income for recent months (which documents are accepted)
Relationship with the company or clients of at least three months	Law: article 74 ter, points c and d	Employment contract or service contracts, correspondence, acceptance certificates, invoices
The company has been operating for at least a year	Law: article 74 ter, point a	Extract from the company register, employer’s letter (what the letter must say)
Degree or three years’ experience	Law: article 74 bis, paragraph 2	Degree with an apostille and sworn translation, or an employment record book and references (do you need a degree)
Health insurance with no co-payments or waiting periods	Law: article 62.3.e requires public or private insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain; “no co-payments or waiting periods” comes from UGE guidance	A policy from a Spanish insurer for the whole period. Travel policies are not accepted (UGE criteria)
Criminal record certificate	Law: article 62.3.c (certificate for the countries of residence in the last two years and a declaration covering five years)	For the countries you lived in over the last two years, with an apostille and translation, plus a declaration covering five years
Social Security	Law: article 62.5 (social security obligations); procedure per UGE guidance	Registration in the Spanish system or a certificate of applicable legislation (explained below)

How much you need to earn

Spain’s minimum wage in 2026 is €1,221 a month over 14 payments, or €17,094 a year. According to UGE guidance as of 01.10.2026, the threshold for the applicant is twice that: €34,188 a year (200% of the minimum wage). The law only refers to “sufficient means” (article 62.3.f). According to the same guidance, these resources must come from earned income.

A detailed calculation with examples: where the €2,849 comes from and how to calculate it for a family and income for a family of three.

Household	Per month	Per year
Single applicant	2 849 €	34 188 €
Applicant and spouse or partner	3 917 €	47 008 €
Plus one child	4 274 €	51 282 €
Plus two children	4 630 €	55 556 €

Income calculator

A guide based on the 2026 law, not a legal opinion. Amounts are before tax.

Family members coming with you Your monthly income, € (optional)

Required per month€2,849

Required per year€34,188

Check every digital nomad visa requirement · How much savings you need if income is lower

Two ways to apply

The main decision is whether to apply from Spain or through a consulate. Validity and processing times depend on it.

	From Spain (UGE)	Through a consulate
Who can apply	People legally in Spain, including tourists in their first 90 days	People living outside Spain
What you get	A permit for up to 3 years	A visa for up to 1 year, then a permit from the UGE
Decision time	20 working days by law; if the authority does not reply, the application is approved	10 working days by law (article 75.5 of Ley 14/2013), in practice it can take longer: consulates consult the central services (SIVICO)
Application	Online; you need a digital certificate or a representative	In person at the consulate, by appointment
Risk	You must stay in Spain legally until the decision	Consulates are overloaded and their document requirements vary

For many clients, applying from Spain is the better option: the permit is issued for up to three years instead of one. But it does not suit everyone, so we first check your entry status. A consular visa lets you live and work for up to a year. You can switch to a UGE permit by applying in the last 60 calendar days of the visa’s validity (article 74 quater).

Step by step: from Spain or through a consulate, applying on a tourist visa, documents for the consulate in Moscow, single-entry Schengen visas for Russians and how many years a DNV is issued for.

If you are from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine

General guides usually do not answer these questions. An overview for Russians: digital nomad residence permit for Russians.

Criminal record certificate. For Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Uzbekistan it goes through with an apostille, followed by a sworn translation. Allow separate time for this.
Employer and bank. Your income must be backed by documents, and the company and payment channels must not raise questions. Which certificates are accepted is covered in the article on Russian income certificates. Whether a Russian sole proprietorship or self-employed status qualifies depends on how your client contracts are drawn up.
Social security. An employee has two options: the foreign employer registers in the Spanish system, or a certificate under an international social security agreement. Whether the second option is open for your country is something we check before filing: employee on a DNV without an A1.
Entry. If you plan to apply from Spain, your visa status and number of entries affect the route. We check this before you buy tickets: Schengen for Russians and residence plans.
Other countries. For nationals of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Georgia the procedure differs in consulates and the set of documents.

Social security and status after approval

According to the UGE’s official guidance, if you work from Spain you must be in the Spanish social security system. How this is done depends on your model.

Model	What is required
Employee	The foreign employer registers in advance in the Spanish system as a non-resident company without a branch and enrols you. Alternatively, you can prove coverage from the company’s country if it has a social security agreement with Spain and a certificate has been issued that expressly states coverage in Spain
Freelancer, sole trader	You register yourself as autónomo (RETA scheme). Coverage under a bilateral agreement cannot be used in this case

For the self-employed, timing matters: if there is no registration after approval and this comes out in an inspection, the permit may be terminated, and this will affect family members. You can register at a PAE point together with the tax side. More: DNV and Seguridad Social.

Taxes

A residence permit and tax residence are different things. You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in the country or your centre of interests is here. The DNV law sets no minimum number of days in Spain for the visa itself: do you have to live in Spain for 183 days.

	Standard regime	Beckham regime
Rate	Progressive IRPF scale on worldwide income	24% on income up to €600,000, 47% above that
Period	While you are a tax resident	The year of the move and the next five tax periods
Condition	No	Not having been a Spanish tax resident in the previous five years
How to opt in	Standard tax return	Application (form 149) within six months of the start date of activity shown in your social security registration
Who can use it	All residents	Employed remote workers with a visa under Ley 14/2013; usually not freelancers

The law expressly names employees with a remote work visa. A freelancer needs a separate analysis, and we do it before filing, not after. In detail: the Beckham Law for digital nomads and digital nomad taxes in Spain.

Family

You can include a spouse or partner, children and dependent parents, either at the same time as you or later. Children can be minors or adults who depend on you and have not started their own family. The income requirement goes up: €1,068 a month for the first family member and €356 for each additional one. Each person needs their own documents proving the relationship. According to UGE guidance, family members receive a permit that lets them both live and work. More: spouse, unmarried partner, children over 18 and parents and family on a DNV.

Timeframes and costs

Item	Amount or timeframe
Government fee for the initial permit (modelo 790, código 038)	€73.26, paid online before applying; proof of payment goes with the application
Renewal	check on the authority’s website
TIE card (modelo 790, código 012)	16,08 €
Consular fee when applying abroad	at the consulate’s rate
Apostilles, sworn translations, insurance	Separate; depend on your country and documents
Preparing the package	Depends on the countries and the queues for apostilles and translations, so it is best to start early
UGE processing	20 working days by law; if the authority does not reply, the application is approved
Request for additional documents	10 working days to reply
TIE card after the decision	Required if the permit is issued for more than six months

We recheck government fees every February, when the minimum wage changes.

More: which fees you pay for a DNV, how long the UGE takes to process an application, how to check the status of your application.

After approval and renewal

After the decision you book a fingerprint appointment, get your TIE card, register on the padrón, sort out social security and, if you qualify, apply for the Beckham regime. We handle this stage with you: the first 30 days after DNV approval.

A 3-year permit is renewed for 2 years. The law also allows you to apply for renewal within 90 days after the permit expires, but the article does not state a window for applying before expiry, so we file early and do not leave it to the last minute. Renewal is done online. In total this comes to 5 years, after which the path to long-term residence opens. At renewal they check that the conditions that gave you the right to the permit still hold: income, the share of Spanish clients, taxes and insurance. Any change in conditions must be reported to the UGE within 30 days (Ley 14/2013, additional provision 7, paragraph 2), so keep your evidence from day one. In detail: renewing a DNV after three years, changing employer on a DNV, and the general procedure for other grounds on the residence permit renewal page.

Requests for documents and refusals

A request for additional documents (requerimiento) is common and is not a refusal. You have 10 working days to reply; if you do not, you may be treated as having withdrawn the application. What is usually requested and how to answer: requerimiento from the UGE.

If you are refused, you can file a recurso de alzada against the UGE decision. For an express decision the deadline is one month, so start counting straight away. Reasons for refusal and what to do: DNV refusal, recurso and next steps. An appeal is not included in our fee, but we can help you review the refusal at a consultation and work out whether an appeal makes sense.

How we work and what it costs

Case handling: from €1,936 incl. IVA, family member +€726. All prices.

First consultation: 15 minutes free. Full individual consultation: €121 for 45 minutes. After that we price the work individually and draw up an estimate, which you sign before we start. Government fees and translations are paid separately and appear as separate lines in the estimate. Advance payment: 50% before work begins and 50% before filing.

We handle the case until the authority decides. Corrections in response to requests and a resubmission are included in the price; an appeal is not. We do not promise approval and are not responsible for how long public bodies take: the decision is made by a government authority.

Review. We check your work model, income, documents and filing route.
Preparation. We gather and check the documents and arrange apostilles and translations.
Filing. We file on your behalf where the law allows a representative (notarised power of representation, apud acta, registered representative). Where filing is in person (consulate, arraigo), we prepare the package and go with you. We prepare replies to the authority’s requests together with you.
After the decision. TIE card, padrón registration, taxes, renewal plan.

Book a consultation

Frequently asked questions

Are the digital nomad visa and the digital nomad residence permit the same thing?

Yes, it is one regime for remote work. From abroad you apply for a visa at a Spanish consulate; it is valid for up to one year. If you are lawfully in Spain, you apply to the UGE for a residence permit of up to three years. Digital Nomad Visa and DNV are common names for the same regime.

Can you apply while in Spain on a tourist visa?

Yes, if you are in the country legally, including in your first 90 days as a tourist. The application goes to the UGE and gives a permit for up to three years. You need to stay in Spain until the decision, so we plan the route in advance.

How much do you need to earn in 2026?

Single applicant: €2,849 a month, or €34,188 a year. With a spouse or partner, €3,917; each additional family member adds €356 a month. Use the calculator above.

Does income from a Russian company count?

The company must be foreign and have been operating for at least a year, and the income must be backed by documents. Specific banking and payment issues are covered at the consultation.

What if you have no degree?

Three years of professional experience in your field are enough. It is proved with an employment record book, contracts and references.

Can you work for a Spanish company on a DNV?

For employees, this regime covers work for companies outside Spain. For self-employed professional activity, work for Spanish companies must not exceed 20% of your total professional activity, and you must keep the professional relationship with the foreign company on which the permit is based. Check the other conditions with the UGE.

Do you need to register as autónomo?

If you are self-employed, after approval you need to register with the Spanish social security system. For employees it is handled through the employer or a certificate. The model is chosen before filing.

Which insurance is accepted?

A policy from a Spanish insurer with cover equivalent to the public system, with no co-payments or waiting periods. Travel policies are not accepted.

What if the UGE does not reply?

The authority must reply within 20 working days. By law, silence means approval, but sometimes a request for additional documents arrives, and you have 10 working days to reply.

Is the Beckham regime available to freelancers?

It is directly available to employed remote workers. Freelancers usually do not qualify; exceptions need a separate analysis. We check this before filing.

What happens after three years?

The permit is renewed for another two years as long as the conditions that gave you the right to it still hold. Five years in total, after which you can apply for long-term residence.

Can you change employer on a DNV?

Yes, if the new employer is outside Spain and the conditions of the permit still hold. Any change in conditions must be reported to the UGE within 30 days (Ley 14/2013, additional provision 7, paragraph 2). Moving to a Spanish employer means changing the ground of your permit.

Do you have to live in Spain for 183 days?

We found no such requirement in the articles of the DNV law. 183 days is the test for tax residence and applies separately. What this means for your tax depends on your case: check with a tax and administrative specialist (graduada social).

Can you switch to DNV from no lucrativa?

In the UGE’s official guidance the answer is no: no lucrativa does not give the right to work, and you cannot rely on previous remote work. We recheck current practice before filing.

Can family members work in Spain?

According to the UGE, yes: family members’ permits allow them to live and work without restrictions, as employees or as self-employed.

Are the visa and the residence permit one procedure?

No. A consular visa and a residence permit requested while you are legally in Spain are separate routes. Where you are and your current status help determine which procedure applies.

Sources

Minimum wage for 2026 under Real Decreto 126/2026. Sources checked on 3 October 2026. This material is for information only and does not replace individual legal advice. Figures updated on 01.10.2026.

How does this apply to your situation?

Choose your first step with a short quiz or discuss your questions with the ReloVictory team.

Find the first step Discuss your situation

Where to start preparing

For the first review, prepare a short description of your situation, your current status and the timing you have in mind. First we clarify the basis and the order of steps, then we agree on the scope of support and the documents needed.

Requirements and law

Income, employer and clients

Application, UGE and documents

Social security, tax, family and renewal

All materials in this area

Deadlines, mandatory payments and requirements are checked for each specific procedure. Approval is not guaranteed.

Discuss my situation