How to apply for the Spain digital nomad visa

The Spain Digital Nomad visa allows remote workers to live and work from Spain. Find out how to apply and what to expect from this visa.

Jale

6 minute read

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Updated on 16 Aug 2024

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Moving

The digital nomad visa is a new visa type that allows non-EU citizens to easily live and work remotely from Spain.

The Spanish government approved it in 2022 as part of the Startup Act, a law meant to encourage investments, attract international talent, and generate tax revenue. It’ll be issued for a year and can be extended if the requirements are maintained.

This digital nomad visa's best for those who can and want to work remotely, whether it’s as a freelancer or a full-time employee of a company that's not based in Spain.

Some of the benefits of applying for the digital nomad visa include:

• Getting greater tax incentives and breaks
• Easier visa process than applying for a work visa, becoming a Spanish freelancer or starting your own business in Spain
• Enjoying the many benefits of living in Spain, such as good transport links, great healthcare, and safety
• No having to apply for a Spanish residence permit

All non-European citizens working for companies that are based outside of Spain and allow remote work can apply for the digital nomad visa. The visa will also allow your family members to live with you in Spain.

These are the requirements to get a Spanish digital nomad visa:

1. You’ve to a non-EU citizen planning to live in Spain as a resident
2. Your job is done exclusively online
3. You’re not working for a Spanish company
4. You've Undergraduate or Postgraduate degree from a recognised university or college or have at least 3 years of work experience at your current position
5. You’ve been working for the same non-Spanish company for at least 3 months before the application
6. If you’re a freelancer, you can work with Spanish companies as long as these companies don't represent more than 20% of your client list.
7. At least 80% of your income should come outside of Spain
8. You meet the income requirement, which is twice the Spanish minimum wage. (As of 2024, this amounts to €2,646 per month.)

How is this visa different from other Spain work visas?

The biggest difference's that a regular work permit allows non-EU citizens to get a job in Spain. But it’s not possible to be employed by a Spanish company with a digital nomad visa.

Apart from this, regular work permit holders are subject to the same resident taxes as Spanish citizens (e.g. income tax or wealth tax). But digital nomad visa holders will pay non-resident taxes at a discounted rate.

Prior to applying for your digital nomad visa, you need to have applied for your NIE number and provide the proof as part of your application.

The following documents are required to apply for the Spanish digital nomad visa:

1. National visa application form
2. Passport-sized photo
3. Valid passport
4. Proof for remote-work
5. Proof of income and bank statements
6. Private health insurance
7. Criminal record from countries where you’ve lived the last 2 years (can't be issued over 6 months ago) and a signed declaration stating you haven't had a criminal record in the last 5 years
8. Proof of accommodation in Spain
9. Paid visa application fee (around €80)

You’ll need to translate these documents into Spanish by an official notary.

The validity of the digital nomad visa's 1 year or the length for which you're granted the authorisation to work and live in Spain. With a Spanish nomad visa, you don't need a residence permit to live in Spain, but you can apply for one if you want to.

As you've to spent over 183 days per year in Spain to keep your visa, digital nomad visa holders have to pay Spanish taxes. But you can apply for the Beckham Law which prevents you from paying income tax at a progressive rate. This law allows you to be considered a non-resident for tax purposes.

So the income tax rate which applied to digital nomad visa holders is 24% on the first €600,000 for the first few years.

One thing you should check before moving to Spain as a digital nomad, is whether you'll have to pay twice for the same taxes. This is determined by your country of origin and whether it's in a double treaty convention with Spain.

Spain has all the infrastructure you’ll need as a digital nomad: it’s international, affordable, well connected to other cities, has many co-working spaces and laid-back work culture.

Another prominent characteristic of being a digital nomad's how often you’ll need good internet and sometimes free internet connection. Luckily, Spain has high-speed internet coverage. In fact, currently, its fiber-optic coverage is higher than in Germany and UK. You can also find free Wi-Fi connections at most libraries, cafes and public transport hubs.

Since Spain has many cities that meet these features, choosing which beautiful Spanish city you want to settle in might be difficult. But fear not, we’ve made a list of the best places you can live in Spain as a digital nomad so you don’t have to.

Best places to live as a digital nomad in Spain

In no particular order

1. Madrid

• Cost of living: Compared to other European capitals, the cost of living in Madrid is relatively affordable. Your living expenses will be €1,554 per month on average.

• Co-working Spaces: Madrid has many coworking spaces like We Work and La Nave, where you can work in a comfortable environment. These spaces also offer free and paid amenities like snacks, coffee and food.

2. Barcelona

• Cost of living: Barcelona is the least affordable city in Spain. But the cost of living is still low. On average, expect to pay €1,800 per month for accommodation, food and transportation in Barcelona.

• Co-working Spaces: In Barcelona, you can find La Vaca, betahaus Barcelona, OneCoWork and many more coworking spaces.

3. Valencia

• Cost of living: Compared to Barcelona and Madrid, Valencia is the most affordable one. You can pay your rent, go out and do groceries for €1,300 per month.

• Co-working Spaces: Valencia's most popular co-working spaces are Llum, 1punto6 and Centro Coworking. These offices have a super-fast internet connection, a fully equipped kitchen, coffee machine and spacious work areas.

4. Málaga

• Cost of living: Málaga is the 5th most expensive city in Spain. But still, without rent, you can live comfortably for €672 in this city. Accommodation prices vary between €500 to €940 depending on whether you live in a room, studio, or apartment.

• Co-working Spaces: La Aduana is located in Málaga’s center, making it easily reachable. If you want to work silently and without any distractions, try Next Coworking.

Aside from these big cities, there’re also many small Spanish villages with less than 5,000 residents such as Genalguacil, Sigüenza, and Tejeda where you can settle as a digital nomad. Living in one of them will cost you around €180 per week. So the cost of living in these villages is even lower than in the rest of Spain.

But although these villages are less costly and offer a great escape from hectic city life, they have less of an international crowd. So keep this in mind when you're deciding because living in a foreign country can be a lonely experience, especially if you don’t work or study there.

Now that you (hopefully) know where you’ll live, let’s look at the most important things you need to take care of after moving to Spain.

How to Open a bank account in Spain

Even if you’re living in Spain for a short period of time, opening a Spanish bank account will make paying your rent, taxes, groceries and other expenses easier. You’ll also need your Spanish bank account if you want to sign a phone contract.

For opening a bank account, bring these documents to the bank with you:

1. Your passport
2. Proof of address
3. NIE number
4. Showing source of income

Get a sim card in Spain?

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to buy a Spanish SIM card as soon as possible. Spanish phone operators are very affordable and give access to free roaming within Europe.

For people staying a shorter period in Spain, the most convenient way to get a Spanish number's to buy a prepaid SIM card with a 30-day package or pay-as-you-go option. You don’t have to deal with lots of paperwork or sign a contract. You can buy them from supermarkets, kiosks or websites.

Alternatively, you can sign a contract with big mobile carriers in Spain such as Movistar, Orange, and Vodafone. To sign a contract with a mobile phone operator, you’ll need:

1. NIE number
2. Your digital nomad permit
3. Proof of address
4. Bank account details

Register your address at the city hall

Even if you’re on a digital nomad visa, you still have to register your address at city hall (get your empadronamiento) to get your empadronamiento certificate. You need to get this within 30 days of your arrival. To register the city hall, you’ll need the following documents:

1. Filled application form
2. Passport and its copies
3. Rental contract