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Home » A Guide to Living and Working as a Digital Nomad in Spain

A Guide to Living and Working as a Digital Nomad in Spain

The Spain digital nomad Visa is residence card for nomads who want to work and live remotely from Spain. It allows you to relocate to Spain for at least a year but only to work with businesses outside of Spain.

Spain provides the digital nomad Visa (valid for one year) and the nomad permit (valid for 3 years) for those who work remotely. Both visas fulfill the same function, however you are able to apply for the digital nomad visa Spain within your own country, but you’ll only be able to get the second one in Spain.

Furthermore, the digital nomad residency permit can be renewed for two additional years. However, if you’d like to work for long periods of time in Spain you should consider obtaining the permanent residency visa, or becoming a Spanish citizen. Be aware that you are able to get a permanent residence visa after 5 years of your stay in Spain Learn more details about this in the near future.

Because of this visa, known as the digital nomad, foreigners are able to work remotely from Spain via laptops, and still experience what it is as a resident. Additionally, the visa is a fantastic way for Spain to recruit international talent to drive digital business.

You may apply for a digital nomad passport within your home country, or when you arrive in Spain with a tourist visa. You can also bring your family members along with you using the same digital nomad visa application.

Fortunately, the process for obtaining a visa is easy, which means you can appeal almost immediately if your application gets rejected. It can take around twenty days to get your application to be processed. Find out more details about the Spanish visa in the following article.

Who Can Apply For The Spain Digital Nomad Visa?

The new digital nomad permit in Spain is intended for digital nomads that do not hold European Economic Area (EEA) citizenship including the UK. On the other hand, a remote worker or freelancer from the European country is able to work in Spain for a period of 6 months, using just their passport.

However, they must obtain a resident foreign Identity Number (NIE) to extend their stay in Spain. The NIE is an exclusive number for freelancers or remote workers who would like to reside in Spain for more than 6 months.

The digital nomad visa is a visa to stay for a short period of time for remote workers who do any of the following:

An employee of a company located outside Spain.
A digital entrepreneur or freelancer who has clients spread all over the globe.
A freelancer or an employee for a foreign-owned company located in Spain.

In order to be successful in your application, you must fulfil the minimum income requirement and pay the visa fees in order to complete your application.

What is the validity duration for Digital Nomad Visa? Digital Nomad Visa?

If applying for a brand new digital nomad visa inside Spain as a tourist visa, you will get an electronic nomad residence permit valid for three years.

On the other hand, if you apply in your country through the Spanish Consulate, you’ll receive a brand new digital nomad visa, which is valid for one year. You can switch to the digital nomad residency permit at the end of your first calendar year living in Spain.

If you are planning to apply for a permanent residency permit, you need to have been in the country for a minimum of five years.

This can only be done when you have received your digital nomad visa and you have been there for 3 years, then extended it two more years. If you are planning in becoming a Spanish citizen it is necessary to have resided in Spain for at the least ten years.

With digital nomads’ visas, non-EU citizens can freely travel within EU countries. However, you can only be outside Spain for no more than a year of five years required to be eligible for a permanent residency visa.

What are the restrictions that apply to a Spain Digital Nomad Visa?

There are several restrictions with the latest digital nomad visa applications for Spain that you should know.

First of all, you’ll need to have a remote position with clients or employers in countries other than Spain. This means that the income you earn from Spain can be at most 20 percent of your overall revenue.

Spain was previously a country with an entry restriction for travelers due to the COVID-19 epidemic, however the laws have changed.

The COVID-19 test certification is no longer a prerequisite to be able to enter Spain in the moment. However, you should keep in mind that the law may alter if the virus gets spread again.

It is best to find out the current travel restrictions in Spain before you submit your application or make plans to travel. You can find this information from the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence or origin.

What’s the difference between Spain Digital Nomad Visa and Non-lucrative Visa?

In November 2022 in the year 2022, Spanish parliament began deliberating about the digital nomad visa, and at the end of December, 2022 they finally approved the visa.

Prior to that, many digital nomads sought other kinds permit to live in Spain and even the non-lucrative visa. Since the non-lucrative visa was not a work permit, it wasn’t a legal method for digital nomads be employed in the country.

The Spanish non-lucrative visa for residence is for non-EU citizens who wish to reside in the country for more than 3 months, but aren’t employed.

It was established for individuals who have sufficient money to provide for themselves, without having to work in Spain. This includes expat retirees and those who are interested in studying in Spain.

The non-lucrative resident visa has a validity of up to 90 days. So foreigners are advised to obtain the Foreigner Identification Card during the initial month they are in Spain. Apply at the closest Police Station or the Foreign Nationals’ Office.

On the other hand Digital Nomad Visa is temporary permit for distant workers and freelancers. It offers the legal basis to work remotely in Spain.

You may be self-employed and work with employers outside of Spain to be qualified.
Evidence of Income

To be eligible for an Spain digital nomad permit, you must prove that you are able to support your family and you when you move to Spain. Your proof of income or employment contract should be for at least three months prior the filing date.

If you’re self-employed, you have to provide proof of your current contracts for at minimum the last three months and a total annual income of not less than 2200 euros a month.

You can also show your earnings using the following methods:

A bank statement detailing your financial status and savings.
Your tax return statement or pay stubs.

The important thing here is to demonstrate that you can care for yourself and your dependents (if relevant) during your time in Spain.
Health Insurance

If you apply from your home country you’ll be granted a virtual nomad visa that is valid for one year. Thus, you’ll need to show proof of your Spanish personal health insurance valid for the first year you are within Spain.

On the other hand in the event that you are applying for a visa in Spain You will be issued an electronic nomad residence permit that is valid for 3 years, meaning your health insurance should be valid till then or renewed every year.

Another condition for the requirement for health insurance is that the policy comes from an insurance company licensed to operate in Spain.

Also, your health insurance should be complete and cover all medical expenses that may be incurred during your stay.

Background Check

In order to apply for a digital nomad visa applicants will be asked to prove your criminal record as well as take your fingerprints.

A police clearance document from your state of residence is sufficient. Based on the consulate of your country, your document will need to be at least three months old. It should be authenticated.

Applications Forms and Fees

An effective visa application requires you fill and sign the application form for visa and pay an amount.

The application fee varies within and outside of Spain however, you will need required to pay for it once you have filled your application in and are near to submitting it. When you fill out the application form, ensure that the information you provide is accurate.

After you have completed the process after that, make sure that you translate the document in Spanish.

If you have further questions regarding the digital nomadic visa application fee in as well as out of Spain, don’t be reluctant to speak to our immigration lawyer for speedy professional advice.