By: Sarah Stone
From stunning beaches and breathtaking architecture, to world-class cuisine and a fantastic climate year-round, Spain is a must-see destination for travelers of all types.
If you’ve fallen in love with this beautiful country and wish to stay longer-term, consider applying for a Digital Nomad Visa—and then you can spend up to five years immersing yourself in Spanish culture while working remotely and living the life of your dreams.
Photo by Jorge Salvador on Unsplash
What is the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
The Spain Digital Nomad Visa, which is bundled within its new startup law encouraging tech and innovation growth nationwide, allows non-EU citizens to live and work in the country as a remote worker employed with a foreign company (or a freelancer working with foreign clients) for up to five years.
Under this visa, you will be taxed through a non-resident income tax regime, rather than the resident rate—meaning that you’ll pay a flat tax of 24% on earnings up to €600,000. This is much better than the progressive tax rate, which can get up to 50%.
Read more detail about the digital nomad tax rates for Spain, and how to navigate the process here.
What Are the Requirements and Application Procedures for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
To qualify for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa, you must:
- Be a citizen of a country outside of the EU
- Prove you have a minimum monthly income of at least 200% of Spain’s monthly minimum wage (currently €1,260 per month)
- If you’re bringing family with you (spouse or children), then you must prove that you either have enough in your bank accounts or earn enough to cover at least 75% of the Spanish monthly minimum wage per each family member
- Be employed remotely by a non-Spanish company for at least three months prior to your application, and the company must have been in existence for at least one year—if you’re a freelancer who’s working remotely, you cannot work for Spanish companies. As a freelancer, you must also show that you’ve been working with your clients for at least three months prior to your application.
- If you do earn any additional income from within Spain, it can’t exceed 20% of your salary
- If you’re employed by a company and working remotely, the company must provide proof that your job is a remote position; if you’re a freelancer, you must show through the terms of your contract with each company you work with that your job can be completed remotely
- Show that you have a relevant college degree or at least three years’ work experience
- Obtain private health insurance for the duration of your stay
- Have a clean criminal record going back at least five years
There are two main ways to apply for the new digital nomad visa. Either you can enter Spain on a regular tourist visa and apply immediately for a three-year stay as a digital nomad, or you can apply from your home country for a one-year stay, which can later be modified for a three-year stay once you’re in Spain. Your visa can be extended for up to five years’ total.
Once you’ve submitted all of your required documents, you’ll be fast-tracked toward your digital nomad visa, with approval within 20 days.
If you’d like to become a permanent resident or even a citizen, the years you live in Spain as a digital nomad count toward your application.
Have you traveled to Spain—or are you living the digital nomad life already? Head over to our community and join the conversation!
More resources:
- Consular services: Spanish Embassy
- Spanish Digital Nomad Visa tax guide
- Spanish Digital Nomad Visa application form
About the Author
As the editor-in-chief of Frayed Passport, my goal is to help you build a lifestyle that lets you travel the world whenever you want and however long you want, and not worry about where your next paycheck will come from. I've been to 20+ countries and five continents, lived for years as a full-time digital nomad, and have worked completely remotely since 2015. If you would like to share your story with our community, or partner with Frayed Passport, get in touch with me at sarah@frayedpassport.com!
Featured image by Kristina Spisakova from Pixabay