Spain digital nomad visa requirements

Personal requirements

• Nationality: the scheme is for nationals of countries outside the EU and the EEA. EU citizens already have free movement.
• Age: over 18.
• Legal situation: not being in Spain irregularly.
• Criminal record: no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you have lived in the last two years, plus a sworn statement covering the last five years.
• Not refused entry in Schengen countries.

Work requirements (arts. 74 bis and 74 ter)

Remote work for companies outside Spain

The activity must be carried out remotely using only telematic means. Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Freelancers may work for a Spanish company if that work does not exceed 20% of their total professional activity. See freelancers.

A company with one year of activity

The company or group you work for must have had real and continuous activity for at least one year.

Three months of work

Employees must have worked for the foreign company for at least the last three months; freelancers must have had a commercial relationship with one or more foreign companies for at least the last three months. See employees.

Permission to work remotely

You need documents showing that the job can be done remotely and, for employees, that the employer allows it.

Qualifications

A university degree or postgraduate qualification, a recognised vocational or business school qualification, or at least three years of professional experience. See qualifications.

General requirements (art. 62)

• Sufficient financial means for you and your family. See income requirement.
• Health insurance, public or private with an insurer authorised in Spain.
• Payment of the fee.

In practice, you must also show how your social security coverage will work. See social security.

A practical example

A Canadian software developer employed for two years by a Toronto company wanted to move to Palma. Her employer's letter did not mention remote work. We asked the company for a specific letter authorising her to work remotely from Spain, gathered the company's registration and tax documents and her degree, and her residence permit was approved without requests for more information. See the documents checklist. More information on the firm's main website: immigration law at Castell Abogados (in Spanish).