Digital nomad visa Spain: requirements for remote workers in 2026

01What it is and who it is for

The international teleworking residence permit (residencia para teletrabajo de carácter internacional) was introduced by Spain's Startups Act, Law 28/2022, which added articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies to Law 14/2013, the Entrepreneurs Act. It allows non-EU nationals to live in Spain while working remotely, using only digital means, for companies based outside Spain.

There are two ways in. If you live abroad, you apply for a teleworking visa at the Spanish consulate covering your place of residence; it is valid for up to one year. If you are already in Spain legally, for instance as a visitor within your 90 visa-free days, you can apply for the residence permit directly to the UGE-CE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos), a unit of the Ministry of Inclusion that handles applications entirely online. The permit is granted for up to three years.

It works both for employees of a foreign company and for freelancers with overseas clients. Freelancers may also work for Spanish clients, as long as that work is no more than 20% of their total professional activity. For British, American, Canadian and Australian remote workers it is often the most practical route to living in Spain while keeping their existing job.

02Requirements

• You are a non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss national aged 18 or over.
• You work remotely for a company or group based outside Spain that has been genuinely trading for at least one year.
• If you are an employee: you have worked for that company for at least the three months before applying, and it authorises you to work remotely from Spain. You may only work for companies based outside Spain.
• If you are self-employed: you have had a commercial relationship with one or more foreign companies for at least the last three months, with documented terms for working remotely. Spanish clients may not exceed 20% of your activity.
• You hold a degree or postgraduate qualification from a recognised university, vocational training centre or business school, or you can show at least three years of professional experience in similar work.
• Sufficient income: as a benchmark, 200% of Spain's minimum wage (SMI, salario mínimo interprofesional) for you, plus 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. With the 2026 SMI (€17,094 a year) that is around €2,849 gross a month for the main applicant.
• Public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain.
• No criminal record in Spain or in any country you have lived in during the last two years, plus a signed declaration covering the last five years.
• Compliance with the social security obligations that apply to your situation.
• You are not in Spain irregularly and are not listed as an inadmissible person in the Schengen area.

Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.

03Documents

• Full valid passport.
• Employer letter confirming your start date, permission to work remotely from Spain and job details; or, if self-employed, your client contracts and the terms of the services.
• Evidence that the company exists and has been trading for at least a year (for example, a Companies House record or an equivalent registry extract).
• Apostilled degree or vocational qualification, or proof of three years' experience (employer references, contracts).
• Recent payslips, invoices and bank statements showing your income.
• Health insurance policy and certificate.
• Police certificates, apostilled and translated into Spanish, and the signed declaration.
• Social security documents: registration in Spain or, where a bilateral agreement applies, a certificate of coverage from your home country.
• For family members: marriage, partnership or birth certificates, and proof of dependency for adult children or parents.

Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.

04How we handle it online

1. Case review

   We look at your contract or client base, your income and your qualifications or experience, and tell you whether you qualify and whether to apply from Spain or through a consulate.

2. Building the file

   We tell you exactly which letters you need from your employer, which documents need an apostille and translation, and how to evidence your income. We check everything before filing.

3. Online filing with the UGE-CE

   If you are in Spain, we file the application electronically for you and your family at the same time. If you are abroad, we prepare a complete consulate-ready file.

4. Follow-up

   We monitor the application and answer any request for further documents within the deadline.

5. TIE and renewal

   Once approved, we guide you through the fingerprint appointment for your TIE (foreigner identity card). When renewal is due, we file it online as well.

05Timescales and validity

A residence permit applied for from within Spain must be decided within 20 days of electronic filing. If the UGE-CE has not answered by then, the permit is deemed granted (positive administrative silence). While the application is pending, your previous legal stay or residence is extended.

The teleworking visa is valid for up to one year. In the 60 days before it expires you can apply, from Spain, for the residence permit. The permit is granted for up to three years and can be renewed for two-year periods as long as you still meet the conditions.

After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for long-term residence.

06Do I need to attend anything in person?

07Common mistakes and reasons for refusal

• Not enough history: less than three months with the employer or clients, or a company trading for less than a year.
• Being employed by a Spanish company, or exceeding the 20% limit on Spanish clients as a freelancer.
• Weak evidence of the degree or of three years' experience.
• Income below the threshold once family members are added.
• Overlooking social security: the authorities check this closely.
• Applying from Spain when your visitor stay is about to end or has already expired.

08Frequently asked questions

09Legal basis

• Law 14/2013, articles 62 and 74 bis to 74 quinquies (international teleworking)
• Law 14/2013, articles 75 and 76 (visas and UGE-CE procedure)
• Law 28/2022, fifth final provision
• Royal Decree 126/2026 (2026 minimum wage)

Information reviewed on 03.10.2026 against the law in force. This page is for general information and is not a substitute for advice on your own case.