Digital Nomad Visa Spain

There are a number of documents which you will require in order to apply for a Spanish Digital Nomad visa. These are generally as follow:

• Completed application form
• Valid passport
• Passport photo, to the Spanish specifications
• Clean criminal record certificate (note that the certificate must still be valid, which generally requires that it must be from within the last 6 months)
• Medical certificate and proof of Spanish health insurance
• If you work for a company, proof that you have been working for them for at least 3 months
• If you are self-employed, proof of the length of your contract(s) and the terms and conditions for your remote work in Spain
• Proof of sufficient financial means. This is generally around €2,400 per month or €28,800 annually
• If your family members are also applying, the minimum income requirement will increase. In general, a family of 2 will require around €3,000 a month, a family of 3 will require around €3,240 a month, and a family of 4 will require around €3,510 a month. However, this will vary in line with the Spanish national minimum wage when you submit your application. Each additional dependent usually requires €600
• Evidence of a qualification from a higher education institution or a professional certificate which confirms at least 3 years of experience in your area of work

Note that additional evidence will also be required if family members are also applying alongside you. This evidence is as follows:

• Proof of familial relationship (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificates, family records, etc.)
• If your children are adults, you will need to prove that they are still dependants (e.g. proof of their financial dependence on you)
• If your parents are also applying, you must prove that they are also dependants, i.e. that they are in your care. In general, they will need to be over 65 in order to be eligible, although exceptions are sometimes made on humanitarian grounds

Note that all documents must be translated into Spanish by an authorised translation service.

The visa fee for the Digital Nomad visa application is generally around €60 for up to one year or €73.60 for up to 3 years. However, there are also likely to be additional costs associated with your application, such as obtaining Spanish health insurance and translating your documents into Spanish. In some cases, applicants also choose to pay for legal assistance in order to streamline their application process. To learn more about Total Law’s services, contact us today on +44 (0) 333 305 9375.

In general, a decision will be made on your application within 10 days of submission. However, this may vary based on a range of factors, such as how many other applications are also being processed, whether any documentation is missing from your application, and whether you are required to attend an interview. In order to minimise delays, make sure to complete your application correctly and completely, and to promptly provide any additional information which is requested.

If you are successfully granted a visa, you must make sure to collect it within 1 month of being notified that it is ready for collection.

After living legally in Spain for at least 5 years, you can apply for Spanish permanent residence. This means that you will be able to permanently settle in Spain. If you have spent any time in Spain on either a Student or a Tourist visa, note that this will not count towards the 5 year minimum.

If you apply for Spanish permanent residence, you will need to provide a range of documentation, including proof of Spanish health insurance, proof of residence, your Residence card, and a valid passport. Make sure to apply within plenty of time of the expiry of your current Resident card in order to maintain your legal status.

After 10 years of living legally and continuously in Spain, you may be eligible to apply for a Spanish passport. Note that the continuity requirement means that you must not have left Spain for periods of greater than 3 months.

When applying for Spanish citizenship, you will need to satisfy a higher burden of evidence, such as demonstrating sufficient Spanish skills and knowledge of Spanish culture and society. You will also be expected to provide evidence of a clean criminal record.

Applying for Spanish nationality comes with a number of benefits, such as the ability to vote in Spanish elections and the right to a Spanish passport. Becoming a citizen of Spain will also grant you EU citizenship, which comes with the right to live, work and study in the rest of the EU, without requiring a visa.

The Spanish Digital Nomad visa was not finalised until December 2022. As such, prior to this, many remote workers applied to live and work in Spain via alternative visa routes.

One of these alternative routes was the Non Lucrative visa. However, this is not a Work visa and does not actually authorise work in Spain. Instead, it is intended as a visa route for those who wish to live in Spain but do not need to work whilst there, on account of having foreign passive income. This income could take a number of forms, such as rent from non-Spanish properties or interest on dividends or savings. Additionally, this visa is only valid for 90 days, and so holders will need to apply for a Foreigner Identity card upon arrival in Spain.

If you wish to work whilst in Spain, the Non Lucrative visa is not the right route for you. Alternatively, if you are already financially self-sufficient and do not plan to work during your time in Spain, the Non Lucrative visa route is the better fit.