Digital Nomad Visa: What is it?

February 6, 2024

The digital nomad visa is the most recently introduced visa in Spain, in an effort to adapt to the ever-increasing number of cases of remote workers in these modern times. It was introduced in 2023 and it allows foreign nationals to work from home in Spain for overseas companies and reside in Spain.

What is a Digital Nomad Visa?

In order to apply for a traditional work visa, the applicant has to provide a work contract with a Spanish company or a letter of invitation. Applying for this type of visa posed huge complications for remote workers, which are becoming more and more common in the light of new technological developments.

The digital nomad visa was introduced to allow remote workers the possibility of staying in Spain for more extended periods of time.

Who can apply for a digital nomad visa?

It is important to point out that not just anyone can apply for a digital nomad visa. This visa is limited to qualified professionals who can prove that they are graduates or postgraduates of reputable universities, vocational training colleges and business schools or with at least three years’ experience in their current professional activity.

A common question is whether a self-employed person can be considered an international remote worker, for the purposes of this visa. The answer is yes, as long as the applicant can prove the existence of a professional relationship with the company for at least 3 months before the application and the company authorises the applicant to work remotely.

What are the requirements to apply for this type of visa?

Aside from meeting the standard requirements for visa applications, the digital nomad visa applicant will need to provide the following:

Proof of the applicant’s professional qualifications or work experience.
Proof of the existence of an employment/business relationship between the worker and the company (which cannot be located in Spain) for at least the 3 months prior to the visa application, as well as authorisation from the company for the worker to carry out their work remotely.
Proof of whether the worker will continue to be registered with the social security system of their country of origin, or whether they will be registered with the Spanish social security system.
Proof of financial means, which in the case of the digital nomad visa means meeting the threshold of twice the amount of Spain’s monthly minimum wage.

How can I apply for a Digital Nomad Visa?

As in the case of other visa applications, the digital nomad visa needs to be applied for through the Spanish Consulate of your country of origin, in person or through a duly accredited representative.

The digital nomad visa will be valid for a maximum of 1 year.

Foreigners who are already in Spain under a long-term visa can apply for a digital nomad residence permit. with no need for a prior visa. This permit will be valid for a maximum of three years.

What are the advantages of the digital nomad visa?

The first major advantage will be the possibility of working remotely for overseas companies whilst living in Spain.

There are also tax benefits, as it grants the applicants the opportunity of having a special tax regime applied, which involves applying a fixed rate of tax of 24% to their income, up to 600,000 € a year.