Spain’s digital nomad visa lets non-EU citizens live in Spain while they work remotely for companies based outside the country. You need to earn at least 200% of Spain’s minimum wage, which works out to about €2,849 a month in 2026. You also need a degree or at least three years of professional experience, and a work relationship that has existed for at least three months.
The official name is the visa for international teleworking (visado para teletrabajo de carácter internacional). Spain created it through its Startups Law, Law 28/2022, which added the rules to Law 14/2013 on entrepreneurs from December 23, 2022. We checked the legal text and the 2026 minimum wage in the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) in October 2026.
This guide covers who qualifies, how the income test is calculated, the two ways to apply, family members, and how Spanish tax residence and the Beckham Law fit in.
Key takeaways
- The income test is 200% of Spain’s minimum wage (SMI). With the 2026 SMI, that is about €2,849 a month or €34,188 a year for the main applicant, and more for each family member.
- Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Freelancers may take Spanish clients for up to 20% of their professional activity.
- You can apply for a one-year visa at a consulate, or for a three-year residence permit from inside Spain if you are there legally.
- Residence permits renew for two years at a time while you still meet the conditions.
- Living in Spain for more than 183 days in a calendar year generally makes you a Spanish tax resident. Some newcomers can opt into the special regime known as the Beckham Law.
Who can apply for Spain’s digital nomad visa
Article 74 bis of Law 14/2013 defines an international teleworker as a non-EU national who works remotely for companies located outside Spain, using only computer, telematic and telecommunication systems. The law then splits applicants into two groups.
- Employees may only work for companies located outside Spain.
- Freelancers and other professionals may also work for a company in Spain, as long as that work is no more than 20% of their total professional activity.
The law also sets a skills test. You must be a qualified professional with a degree or postgraduate degree from a university, vocational school or business school of recognized prestige, or have at least three years of professional experience.
Article 74 ter then adds conditions about your work:
- The company or group you work with must have been actively operating for at least one year.
- You must show that the work can be done remotely.
- Employees must show at least three months of employment with the foreign company before the application, plus written permission to work remotely.
- Freelancers must show a commercial relationship with one or more foreign companies for at least the last three months, plus the terms of the remote work.
The income requirement in 2026
The financial test is 200% of the SMI. Royal Decree 126/2026 set the 2026 SMI at €1,221 a month, paid in 14 installments, which equals €17,094 a year.
| Measure | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| SMI per month (14 payments) | €1,221 |
| SMI per year | €17,094 |
| 200% of the SMI per year | €34,188 |
| 200% of the SMI per month, spread over 12 months | about €2,849 |
Spreading the annual SMI over 12 months gives about €2,849 a month, which is the figure most guides quote. Doubling the 14-payment monthly SMI instead would give €2,442, so confirm which basis the office handling your file uses. The amount also rises for each family member included in the application.
General requirements for every applicant
Article 62 of Law 14/2013 sets general conditions for all residence visas and permits under this law. You must:
- Not be in Spain irregularly.
- Be over 18.
- Have no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you lived in the last two years, and sign a sworn statement that you have no criminal record for the last five years.
- Not be listed as a person to be refused entry by countries with which Spain has an agreement.
- Have public health insurance, or private health insurance with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain.
- Have enough financial resources for yourself and your family.
- Pay the application fee.
Fees depend on where you apply and, for consular visas, can also depend on your nationality. Check the current fee with the consulate or the immigration unit.
Two ways to apply: consulate visa or residence permit in Spain
You can start the process from abroad or from inside Spain.
| Route | Where you apply | Length | Decision time in the law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teleworker visa | Spanish consulate in your country of residence | Up to 1 year | 10 working days |
| Teleworker residence permit | Online, to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE), while legally in Spain | Up to 3 years | 20 days, and silence counts as approval |
| Renewal | Online, to the UGE | 2 years at a time | Filing extends your current permit until a decision |
If you start with the visa, you can apply for the residence permit in the 60 days before the visa expires, as long as you still meet the conditions. If you are already in Spain legally, for example on a visa-free short stay, you can apply directly for the three-year permit.
Article 76 sets a 20-day deadline for the UGE and says that if it does not decide in time, the application is treated as approved. Once a permit of more than six months is granted, you then apply for a foreigner identity card (TIE).
Bringing your family
Spain lets close family members apply with you or later. Under Article 62, this covers:
- A spouse or a partner in an equivalent relationship.
- Minor children.
- Adult children who depend on you financially and have not formed their own family unit.
- Dependent parents or other ascendants.
If family members apply at the same time as you, their applications are decided together with yours. Each family member raises the income you must show.
Tax: when you become a Spanish tax resident
The visa does not change Spain’s tax rules. Under Article 9 of Spain’s Personal Income Tax Law, you are generally a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if the main base of your economic activities or interests is in Spain. Sporadic absences count toward the 183 days unless you prove tax residence in another country. Our explainer on the 183-day rule explains why the day count is only part of the picture.
Spanish residents are taxed on their worldwide income at progressive rates, and Spain also has a wealth tax and a solidarity tax on large fortunes. Our guide to Spain’s wealth tax covers how they work.
The Beckham Law and digital nomads
Article 93 of the same law contains the special regime for people who move to Spain, widely known as the Beckham Law. Those who qualify can choose to pay tax under non-resident income tax rules for the year they move and the following five years. The main features are:
- You must not have been a Spanish tax resident in the five years before the move.
- All employment income earned while you use the regime is treated as Spanish-source income. It is taxed at 24% up to €600,000 and 47% above that.
- Wealth tax applies only to assets located in Spain.
The law explicitly says that employees who hold the international teleworker visa meet the condition about moving for work. For freelancers, the regime is narrower. They need to fit one of the other routes, such as an approved entrepreneurial activity or highly qualified work for startups. Our Beckham Law guide covers the conditions and the election process. Whether the regime makes sense for any one person depends on their income, assets and home-country rules, so people often look at it with a Spanish tax adviser.
Spain compared with other European nomad visas
Spain asks for less income than Portugal or Croatia, but its tax system applies in full once you are resident, unless you qualify for the special regime. Portugal asks for four times its minimum wage, which is €3,680 a month in 2026. Croatia asks for €3,622.50 a month but treats qualifying digital nomad income as outside its income tax. See our guides to the Portugal D8 visa and the Croatia digital nomad permit.
If you are weighing a nomad visa against an investment-based residence, our comparison of golden visas and digital nomad visas sets out the main differences.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do I need for the Spain digital nomad visa in 2026?
The test is 200% of the minimum wage. With the 2026 SMI of €1,221 a month in 14 payments, that is €34,188 a year, or about €2,849 a month over 12 months, for the main applicant. Each family member adds to the amount.
Can I work for Spanish clients on the digital nomad visa?
Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Freelancers may work for a company in Spain if that work is no more than 20% of their total professional activity.
Can I apply for the Spain digital nomad visa from inside Spain?
Yes. If you are in Spain legally, for example during a visa-free stay, you can apply online to the UGE for a residence permit of up to three years.
Do I need a degree for the Spain digital nomad visa?
Not necessarily. The law accepts a degree or postgraduate degree from a recognized institution, or at least three years of professional experience.
Does the Spain digital nomad visa come with a special tax rate?
The visa itself does not. However, employees with the teleworker visa can meet one of the conditions of the Beckham Law, which taxes employment income at 24% up to €600,000 for a limited period. Other conditions apply, and freelancers have a narrower path.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.