Digital Nomad Visa
Residency for digital nomads: visa and authorization
Spanish legislation defines as a digital nomad or international teleworker those people who carry out a work or professional remotely exclusively through telematic means for companies located outside of Spanish territory in order to obtain the Digital Nomad Visa.
If this is your case and you have the necessary qualifications or professional experience, you can choose to apply for a Digital Nomad Visa, if you are still in your country of origin, or a residence permit, if you are already living legally in Spain.
The visa or authorization is valid for working and residing throughout the national territory, including family members if they meet the age requirement stipulated in labor regulations.
VERY IMPORTANT
If you are employed, you may only work for companies located outside of Spain. If you are self-employed, you may work for a company located in Spain and hold a Digital Nomad Visa, provided that this work does not exceed 20% of your total professional activity.
Who is it addressed to?
It is aimed at people with non-EU citizenship who want to reside in Spain to carry out a work or professional activity using only computer, telematics and telecommunications means and systems.
What is your current situation?
Depending on your location at the time of application (outside of Spain or legally in Spain), the Digital Nomad Visa permit you must apply for to be able to work remotely from Spain varies:
- If you are outside of Spain, you will need to apply for an international teleworking visa.
- If you are legally in Spain, you must apply for the residence permit for international teleworkers.
What requirements must be met?
Both the Digital Nomad Visa and the authorization are requested directly by the digital nomad, that is, the teleworker or professional who wants to work remotely in Spain. However, certain requirements must be met regarding both the individual and the company for which they work or provide services.
Requirements for a teleworker
- Not to be illegally present in Spanish territory.
- Be over 18 years old.
- To have no criminal record in Spain and in the countries where you have resided during the last five years prior to the application.
- Not to be prohibited from entering Spain or to be listed as inadmissible in the territorial space of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement in this regard.
- Hold a bachelor's or postgraduate degree from a recognized university, vocational training institution, or business school. If you do not hold such a degree, you must demonstrate a minimum of three years of professional experience.
- Having a prior and continuous employment or professional relationship of at least three months with one or more of the companies in the group for which you are teleworking.
- Having public or private health insurance arranged with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain (this will not be necessary if there is no bilateral agreement with the country of origin and, therefore, you have to register with the Spanish Social Security).
- Pay the fee for processing the visa or for the authorization.
- Having sufficient financial resources for themselves and their family members according to the following amounts:
- Holders of visas and residence permits: an amount that represents monthly 200% of the Spanish minimum interprofessional wage (currently, for the year 2023, the minimum interprofessional wage is 1,080 euros per month).
- Family units that include, counting the primary applicant and the person being reunited with their family, at least 75% of the national minimum wage. If applicable, an additional 25% of the national minimum wage will be required for each member beyond the two mentioned.
Company requirements
- Proof of real and continuous activity for at least one year of the foreign company or group of companies with which the worker maintains an employment or professional relationship.
- Authorization, by the company, on the possibility of developing remote work from Spain, accrediting for this purpose the profile of the position, terms and other conditions with which the professional activity will be carried out remotely.
- Document the Social Security coverage, including health coverage (if applicable), of the worker, by means of a certificate of coverage (in case there is an agreement with Social Security between Spain and the issuing country) or accreditation of the registration of the company in the Spanish Social Security and the commitment to register the worker.
What is its validity period?
The visa has a validity period of 1 year, during which the teleworker can work from Spain until the end of its validity.
Within sixty (60) calendar days before the expiry of the visa, if the teleworker is interested in continuing to reside in Spain, he/she may apply for the residence permit for international teleworkers, without the need to apply for a new visa and without requiring a minimum prior period of stay.
The authorization has a validity period of 3 years, unless requested for a shorter period.
The authorization is renewable for periods of 2 years as long as the conditions that generated the right are maintained.
Can I bring my family with me?
Yeah.
Your family members may accompany you on your trip and may apply for authorization or a visa at any time, either jointly or separately. This condition applies to:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Children of the holder, or of the spouse or partner, minors or adults who, being economically dependent on the holder or on his spouse or partner, have not constituted a family unit by themselves.
- First-degree dependent ascendants of the holder or their spouse or partner
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR VISA AND AUTHORIZATION:
- Criminal record certificate from the country or countries where you have lived during the last two years, for offenses stipulated in Spanish law. Additionally, a sworn statement declaring the absence of a criminal record for the last five years must be submitted. (The above will not apply if you hold a residence permit or a stay in Spain exceeding six months, and you have already submitted this certificate to obtain said permit).
- Public or private health insurance contracted with an entity operating in Spain (this will not be necessary if there is no bilateral agreement with the country of origin and, therefore, proof of registration with the Spanish Social Security system is required). Travel insurance is not accepted. (The above is not necessary if registered with the Spanish Social Security system).
- A degree or postgraduate qualification from a recognized university, vocational training institution, or business school. If such a degree is not available, a letter of experience signed by the current or previous employer demonstrating a minimum of three years of professional experience in functions similar to those of the position to be filled. In the case of practicing regulated professions, proof of qualification validation must be provided.
- Last three payslips with the company with which the teleworker maintains an employment relationship; in the case of being a professional and not a salaried worker, an analogous document or certification from the company that proves that the professional relationship is longer than 3 months.
- Certification from the foreign company (for example, through documentation issued by the corresponding Commercial Registry) as proof of real and continuous activity of the company or group of companies for at least one year.
- In the case of an employment relationship, a letter from the foreign company authorizing the development of remote work from Spain and accrediting the job profile, salary to be received, terms and other conditions in which the professional activity will be carried out remotely.
- In the case of a professional relationship, similar documentation that proves the terms and conditions under which the professional activity will be carried out remotely (for example, through a letter signed by a client, among other documents). In the case of an employment relationship, the employment contract or firm job offer must be provided; in the case of a professional activity, the commercial contract corresponding to the activity that motivates the authorization (notwithstanding the above, other similar documents may be used, depending on the case).
- In the event of an agreement with Social Security between Spain and the issuing country, a certificate of Social Security coverage, as well as a declaration of responsibility stating the commitment to comply, prior to the start of the work or professional activity, with the obligations in matters of social security.
- If there is no agreement with the Social Security between Spain and the issuing country or its issuance is not feasible, the registration of the foreign company in the Spanish Social Security must be accredited and a document of commitment to the registration of the worker must be attached, in addition to the declaration of responsibility referred to above.
SPECIFIC TO THE VISA:
Generally, you will need to provide the original and a copy of each document.
The documentation listed below is merely indicative, representing minimum requirements, as the required documentation may vary depending on your country of residence. Each diplomatic mission or consular office may request any additional documentation it deems necessary for its visa decision. However, the basic general and specific documentation you must provide is as follows:
- Application form for a national (long-stay) visa.
- Identity document or passport.
- Proof of having paid the fee.
SPECIFIC FOR AUTHORIZATION:
- Signed authorization application form.
- Copy of the complete passport or valid travel document (all pages).
- Proof of having paid the fee.