Digital Nomad Visa to Spain

In Spain, the Nomad visa is valid for only a year, but in such a short period of time it has transformed into one of the most popular relocation programs. For foreigners working remotely, this is an alternative opportunity to do what they love in a country with a warm climate and a European standard of living. The Kingdom's authorities are interested in attracting foreign investment into the economy, so digital nomads in Spain are a valuable resource in the labor market.

Applicants for a Nomad visa to a European country can be not only freelancers working in the status of self-employed or sole proprietor. The list also includes highly qualified specialists who have a diploma from a prestigious university (or have at least 3 years of work experience).

Important

An expat planning to work or do business in Spain must cross the border legally (i.e., apply for a Schengen visa in advance) and register with the migration service upon arrival in the country.

Features of the Digital Nomad Visa for Spain

The entry permit format, intended for the self-employed and sole proprietors, belongs to category "D" because it allows them to stay in the Kingdom for a long time. The status of a digital nomad is regulated in the Law «On Startups».

A visa is often issued for 3 years with the right to be extended for another 2 years.

For your information

Being outside the Spanish state, you can request a Nomad visa with a validity period of 1 year, and the consuls do not prevent this.

After a five-year stay in Spain, a freelancer has the right to apply for permanent residence, and after working for another 5 years as a permanent resident, apply for citizenship.

To extend the residence permit, the expander must stay in Spain for at least 6 months a year (which is strictly controlled by local authorities).

Before legalizing the status of a tax non-resident, an expat must apply to the fiscal authority in Spain. If he ignores this recommendation, he risks paying fiscal fees at the standard rate (in particular, 48 % income tax).

It is recommended to register an enterprise (autónomo) and register with the social insurance authorities in the Kingdom immediately after the visa is approved. If you postpone the resolution of this issue for a month or two, the risk increases that the entry permit will simply be canceled.

What is the difference from a regular residence permit

Nomad visa holders cannot formally cooperate with companies that are registered in the Kingdom. The provision of services to Spanish customers is possible provided that their share does not exceed 20 % of the total income. Spanish law does not limit the number of foreign employers with whom a freelancer is entitled to conclude contracts.

A visa issued to a freelancer allows him to move to the Spanish state with family members and act as their sponsors (parents, spouses, children, grandparents).

Please note

Obtaining a residence permit with the right to work imposes a certain obligation on the nomad. It boils down to the fact that the main applicant can officially work in Spain for no more than 4 hours a day. In parallel, he must transfer contributions to the formation of a pension (91 € per month).

Taxes

Spain has a preferential tax system for freelancers. The Beckham Law makes it possible to reduce the fiscal burden by up to 24 %, but on condition that the annual profit does not exceed 600,000 €. If the profit of the self-employed turned out to be more than the established limit, then the tax is already charged at the rate of 48 %.

The relocation program frees the self-employed and sole proprietors from the obligation to declare income in the «Modelo 720» format. The Spanish «CGP» (capital gains) tax rate ranges from 19 % to 28 %.

Upon transition to permanent residence, a freelancer acquires the status of a tax resident and pays income tax at the standard rate of 48 %. In addition, he undertakes to submit a declaration on form 720 and prepare reports on the income received for the regulatory authorities.

Conditions for obtaining a freelancer visa

Relocation program participants must meet the following criteria:

• age – from 18 years; 
• minimum work experience in a remote format – 3 months (the employer must be registered on the labor market for at least 1 year); 
• work experience in the profession – at least 3 years (for highly qualified specialists); 
• minimum monthly income – 2 SMI (2,646 €).

The freelancer is obliged to prove the amount of profit documentarily by providing an employment contract. It should contain a reference to the remote work format, the position and the salary amount are fixed. Additionally, the digital nomad is required to provide written confirmation from the employer that he is allowed to work remotely in Spain.

It is also necessary to present to the authorities of the Kingdom a certificate confirming the absence of a criminal past.

If you are considering obtaining a Spanish Digital Nomad Visa, then do not forget about other types of visas, which also provide the opportunity for a long legal stay in the country, but have their own design features. We have created a comprehensive guide on visas to Spain, in which we have sorted out all the details of obtaining and provided relevant recommendations.

Moving with your family

The applicant for a Nomad visa has the right to include family members in the application and move to Spain with them. But when making such a decision, a freelancer should take into account that the amount of income required will increase. He acts as a sponsor for family members. If the main applicant travels to Spain with his spouse, 75 % of the SMI is added to his minimum wage. Each subsequent family member will increase the amount of monthly profit by another 25 % of the minimum wage.

If the main applicant plans to move with his family and submits a visa application form inside Spain, then his spouse, children and other relatives are required to stay with him, and not in another country.

Required documents

To apply for a Nomad visa, the applicant will need:

• passport;
• digital photos (2 copies);
• completed MI-T sample questionnaire;
• certificates confirming the absence of a criminal past (from each country in which the digital nomad has lived for at least 6 months in the last 2 years); 
• a document certifying the fact of legal crossing of the border of the Spanish state («Schengen» or «Declaration of Entry», which is issued by the police department at the airport);   
• diploma (+ documents proving the applicant's experience – at least 3 years); 
• an employment agreement concluded no earlier than 3 months from the date of entry into Spain (+ an extract from the USRIP confirming the fact that the employer has been registered on the market for more than 1 year); 
• a letter from the employer about his consent to employ an employee in in the Spanish state; 
• a letter of intent to register with the social insurance authorities (for the self-employed and sole proprietors); 
• a bank statement certifying the applicant's minimum income – 2 SMI (if he moves to the Spanish state without family members); 
• a medical insurance policy; 
• a document confirming payment of the state fee.

Additionally, the translation of the collected papers into Spanish will be required (through the services of sworn translators). You only need to apostille a certificate of absence of a criminal past.

Step-by-step action plan

There are several ways to get an entry permit – through the Spanish consulate or inside Spain (by visiting Migration Service – «Oficina de Extranjeria»). In the second case, the applicant can cross the border of the Kingdom using the "Schengen» and directly contact the Immigration Department.

The standard algorithm for obtaining a visa is as follows:

The amount of the consular fee for processing the document is 90 €. The fee can be paid in cash at the cash desks of the Embassy or the EC, as well as by bank card.

If the freelancer was refused a visa, and he considered the negative decision of the consuls to be unfounded, then an appeal is possible. The complaint is filed within 1 month from the date of receipt of the refusal. It is considered by the staff of the diplomatic mission, who made the decision for the first time. If, during the consideration of the appeal, it turns out that the refusal was lawful, then an official letter will be sent to the applicant with a legal justification for the position of the consuls in the case.

What should I do after getting a visa?

Upon arrival in the Spanish state, the removalist is obliged to comply with the existing procedure for registering citizens. In particular, by contacting a police station or Immigration Department, a freelancer must obtain a foreigner's identification number (NIE – «Número de Identidad de Extranjero»).

He also has the right to submit documents for a residence permit to the migration agency. Within 20 working days, officials consider them, after which the digital nomad receives an ID card – an analogue of a passport. A state fee of 79 € is provided for the issuance of an identity card.

All those planning commercial activities in the Kingdom are required to register with the tax authority, which is confirmed by another identification number (NIF – «Número de Identificación Fiscal»).

Advantages and disadvantages of the program

The set of preferences for a freelancer who has decided to move to the Spanish state is as follows:

• visa-free visits to EU countries; 
• the right to receive a pension in a European state (if regular deductions were made from income); 
• the prospect of obtaining Spanish citizenship through naturalization; 
• the possibility of moving to a European state with family members.

One of the disadvantages of the relocation program designed for digital nomads is the obligation to stay in Spain for at least 6 months a year if a residence permit is planned to be extended. The long period of transition to Spanish citizenship – 10 years – also cannot be considered a plus for a freelancer. For example, in Portugal it is half the size and you can get a passport in 5 years.

If we compare the conditions of the program for remote workers in Spain and Italy, then when relocating to the Apennine Peninsula, you will have to prove your professional qualifications with five years of work experience. In Spain, the minimum length of service is 3 years.

Now the Government of the Kingdom continues to optimize the conditions for the relocation of digital nomads. In particular, registration and notary payments are simplified, and a visa can be issued in a «one-stop shop» mode.

Frequently Asked Questions