The application and documents can be submitted starting from 04/01/2023, possibly even earlier.
Spain has decided on the date when the country will start issuing a new type of visas that so-called digital nomads can apply for – specialists working remotely. It will be possible to issue them from April 1, including for family members of the applicant.
It is assumed that the visa will interest promising specialists and attract them to the country, since it will be issued immediately for 5 years. According to the terms of the program, as we reported earlier, “nomads” will be able to work for Spanish companies, but on condition that the payment is no more than 20% of the total income.
The Digital Nomad Law in Spain came into force in December 2022. The procedure for obtaining a visa/residence permit for Digital Nomad in Spain will be developed and implemented by the end of March 2023. Requirements must be prepared before 03/31/2023. It is assumed that the application and documents can be submitted starting from 04/01/2023, but possibly earlier.
The project is called “ Law on the support of entrepreneurs and their internationalization”. At the moment, applications for this type of visa outside of Spain or for a residence permit from Spain are not accepted. Looking forward to March.
The prerequisites for obtaining a Spanish Digital Nomad Visa are:
State of origin: Spanish law allows citizens of countries outside the European Union and the European Economic Area to obtain a digital nomad visa.
Employer/customer: Foreigners working for a digital nomad visa can apply for a digital nomad visa remotely to non-Spanish companies (full-time employees)/foreign reserves (self-employed freelancers). The target audience includes businessmen who control foreign enterprises remotely. Applicants are allowed to receive a maximum of 20% of income from Spanish firms/customers.
Remote Work: Applicants will need to prove their ability to work remotely.
Duration of employment and existence of foreign business: It is necessary to prove the fact of fulfillment of orders of non-Spanish clients/employment in a foreign company within 3+ months prior to the moment of applying for a digital nomad visa to Spain. The foreign company-employer (in the case of full-time remote workers) must have been operating for at least 1 year at the time of applying for a visa.
Residency: Applicants who have held Spanish residency for 5+ years at the time will not be accepted applying for a digital nomad visa. If the visa procedure is carried out in Spain, the candidate is prohibited from being in the country illegally at the time of application.
Proof of Aptitude/Education: A Digital Nomad applying for a Digital Nomad Visa in Spain will need to prove qualifications and 3 years of experience in the relevant professional field. The alternative is a graduate/professional diploma.
Earning Level: The digital nomad will have to prove that they have sufficient income. The income threshold for a foreigner who wishes to obtain a digital nomad visa in Spain is set at 200% of the minimum monthly interprofessional wage in that country (Spanish: Salario Mínimo Interprofesional/SMI). The current (as of January 2023) monthly minimum wage in Spain is €1,166.67. Accordingly, the minimum allowable income for a digital nomad to obtain a visa is 2,334 € per month/28 000 € in year. Growth is likely in the future. The Spanish authorities annually revise the minimum wage upwards.
Insurance: At this stage, obtaining private health insurance is a prerequisite for obtaining a visa. Taking out a regular travel insurance with medical coverage is not enough. In the future, it is possible that digital nomads will be able to use public health insurance by making social security contributions from their own income.
Integrity: Digital nomad visa applicants with a criminal record in Spain/countries of previous residence within 5+ years prior to application will not be accepted.
Option to add relatives to visa application and requirements
Both a bachelor and a whole family of digital nomads can get a digital nomad visa in Spain. Relatives – children and spouse – are added to the application as dependents. In addition to fulfilling all of the above requirements, excluding professional ones, if you add dependents, you must confirm the presence of a higher income.
In the case of a couple of applicants (for example, a digital nomad with a spouse), you will need to confirm the presence of additional income in the amount of 75% of the monthly minimum wage in the country (€875 per month). Adding any additional family member increases monthly income requirements by 25%.
Spanish Digital Nomad Visa Documents
The list of documents for obtaining a digital nomad visa to Spain includes the following items:
A completed visa application form. The form is available on the website of the Bureau for Large Companies and Strategic Institutions (Spanish: Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos/UGE-CE) of the Spanish Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Social Security.
Certificates of no criminal record for the two-year period preceding the visa application. State of origin and countries of previous residence certificates required.
A sworn statement of no criminal record for the previous five-year period.
Employment contract (regular remote employees or international businessmen) with a company outside Spain/contracts for the performance of services for foreign customers (freelancers).
Proof of income in the required amount in the form of bank statements, contracts and invoices textures.
A photocopy of the passport.
Proof of payment of the administration fee for accepting the application (modelo. 790 038).
Documents confirming the existence of a professional relationship/reference been employed as self-employed for at least 3 months before the date of application.
Proof of registration of the employing company at least 1 year earlier.
A letter from a foreign company – employer, stipulating the admissibility of remote work from Spain, as well as the position, salary, terms of employment and other conditions for cooperation with the person involved in the application.
Copy of diploma/professional certificate + confirmation of professional experience.
Private health insurance policy.
Anyone who stays in Spain for more than 183 days, as noted above, is considered a Spanish tax resident for tax purposes. Even if the individual in question works for a foreign company.
Bless any foreign digital nomad working and living in Spain thanks to the visa scheme in question, tax incentives available. Remote workers are entitled to pay income tax at a reduced rate of 15% for the first four years of their stay in Spain (if the income is less than €600,000 during the reference fiscal year) instead of the normal 24% rate.
