Spain's digital nomad visa is officially the international telework visa, set by Ley 14/2013. This guide explains each requirement in plain English, checked against the official FAQ and the Spanish consulates' pages on 12 October 2026. An independent Spanish immigration lawyer confirms how each rule applies to your facts.
Last verified: October 12, 2026
The visa lets a foreign professional live in Spain while working remotely for companies located outside Spain. It is for nationals of countries outside the EU and the EEA, either as an employee of a foreign company or as a self-employed professional with clients abroad.
Employees may only work for companies located outside Spain. Self-employed professionals may also serve a company located in Spain, as long as that work does not exceed 20% of their total professional activity.
Your counterparties must be companies, which excludes work for individuals, public bodies and non-profits.
The official FAQ asks for 200% of Spain's minimum wage (SMI), which it states as EUR 1,221. That gives EUR 2,442 per month, gross, for a single applicant, the figure the Washington consulate publishes. The first family member adds EUR 916 per month and each further member EUR 306 per month.
Some law firms quote about EUR 2,849 because they count the minimum wage differently. Your lawyer confirms the amount that applies to your case.
The company you work for, or your main client, must show real activity for at least one year. You must also show a working relationship with it of at least three months before you apply, which will continue while you work from Spain, and employees need the company's permission to work remotely from Spain. Your lawyer tells you which documents prove this in your case.
No. The law accepts a degree or postgraduate qualification from a recognised institution, or at least three years of professional experience in similar functions. Regulated professions need the credential recognised in Spain before you can practise them.
You need Spanish public coverage, or private insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, for the whole period, with no deductible, co-payment or waiting period. Travel insurance is not accepted. Have your lawyer check a policy before you buy it.
Yes. Employees are covered through their employer or through a certificate of coverage where a social security agreement applies, as it does between the United States and Spain. Self-employed professionals register in the self-employed regime (RETA). Missing this obligation can end the authorisation.
Adults need recent criminal record certificates, for US residents an FBI check, and sometimes certificates from other countries they have lived in. Your lawyer confirms which ones you need and in what format.
The file covers your identity and residence, your work relationship and the company behind it, your income, your qualifications, and your insurance, Social Security and background checks. Most foreign documents need an apostille and a sworn translation, and each consulate keeps its own list. Your lawyer gives you the exact list for your case and checks every document before it is filed. Most delays come from documents rather than eligibility, so that review matters.
If most of these requirements describe you, take the short eligibility check below. Arx Capital Group is not a law firm; your lawyer contracts with you and bills you directly.
Remote work for companies outside Spain, gross income of at least EUR 2,442 per month for one person, a degree or three years of experience, an employer with a year of activity, a three-month working relationship, valid health insurance, Social Security coverage and a clean record.
Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Self-employed professionals may take Spanish clients as long as that work stays at or below 20% of their total activity.
No. At least three years of relevant professional experience is accepted instead of a degree.
No. You need health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain with no co-payments or waiting periods, or Spanish public coverage.
The legal conditions are the same, but each consulate sets its own document list and filing method.