Who qualifies for Spain's digital nomad visa?

Checked on 2026-10-25

You qualify if you are a non-EU national working remotely for companies outside Spain, have a university, business-school or vocational qualification or at least three years of professional experience, and have worked for at least three months with a company that has been active for at least one year. Freelancers may do up to 20% Spanish work.

Key facts

What	The source says	Source
Nationality	Not for EU citizens or others with equivalent EU free-movement rights	Ley 14/2013, art. 61.2
Type of work	Remote work for companies based outside Spain, using only computer and telecommunication means	Ley 14/2013, art. 74 bis.1
Spanish clients	Employees: only companies outside Spain. Professionals (freelancers): work for a company in Spain may be up to 20% of total professional activity	Ley 14/2013, art. 74 bis.1
Qualification	Graduate or postgraduate of a university, vocational training or business school of recognised prestige, or at least 3 years of professional experience	Ley 14/2013, art. 74 bis.2
The company	Real and continuous activity for at least 1 year	Ley 14/2013, art. 74 ter.a
Your relationship with it	At least the last 3 months before applying, plus proof the work can be done remotely	Ley 14/2013, art. 74 ter.b–d
General conditions	Not irregularly in Spain; 18 or older; no criminal record in Spain or countries of residence in the last 2 years; not listed as refused entry; health insurance; sufficient means; fee paid	Ley 14/2013, art. 62.3

Employees and freelancers

The law separates two cases. If you are an employee (relación laboral), you must have worked for a company not located in Spain for at least the last three months, and bring documents showing the company lets you work remotely. You may only work for companies outside Spain (Ley 14/2013, arts. 74 bis.1, 74 ter.c).

If you are a freelancer (relación profesional), you must have had a commercial relationship with one or more companies not located in Spain for at least the last three months, and show the terms on which you will work remotely. Up to 20% of your total professional activity may be for a company in Spain (arts. 74 bis.1, 74 ter.d).

In both cases the company or group you work with must have been really and continuously active for at least one year (art. 74 ter.a).

Degree or experience

The law accepts either a qualification (graduate or postgraduate of a university, vocational training, or a business school of recognised prestige) or at least three years of professional experience (art. 74 bis.2). The Washington consulate’s guidance adds that the experience should be in functions similar to the remote job, and that a regulated profession needs its qualification recognised in Spain.

Who you can work for

The Washington consulate’s guidance says the teleworker must work for a company or provide services to companies, and that the visa does not cover work for individuals, international organisations, government agencies, universities, foundations, NGOs or other non-profit entities.

How long the decision takes: see “How long does Spain take to decide a digital nomad residence permit?”
Income: consular guidance asks for 200% of the monthly minimum wage for the applicant (Washington consulate guidance, point 9).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

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