Spain's Digital Nomad Visa
Your gateway to remote working in Spain
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa lets non-EU remote workers and freelancers live in Spain while working for companies or clients based outside the country. To qualify you must show at least €2,850/month before tax, a remote job or client base you've held for the qualifying period, a degree or three years' experience in your field, and a clean criminal record.
Here's exactly how it works — and the fastest way to find out if the visa is realistic for you.
Is this the right visa, and which route do you file?
The Digital Nomad Visa is the one Spanish residence route that lets you keep working. It arrived with the Startup Law in January 2023 and it exists for a single situation: your income comes from outside Spain — a foreign employer, or your own clients abroad — and the work travels with you. If you won't be working at all and you'll live on savings or a pension, the Non-Lucrative Visa is your route instead, and I'd rather tell you that now than after you've paid for translations.
There are two ways to file and they are not interchangeable. From your home country you apply at the Spanish consulate. From inside Spain you apply to the UGE, the national unit that handles Startup Law files. The route decides how long your first permit runs, what you hand over, and how soon you can be here — so it's the first thing I work out with you, before a single document gets ordered.
Key benefits
Three years up front
Your first authorisation can run up to three years, where most Spanish residence permits start at one. It renews to five years in total — and five is also the mark where permanent residency opens.
One application, whole family
Your spouse or partner and your children apply on the same file, at the same time as you — not four separate visas. You show extra income for each of them rather than repeating the whole application.
Europe on the same card
Ninety days in any 180-day period anywhere else in the Schengen Area, on your Spanish card alone, with no second visa to apply for. Spain becomes the base you work from, not the place you're pinned to.
The clock that counts
Every year on this visa counts toward the five you need for permanent residency and the ten for citizenship under the general rule, as long as the residence stays legal and continuous. Continuity is what people lose to a late renewal or a long spell away — so it's what I watch for you.
Eligibility requirements
✓Remote work connection
You must be employed by a non-Spanish company or have clients outside of Spain that specifically allow you to work remotely from Spain.
✓Income requirements
You must show at least €2,850/month before tax — 200% of Spain's minimum wage. For family, add 75% of the minimum wage for your first dependent and 25% for each additional person (so a couple needs about €3,920/month).
✓Experience & qualifications
You should have a university degree or professional experience of at least three years in your field.
✓Clean criminal record
A certificate confirming no criminal record in your country of residence for the past five years.
✓Private health insurance
Full private health insurance from a provider authorised in Spain, with no co-payments and coverage equivalent to the public system. See exactly what the policy must say → I'll help you choose the right one for you. Unless you go the autónomo route and get registered with and pay into Spanish social security — then you get universal healthcare.
Application process
Initial assessment
I'll evaluate your specific situation to confirm your eligibility for the Digital Nomad Visa and address any potential challenges.
Documentation preparation
I'll guide you through the process of gathering and properly formatting all required documents, including translations and apostilles where necessary.
Application submission
Your application can be submitted either at the Spanish consulate in your home country, or I'll submit it for you here once you've arrived.
Visa approval & TIE card
After approval, I'll help you obtain your TIE (Foreigner Identity Card) to formalize your residence.
Working with me
You work directly with me, Javier Orquín — a Sevillian visa consultant, not a law firm. I keep a small caseload, so the person who reviews your file is the person who answers your messages.
A consultant, not a law firm
I do this personally — no junior handlers, no ticket queue. You deal with me from the first message to your TIE card.
Native local knowledge
Born and raised in Seville, I know the city you're moving to first-hand — the neighbourhoods, the local admin like your padrón and TIE appointment, and the real-world steps to settle in once your visa lands, not just the paperwork.
Personal and hands-on
I take a limited number of clients at a time so each application gets real attention. I build the strongest case the rules allow and explain every step in plain English.
Check if you qualify for the Digital Nomad Visa
Start with a free eligibility chat. Tell me your situation and I'll give you an honest read on whether the Digital Nomad Visa is realistic for you.
Before you pay anything, I'll tell you in the free chat whether you realistically qualify. If you don't, I'll say so — and point you to the option that fits.
The eligibility chat is free. The only paid step is a €100 intro call where we go through your plan and fees — no time limit on the call, and your follow-up questions afterwards are free.
No spam, no obligation — I reply personally.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work for Spanish clients on a Digital Nomad Visa?
+You can work for Spanish clients, but income from Spanish sources cannot exceed 20% of your total income. The primary purpose of this visa is to allow you to work remotely for non-Spanish employers or clients.
What is the processing time for the Digital Nomad Visa?
+Spanish law sets a 20-working-day target to resolve in-Spain applications, though real-world timelines vary by route. I prepare your file so it moves through the process without avoidable delays.
Does the Digital Nomad Visa lead to permanent residency?
+Yes, time spent on the Digital Nomad Visa counts toward the 5-year residency requirement for permanent residency in Spain. After 10 years of legal residency, you may be eligible for Spanish citizenship.