Immigration law
Digital nomad visa Spain: requirements and process
What the Spanish route actually covers
Spain’s international teleworker route is in Law 14/2013, as amended by Law 28/2022. It concerns third-country nationals working from Spain remotely through computer and telecommunications systems. It is not non-lucrative residence or a general permit for any Spanish job. EU nationals and people benefiting from free movement should assess their own regime rather than assuming this route applies.
Employees and independent professionals
Employees may work only for businesses outside Spain. For professional activity, work for a Spanish business is allowed up to twenty per cent of total professional activity. That is not a general local-employment allowance or automatically an income percentage. The business or group must show at least one year of actual continuous activity. The relevant employment or commercial relationship must have existed for at least three months, with evidence of remote-work permission or professional terms.
Qualifications and evidence
The law accepts specified recognised qualifications or at least three years of professional experience as an alternative. A university degree is not invariably required. Regulated professions need additional assessment. Prepare coherent employer or client evidence, business history and remote-work terms; a newly formed business or new client relationship should not simply be assumed sufficient.
Consular visa or residence application?
The visa is for people not resident in Spain, lasts up to one year and may be shorter for a shorter work period. People lawfully in Spain may apply for residence authorisation lasting up to three years or a shorter requested work period. Two-year renewals depend on continued compliance. These are distinct routes, not an automatic five-year visa. Review lawful status and the competent filing location before choosing.
Health cover, means and Social Security
Article 62 includes sufficient means, health coverage and the applicable criminal-record and admissibility requirements. Certificates and responsible declarations serve different purposes; do not assume a universal five-year certificate rule. Immigration permission preserves Social Security obligations. Private health insurance is not evidence of exemption from contributions, and cross-border coverage documents require individual assessment by the competent institutions. Immigration permission does not itself determine tax residence or confer a special tax regime.
Family and practical mistakes
The law has its own family categories, including spouses or analogous partners, minor children and certain dependent relatives. Ordinary family-reunification rules should not be copied into this route. Review family evidence, legalisation or translation needs and identification formalities. NIE, visa, residence authorisation and TIE are not interchangeable. Neither eligibility nor processing within a particular real-world timeframe is guaranteed; future permanent residence or nationality is a separate assessment.
Official sources
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