# Spain's digital nomad visa: requirements and taxes

URL: https://melso.ai/en/blog/digital-nomad-visa-spain
Published: 2026-10-12 · Updated: 2026-10-12

Requirements for Spain's digital nomad visa in 2026 (minimum income of €2,849 a month, fee, processing times), how to apply from abroad or from inside Spain, and the taxes you pay: RETA registration, VAT, IRPF and the Beckham regime.

## What Spain's digital nomad visa is and who can apply

Spain's digital nomad visa is the visa or residence permit for international remote work created by the Startup Law (Ley de startups). It lets you live in Spain if you are from outside the EU and work remotely for foreign companies. In 2026 you must prove means of about €2,849 gross a month if you come on your own and, if you work for yourself, register as self-employed (autónomo).

> [!RESUMEN]
> - Nationals of non-EU countries (with no right of free movement) who work remotely for companies based outside Spain and have a working relationship of at least three months can apply.
> - In 2026 you must prove means of 200% of the minimum wage: about €2,849 gross a month on your own and €3,917.38 if your partner comes with you (a cautious calculation using the annual minimum wage over 12 months). If your income falls short, you can make up the difference with savings.
> - From abroad you apply for a visa of up to one year at the consulate; from inside Spain, for a permit of up to three years from the UGE (Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit), which decides within 20 working days.
> - If you are self-employed, registering in the RETA (the self-employed scheme) and with Hacienda is mandatory, and you can work for Spanish companies as long as they do not exceed 20% of your professional activity.
> - The Beckham regime (24% on the general base up to €600,000) is designed for employees; a self-employed person usually pays the general IRPF.

The rules are in [articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies of Law 14/2013](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a7-2), added by Law 28/2022 (the Startup Law) with effect from 23 December 2022.

There are two profiles, taxed differently:

- **Employee:** you have an employment contract with a foreign company. You can only work for companies based outside Spain.
- **Self-employed professional (autónomo):** you have commercial contracts with one or more foreign companies. You can also work for companies located in Spain, as long as that work does not exceed 20% of your total professional activity ([article 74 bis.1 of Law 14/2013](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a7-2)).

As a self-employed person you have to [register](/en/tramites/alta) with Hacienda (the tax authorities) and Seguridad Social, and file [quarterly taxes](/en/tramites/impuestos).

## Digital nomad visa requirements in 2026

The requirements come from two articles of Law 14/2013: the general ones in [article 62](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a62) and the specific ones in 74 ter. The [UGE's frequently asked questions](https://bibliovirtual.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/nomadas-digitales-faqs-espanol) spell them out.

| Requirement | What you have to prove |
| --- | --- |
| Nationality | You are from a non-EU country, over 18 and have no EU right of free movement |
| Remote work | Your work can be done entirely remotely, without in-person supervision |
| Relationship with the company | At least three months of employment or commercial contract before applying |
| Company track record | Real, continuous activity for at least one year |
| Qualifications | A university, vocational or business school degree, or three years of experience |
| Criminal record | A certificate from the countries you lived in over the last two years and a statement that you have no record in the last five |
| Health insurance | Spanish Seguridad Social or private insurance with no waiting periods or co-payments, from an insurer authorised in Spain |
| Financial means | 200% of the minimum wage per month for you, plus 75% and 25% for family members |
| Status in Spain | You are not in Spain unlawfully |

If your job requires in-person supervision or client visits, the UGE may refuse it.

## How much money you need: 200% of the minimum wage

The law asks for "sufficient" financial means and the UGE sets the amount: 200% of the minimum wage (SMI, salario mínimo interprofesional) per month for the main applicant, at least 75% of the SMI for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. These are gross figures which, according to question 19 of the [UGE's frequently asked questions](https://bibliovirtual.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/nomadas-digitales-faqs-espanol), must come "from employment income" (payslips or invoices). If they fall short, the [UGE's document list for initial applications](https://ciudadaniaexterior.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/informacion-documentacion-pagina-web-titular-v2) lets you make up the difference: you prove with up-to-date bank certificates, in your name and stamped or signed by the bank, that you have "savings or other liquid income that cover the difference for the whole term of the permit".

For 2026, [Royal Decree 126/2026](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2026-3815) sets the SMI at €1,221 a month in 14 payments, €17,094 a year, with effect from 1 January. The UGE refers to "200% of the SMI monthly" without saying whether it counts 12 or 14 payments. Here we use the annual SMI spread over 12 months (€1,424.50 a month), which gives the higher figure and is therefore the cautious one:

| Household | Calculation | Minimum means per month | Per year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Main applicant only | 200% of the SMI | €2,849.00 | €34,188.00 |
| Applicant and partner | + 75% of the SMI | €3,917.38 | €47,008.50 |
| Applicant, partner and one child | + 25% of the SMI | €4,273.50 | €51,282.00 |
| Applicant, partner and two children | + 25% of the SMI | €4,629.63 | €55,555.50 |

![Minimum gross monthly financial means in 2026, based on the annual minimum wage of €17,094 over 12 months: €2,849 for the main applicant alone, €3,917.38 with a partner, €4,273.50 with a partner and one child and €4,629.63 with a partner and two children.](https://storage.googleapis.com/albert-489117-melso-blog-media/diagrams/en/nomada-digital-espana/1-bars-a9a18ade70.png?w=1600&h=742&m=1&mw=1080&mh=1404 "2026 minimum wage from Royal Decree 126/2026 (€17,094 a year) spread over 12 months. Confirm the figure with your consulate or the UGE.")

Based on the €1,221 monthly payment, the minimum would be €2,442; the cautious move is to be above €2,849. The UGE asks for payslips or invoices for the previous three months and a stamped or signed bank certificate with those payments marked.

## How to apply: from your country or from Spain

Your route sets how long the permit lasts:

| | Visa at the consulate | Permit from the UGE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where you are | Outside Spain | In Spain, lawfully resident |
| Where you apply | Spanish consulate in your country of residence | Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit, online |
| Length | Up to 1 year | Up to 3 years |
| Time to decide | 10 working days, unless prior consultations apply | 20 working days; if there is no answer, it is deemed granted |
| Afterwards | You apply for the permit in the 60 days before it expires | 2-year renewals |

The consulate's deadline is 10 working days ([article 75.5 of Law 14/2013](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a75)), unless your case needs the prior consultation under article 22 of the Visa Code. The UGE's deadline (20 days) and approval by silence are in [article 76](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a76); they are working days under [article 30 of Law 39/2015](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-10565#a30). If you are asked for documents, the clock can stop.

From abroad you can only apply for the visa. Non-lucrative residence does not allow you to work, so it cannot prove you were already working remotely.

### The steps, in order

1. **Gather proof of your work.** Contracts of at least three months, permission to work remotely and a certificate from the commercial register (or equivalent) showing one year of activity.
2. **Prepare your personal documents.** Passport, degree or experience, criminal record certificates (apostilled and translated if needed), health insurance and income.
3. **Get your NIE and pay the fee.** At the UGE, €73.26 per person, online and before you submit.
4. **Submit the application.** At the consulate with an appointment, or electronically to the UGE, yourself or through a representative.
5. **Register with Seguridad Social and Hacienda.** Straight away, if you are self-employed.
6. **Choose your tax regime.** If you can use the Beckham regime, you have six months from the start of your activity to opt in.

![Six steps: gather proof of a three-month relationship and one year of company activity, prepare personal documents, get the NIE and pay the €73.26 fee at the UGE, apply at the consulate or the UGE, register in the RETA and with Hacienda, and choose a tax regime within six months.](https://storage.googleapis.com/albert-489117-melso-blog-media/diagrams/en/nomada-digital-espana/2-steps-8c1b4154de.png?w=1600&h=1078&m=1&mw=1080&mh=2076 "How to get and keep the digital nomad visa")

## Social security: registering is mandatory

According to the UGE, if you work from Spain you must be registered with Spanish Seguridad Social. Two cases:

- **Employees:** your foreign company registers with Seguridad Social and enrols you in the General Scheme (Régimen General), or you keep your home country's cover if there is an agreement and the certificate is issued under it.
- **Self-employed:** you register yourself in the RETA (Régimen Especial de Trabajadores Autónomos, the self-employed scheme). Question 6 of the UGE's FAQ says it is mandatory, "with no room for importing the entitlement on the basis of a bilateral agreement". Some consulates, such as [Bogotá](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/bogota/es/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/index.aspx?scca=Visados&scco=Colombia&scd=31&scs=Visados+Nacionales+-+Visado+de+residencia+para+teletrabajo+%28n%C3%B3mada+digital%29), accept a certificate of applicable legislation instead where there is an agreement (for Colombia, form ES-CO.3). If you plan to use one, confirm the approach with the UGE first.

> [!IMPORTANTE]
> If you are self-employed and do not register in the RETA as soon as you get the permit, the UGE can declare it extinguished in a later review. You would lose the right to live and work in Spain, and so would your family members.

The UGE recommends taking your decision to a Business Support Point (PAE, Punto de Atención al Emprendimiento), which handles both registrations at once. With Hacienda you register on Form 036 (modelo 036): Form 037 was abolished on 3 February 2025 by [Order HAC/1526/2024](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2025-410). Step by step: [registering as self-employed](/en/blog/register-as-self-employed-spain).

If you have not been in the RETA in the previous two years (three if you already had this benefit before), you can ask for the reduced contribution: €80 a month plus the MEI (€88.64 in total) for 12 months, extendable for another 12 if your expected net income is below the SMI, according to the [Seguridad Social self-employment guide](https://portal.seg-social.gob.es/wps/portal/importass/importass/Colectivos/Trabajo%20Autonomo/guia). Tables: [self-employed contributions in 2026](/en/blog/autonomo-social-security-contributions-spain-2026).

## What taxes you pay as a digital nomad in Spain

### Tax residence: the 183-day rule

The visa does not make you tax resident. Under [article 9 of the IRPF Law](https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/2006/11/28/35/con#a9), you are resident if you spend more than 183 days of the calendar year in Spain or if the main hub of your activities or economic interests is here. If you are, you pay tax in Spain on your worldwide income.

### General regime: IRPF like any other resident

Without a special regime, your general base (employment, business activity) is taxed on the progressive state and regional scale; savings income has a separate scale ([articles 63 and 66 of the IRPF Law](https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/2006/11/28/35/con#a63)). As a self-employed person, you also:

- Work out your income under direct assessment (estimación directa), usually the simplified version, and pay 20% of your cumulative net income in advance each quarter on Form 130, under [article 110 of the IRPF Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a110).
- File the annual income tax return (Form 100). See [IRPF for the self-employed](/blog/irpf-autonomos).

A foreign company with no establishment in Spain normally does not withhold, so you will almost certainly file Form 130. According to the [Form 130 instructions](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/impuestos-tasas/impuesto-sobre-renta-personas-fisicas/modelo-130-irpf______esionales-estimacion-directa-fraccionado_/instrucciones.html), a professional is only exempt if at least 70% of their income in the previous year carried withholding; in the year you start, the quarter's percentage is what counts. A Spanish company withholds 15% for professional services, or 7% in the first year and the next two if you did not carry out a professional activity the year before and you tell them ([article 95 of the Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a95)); a nomad who was already invoicing abroad does not usually qualify.

### VAT: clients outside Spain

For VAT (IVA), what matters is where your client is. Under [article 69 of the VAT Law](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1992-28740#a69), the general rule for business-to-business services is that they are taxed where the client is established:

| Your client | VAT on your invoice | What you file |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Company outside the EU (US, UK, Latin America) | No Spanish VAT: not subject to VAT | You declare it on Form 303 as not subject |
| Company in another EU country | No VAT: the client declares it (reverse charge) | ROI registration, Form 303 and Form 349 |
| Company on the mainland or the Balearic Islands | 21% VAT if your service is at the standard rate; the 15% IRPF withholding (professional service) is separate | Form 303 |

There are exceptions. With European clients you need to register in the ROI (the register of intra-EU operators) before your first invoice: see [intra-EU VAT](/blog/iva-intracomunitario).

## The Beckham regime for digital nomads: who qualifies and who does not

The special regime for posted workers, known as the Beckham Law, lets you pay tax as a non-resident even though you live in Spain. Under [article 93 of the IRPF Law](https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/2006/11/28/35/con#a93), you pay 24% on your general taxable base (employment and income that is not savings income) up to €600,000 a year and 47% on anything above that; dividends, interest and gains obtained in Spain go on their own scale from 19% (up to €6,000) to 30% (over €300,000). Employment and entrepreneurial income for the period count as obtained in Spain, wherever you are (article 93.2.b). It applies for the year you become resident and the following five.

The law expressly opens it to "employees who hold the visa for international remote work". A self-employed person with an activity in Spain usually has a permanent establishment, which rules them out except through two routes:

- An entrepreneurial activity with a favourable ENISA report, under article 70 of Law 14/2013.
- Being a highly qualified professional who provides services to startups (empresas emergentes) or does training or R&D&I, if that pay exceeds 40% of all your business, professional and employment income.

![If you have been tax resident in Spain in the previous five years, you cannot. If not, and you are an employee of the foreign company, you could opt in on Form 149 within six months if you meet the rest of article 93. If you are self-employed, you could only qualify with an entrepreneurial activity backed by an ENISA report or as a qualified professional for startups, training or R&D&I exceeding 40% of your business, professional and employment income; otherwise you pay the general IRPF.](https://storage.googleapis.com/albert-489117-melso-blog-media/diagrams/en/nomada-digital-espana/3-decision-e769b25f04.png?w=1600&h=1688&m=1&mw=1080&mh=2982 "Can you use the Beckham regime as a digital nomad?")

If you can use it:

- **Opting in:** on [Form 149](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/procedimientos/G606.shtml), no later than six months after the start of activity shown in your Seguridad Social registration (or the equivalent document), under [article 116 of the IRPF Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a116). If you miss it, you lose the regime.
- **Annual return:** on Form 151 instead of Form 100.
- **The trade-off:** for wealth tax you are only taxed on assets in Spain, and you lose the general IRPF deductions: you only apply those of non-resident income tax (IRNR), such as donations, and, with a cap, the double taxation deduction, under [article 114 of the Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a114).

| | General IRPF | Beckham regime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who for | All residents | Employees with the visa and specific cases of entrepreneurs and professionals |
| Rate | Progressive state and regional scale | General base: 24% up to €600,000, 47% above; savings: 19%, 21%, 23%, 27% and 30% by band |
| Income taxed | Worldwide income | Income obtained in Spain; employment and entrepreneurial income for the period count as obtained here |
| Length | Indefinite | Year of the move plus five more |
| Forms | 130 (if self-employed) and 100 | 149 to opt in and 151 each year |

## Worked example: Sofía, a self-employed designer with a US client

Sofía is a Colombian freelance product designer. Since January 2025 she has had a commercial contract with a long-established US company. In November 2025 she applies for the visa at the consulate in Bogotá and gets it: under [article 74 quater of Law 14/2013](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a7-2), the visa is enough to live and work remotely in Spain while it is valid. She arrives in Madrid on 30 December 2025 and registers in the RETA and with Hacienda with a start date of 1 January 2026, her first working day here. Figures are without VAT unless stated.

**Tax residence.** In 2025 she lived in Bogotá as a tax resident there, with her home and activity, no family in Spain and only two days here: she meets none of the article 9 tests, so she was not resident and what she invoiced from Colombia is not taxed here. In 2026 she lives in Madrid all year: she is resident and declares her worldwide income under the IRPF.

**Income check.** In the three months before applying she invoiced €3,600 a month, even above the cautious €2,849 for 2026. From July 2026 she adds a Spanish client paying €600 a month: €4,200 a month in total.

**The 20% limit.** [Article 74 bis.1 of Law 14/2013](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074#a7-2) sets the cap at 20% "of their total professional activity" without saying how to measure it. As an indicator, from July her Spanish client accounts for €600 of €4,200 a month: 14.3%.

**Income per quarter.** Each quarter she invoices 3 × €3,600 = €10,800 to the US company, with no Spanish VAT because the service is located in the US (article 69 of the VAT Law). In the third quarter she adds 3 × €600 = €1,800 from the Spanish company, with €378 of VAT (21%) and €270 of withholding (15%): €12,600 of income that quarter.

**Deductible expenses per quarter.** A base of €900: €265.92 of reduced self-employed contributions (3 × €88.64), which carry no VAT, and €634.08 of coworking in Madrid and software with Spanish invoices. On that €634.08 she pays €133.16 of input VAT (21%), so her actual outlay for the quarter is €1,033.16. For the IRPF the €900 counts; the VAT goes on Form 303.

**Cumulative net income (January to September).** [Article 110 of the Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a110) calculates Form 130 on the income "from the first day of the year to the last day of the quarter". Income: €10,800 + €10,800 + €12,600 = €34,200. Expenses: 3 × €900 = €2,700. Difference: €31,500. Under simplified direct assessment you also subtract 5% for hard-to-justify expenses, under [article 30 of the Regulation](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820#a30): 5% of €31,500 = €1,575. Cumulative net income: €29,925.

The €2,000 cap on that 5% is annual: if Q4 repeats the same figures, the 5% for the year (€2,160 on €43,200) will exceed it and only €2,000 will be subtracted, also on the Q4 Form 130.

![Sofía earns €34,200 from January to September 2026, subtracts €2,700 of deductible expenses and €1,575 for the 5% of hard-to-justify expenses on €31,500: her cumulative net income is €29,925.](https://storage.googleapis.com/albert-489117-melso-blog-media/diagrams/en/nomada-digital-espana/4-breakdown-bec1a19890.png?w=1600&h=948&m=1&mw=1080&mh=1602 "Illustrative example, figures without VAT. Simplified direct assessment, year to date.")

**Q3 Form 130.** The 70% exemption does not apply to her either way: in 2025 none of her income carried Spanish withholding and, if 2026 counts as her first year, Q1 and Q2 carry 0% and Q3 carries 14.3% (€1,800 of €12,600). She files Form 130 every quarter. The payments are:

| Quarter | Cumulative net income | 20% | Minus earlier payments and withholding | To pay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Q1 | €9,405.00 | €1,881.00 | €0.00 | €1,881.00 |
| Q2 | €18,810.00 | €3,762.00 | €1,881.00 | €1,881.00 |
| Q3 | €29,925.00 | €5,985.00 | €3,762.00 + €270.00 | €1,953.00 |

Q1: €10,800 − €900 = €9,900, minus the 5% (€495). Q2: €21,600 − €1,800 = €19,800, minus €990. In Q3 she subtracts the €3,762 already paid and the €270 withheld.

The amounts do not include the reduction of up to €100 under article 110.3.c) (box 13), which, according to the [Form 130 instructions](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/impuestos-tasas/impuesto-sobre-renta-personas-fisicas/modelo-130-irpf______esionales-estimacion-directa-fraccionado_/instrucciones.html), requires net income of €12,000 or less in the previous year; as she was not resident in 2025, check it with your adviser.

**Form 303.** In Q1 and Q2 she charges no VAT but pays €133.16 of input VAT each quarter, which she can deduct because [article 94 of the VAT Law](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1992-28740#a94) allows it for services provided outside Spain. Both returns show a balance to carry forward: €266.32. In Q3: €378 − €133.16 = €244.84, which she offsets with €244.84 of that €266.32 (box 78), so Form 303 comes to zero and €21.48 is left for Q4 (box 87), according to the [2026 Form 303 instructions](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/todas-gestiones/impuestos-tasas/iva/modelo-303-iva-autoliquidacion_/instrucciones-2026/instrucciones-02-12-2t-4t-2026.html). The €10,800 invoiced to the US goes in box 120 each quarter. If she still has a balance in her favour on 31 December, she can ask for a refund on the Q4 Form 303 ([article 115 of the VAT Law](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1992-28740#a115)).

**Deadline.** The third-quarter Forms 130 and 303 are filed from 1 to 20 October 2026. Sofía cannot use the Beckham regime: she is self-employed, has no ENISA report and does not work for startups or in training or R&D&I. Before her visa expires, in the 60 days beforehand, she will apply to the UGE for the residence permit.

> [!MELSO]
> Forms 130 and 303 from the first quarter, with clients outside Spain, VAT to carry forward and a withholding client, involve several moving parts. If you want a gestoría to prepare them with you, see [quarterly taxes with Melso](/en/tramites/impuestos).

> [!CONSEJO]
> Keep a monthly record of your invoicing by client and country: it helps you keep an eye on the 20% limit and prepare Forms 303 and 349.

## Common mistakes digital nomads make in Spain

- **Submitting travel insurance.** The UGE does not accept it, nor reimbursement policies or ones with waiting periods or co-payments.
- **Sitting right at the minimum.** If you are around €2,849 with no savings to cover the difference, one slow month makes renewal harder.
- **Delaying RETA registration.** If you are self-employed and it is found in a review, the UGE can declare the permit extinguished.
- **Counting on the Beckham regime while self-employed.** Apart from the ENISA and qualified professional routes, it is for employees. And the six-month deadline for Form 149 is not extended.
- **Forgetting Form 130 because nobody withholds from you.** That is exactly why you file it every quarter.

## How Melso helps

Melso is your AI tax agent, with human professionals behind it, for the self-employed in Spain. For the visa itself, talk to an immigration specialist and confirm with Melso the scope you have contracted. A Melso gestor files your [registration](/en/tramites/alta) with Hacienda and Seguridad Social, then you send your invoices and receipts on WhatsApp so Melso can organise your income and expenses and remind you of the tax calendar. The returns included for your activity and tax profile, such as [Form 303](/en/tramites/modelo-303) and [Form 130](/en/tramites/modelo-130), are prepared and reviewed by Melso and its professionals; you approve the exact draft in the app and, with the necessary authorisation, the professional files the approved version with the AEAT, Spain's tax agency. See the [pricing](/en/pricing) and get started at [melso.ai](https://melso.ai) or click **Message us on WhatsApp**.

> This article is for information only and does not replace professional advice for your case. Last reviewed: 12 October 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### What do you need to become a digital nomad in Spain?

You must be a national of a non-EU country with no EU right of free movement, work remotely for companies based outside Spain with a working relationship of at least three months, and that company must have at least one year of real activity. You also need a university or vocational degree or three years of experience, a clean criminal record, health insurance and proof of financial means of 200% of the minimum wage. In 2026 that is about €2,849 gross a month; if your work income falls short, the UGE lets you cover the difference with savings or other liquid income.

### How do I get the digital nomad visa?

If you live outside Spain, you apply at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence: it is a visa of up to one year and the consulate has 10 working days to decide (article 75.5 of Law 14/2013), unless the prior consultations of the Visa Code apply. If you are already lawfully in Spain, for example as a tourist, you apply online for the residence permit directly to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE). It lasts up to three years and the UGE has 20 working days to decide.

### How much money do I need for the digital nomad visa in 2026?

200% of the minimum wage per month for the main applicant, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. It is not clear whether 12 or 14 payments count. Taking the 2026 annual minimum wage (€17,094) over 12 months, the cautious option, that is €2,849 gross a month on your own, €3,917.38 with your partner and €4,273.50 with your partner and one child. If your work income is lower, the UGE lets you make up the difference with savings or other liquid income that covers it for the whole permit. Confirm the figure with your consulate.

### How much does a digital nomad earn in Spain?

We know of no published official statistic on what they earn. What is fixed is the minimum to get the visa: 200% of the minimum wage, which in 2026 comes to about €2,849 gross a month or €34,188 a year for a single person, based on the annual minimum wage spread over 12 months. It is the level of means you must prove when you apply, not an average salary.

### Can I work for Spanish clients on the digital nomad visa?

Only if you work as a self-employed professional. In that case, Law 14/2013 lets you invoice companies located in Spain as long as that work does not exceed 20% of your total professional activity, and always under a commercial (not employment) relationship. If you are an employee, you can only work for the foreign company you applied with.

### Do I have to register as self-employed on the digital nomad visa?

If you work for yourself, yes. The UGE says that registering in the RETA, the self-employed scheme of Seguridad Social (the Spanish social security system), is mandatory and that you cannot bring your home country's cover with you. Some consulates mention a certificate of applicable legislation where there is an agreement, so check first. If you do not register straight away and this is found in a review, the permit lapses (se extingue). With Hacienda (the tax authorities), you register on Form 036 (modelo 036).

### Can a self-employed digital nomad use the Beckham Law?

Generally, no. Article 93 of the IRPF Law expressly includes employees who hold the international remote work visa. A self-employed person only qualifies with an entrepreneurial activity backed by a favourable ENISA report, or as a highly qualified professional providing services to startups or doing training or R&D&I, where that work accounts for more than 40% of their business, professional and employment income. Otherwise you pay tax under the general IRPF.

### How much tax do you pay under the Beckham regime?

Under the special regime for posted workers you pay 24% on your general taxable base (employment and other income that is not savings income) up to €600,000 a year and 47% on anything above that. Dividends, interest and gains on disposals obtained in Spain have their own band scale, from 19% (up to €6,000) to 30% (over €300,000). It lasts for the year you become resident and the following five. You opt in on Form 149 within six months of starting your activity and file each year on Form 151.

### How long does the digital nomad visa last and how do you renew it?

The consulate visa lasts one year at most. In the 60 calendar days before it expires you can apply in Spain for the residence permit, which lasts up to three years. After that, the permit is renewed for two-year periods as long as you still meet the requirements. Renewal is done electronically and the application extends your permit until it is decided.

### How much is the digital nomad visa fee?

If you apply for the residence permit in Spain through the UGE, the initial fee is €73.26, both for the main applicant and for each family member, and you pay it online before submitting the application. If you apply for the visa at a consulate, the fee is paid in local currency and depends on the country: some nationals are exempt by reciprocity. Check your consulate's website before your appointment.

## Sources

- [Law 14/2013, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation (arts. 61, 62 and 74 bis to 76; art. 75.5, visas within 10 working days)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074), BOE, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Frequently asked questions: residence and work permits for international remote workers](https://bibliovirtual.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/nomadas-digitales-faqs-espanol), Ministry of Inclusion (UGE), accessed 2026-10-12
- [Royal Decree 126/2026, setting the minimum wage for 2026](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2026-3815), BOE, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Form 303: instructions for Q2 to Q4 2026 (box 120, transactions not subject to VAT)](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/todas-gestiones/impuestos-tasas/iva/modelo-303-iva-autoliquidacion_/instrucciones-2026/instrucciones-02-12-2t-4t-2026.html), AEAT, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Law 35/2006, IRPF Law (arts. 9, 48, 49, 63, 66 and 93)](https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/2006/11/28/35/con), BOE, accessed 2026-10-12
- [IRPF Regulation, Royal Decree 439/2007 (arts. 30, 95, 110, 114 and 116)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-6820), BOE, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Law 37/1992, VAT Law (arts. 69, 94 and 115)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1992-28740), BOE, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Form 149: notice of opting into the special regime](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/procedimientos/G606.shtml), AEAT, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Self-employment guide (Importass)](https://portal.seg-social.gob.es/wps/portal/importass/importass/Colectivos/Trabajo%20Autonomo/guia), Seguridad Social, accessed 2026-10-12
- [Initial permit applications for international remote workers: documents (financial means, savings and bank certificates)](https://ciudadaniaexterior.inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/informacion-documentacion-pagina-web-titular-v2), Ministry of Inclusion (UGE), accessed 2026-10-12
- [Form 130: instructions (cumulative payments, 70% rule, reduction and deadlines)](https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/impuestos-tasas/impuesto-sobre-renta-personas-fisicas/modelo-130-irpf______esionales-estimacion-directa-fraccionado_/instrucciones.html), AEAT, accessed 2026-10-12