International Telework Visa (Digital Nomad)
One year as a visa, or up to three years as a residence permit, for remote workers earning about EUR 2,849 a month.
Visado para teletrabajo de carácter internacional (Ley 14/2013)
Spain's telework route, created by the Startup Law, lets non-EU remote workers live in Spain while working for companies outside Spain. Applied for at a consulate it gives a one-year visa; applied for inside Spain through the UGE it gives a three-year residence permit, renewable for two more years and counting towards permanent residence. The income bar is 200% of the minimum wage, about EUR 2,849 a month in 2026, and freelancers may earn up to 20% from Spanish clients. You need a degree or three years of professional experience, and holders can apply for the special tax regime that caps the rate at 24% on Spanish employment income.
At a glance
Initial stay
365 days
Per entry, before extension
Entries
Multiple
Application fee
80 EUR
Processing
20–45 days
Apply
Online and in person
Valid for
12 months
Max total stay
1,825 days
Income required
2,849 EUR/mo
200% of the 2026 minimum wage spread over 12 months. Family members add about EUR 1,068 for the first and EUR 356 for each additional one.
Other fees
- Foreigner identity card (TIE)
- 16 EUR
Who can apply
Open to most passports, with 31 excluded.
Excluded passports (31)
Requirements
- About EUR 2,849 monthly incomeRequiredGross income of at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage: about EUR 2,849 a month in 2026 (minimum wage EUR 1,221 x 14 payments), plus about 75% of the minimum wage for the first family member and 25% for each additional one.
- Remote work for employers or clients abroadRequiredYou must work remotely, using telecommunications technology, for an employer or clients registered outside Spain. Freelancers may earn up to 20% of their income from Spanish clients.
- Degree or three years of experienceRequiredYou need a university degree or professional qualification, or at least three years of experience in the field you work in.
- Three months with the employer or clientsRequiredThe working relationship must have existed for at least three months before you apply, and your employer must have been operating for at least a year.
- Health insurance covering the stayRequiredPrivate health insurance with a company authorised in Spain, without co-payments or waiting periods, or Spanish social security coverage.
- Clean criminal recordRequiredA criminal record certificate covering the last five years from every country you lived in, apostilled and translated.
- For non-EU nationalsInfoEU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need this visa: they can live and work in Spain under free movement.
Documents to prepare
- Passport
- Employment contract or client agreements in place for three months
- Company letter authorising remote work from Spain
- Proof of income for the last three months
- Degree certificate or proof of three years of experience
- Criminal record certificates, apostilled and translated
- Private health insurance certificate
How to apply
Last verified 2026-10-12
Choose where to apply
~1 dayApply at the Spanish consulate for a one-year visa, or from inside Spain during a legal stay for a three-year permit through the UGE.
Submit the file
~20 daysUpload or present the contract, income evidence, qualifications, criminal records and insurance.
Collect your TIE
~30 daysAfter arrival or approval, book a fingerprint appointment and collect your foreigner identity card.
Extending the stay
Extendable
Yes
Per extension
730 days
Where
In country
Holders of the one-year visa can apply in Spain for a three-year residence permit, renewable for two more years. Five years of legal residence leads to long-term residence.
Tax and health
Tax
Holders become Spanish tax residents after 183 days. The Beckham regime can tax Spanish-source employment income at a flat 24% up to EUR 600,000 for six years, if requested within six months of registering.
Insurance
Required. Private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, without co-payments, or social security coverage through a totalisation agreement.
Healthcare
Private insurance without co-payments, or social security coverage, is mandatory.
Immigration and tax rules change without notice and depend on your nationality and circumstances. Confirm with the official source below or a qualified adviser before acting on anything here.
Good to know
- Applying from inside Spain gives three years instead of one
- Ask about the Beckham special tax regime as soon as you register
- Insurance with co-payments is a common reason for refusal
- Consulates differ on document translation and apostille rules
Official source
medium confidenceOther ways into Spain