Spain's digital nomad visa pairs a low income floor with the optional Beckham tax regime. Who it fits, how to apply, and where applicants get tripped up.
- Minimum income
reported- 2,849 EUR / month (200% of monthly SMI (official rule))
RULE is official (200% of monthly SMI, per consulate). Euro figure is DERIVED from the 2026 SMI: Real Decreto 126/2026 fixed it at EUR 1,221/month (14 payments) / EUR 17,094/year. The commonly-cited ~2,442 figure is 2x the nominal monthly SMI; the fiche's EUR 2,849 is 200% of the SMI annualized then reprorated over 12 months (EUR 17,094 / 12 x 2) - the basis Extranjeria/UGE is reported to actually apply. Family uplift (official): +75% SMI first member, +25% each additional.
source · verified 2026-07-17
- Visa duration
official- 12 months, renewable
Consular visa/permit valid up to 1 year. In-country UGE route reportedly grants up to 3 years, renewable for 2 more years (5-year max) - re-checked 2026-07-17, now well-corroborated across independent legal sources, still not read on an official page directly. RENEWAL, re-checked 2026-07-18: the Supreme Court (STS 2130/2026, 2026-05-05) voided the rule letting a residence card lapse solely for 6+ months of annual absence - that ruling is about the EU-family-member card, but is reported by several 2026 sources to reinforce the same protection for DNV renewals by analogy (not an official DNV-specific ruling). Separately, a TSJ Madrid ruling (Sentencia 26/2026, Rec. 305/2025) upheld terminating a remote-worker permit for not registering with Spanish Social Security from day one - the UGE's reorganized Digital Nomad Office is reported to be enforcing requirements like this more strictly in 2026 (also flagging fraudulent documents and reused agent paperwork), so renewal risk has shifted, not disappeared.
source · verified 2026-07-18
- Tax regime
reported- Optional special expat regime (Beckham Law): 24% flat on Spanish-source income up to EUR 600k (47% above that threshold from the same payer); foreign-source income generally untaxed under the regime.
Beckham eligibility differs for employees vs self-employed. Re-checked 2026-07-17: the 24% rate (47% above EUR 600k from the same payer) is now independently corroborated by search-indexed content across several distinct pages on AEAT's own domain (sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es), including the exact URL above - not just the single secondary blog originally cited. sourceUrl updated to AEAT directly; confidence stays "reported" rather than "official" because the page still 403s on a literal direct fetch (proxy policy denial affecting all .gob.es domains this pass), so this rests on a search-engine read of AEAT's indexed content, not a page fetch.
source · verified 2026-07-17
- Family (spouse / children)
official- Spouse + children admitted (+75% SMI first member, +25% each additional)
source · verified 2026-07-17
- Health insurance
official- Required - Full-coverage public or private health insurance from an entity authorized to operate in Spain.
Re-checked 2026-07-17: multiple 2026 sources report the UGE-CE has tightened enforcement this year, rejecting policies with high copays, coverage gaps, exclusions, or waiting periods - full, unrestricted coverage matters more than it used to.
source · verified 2026-07-17
- Processing time
official- 10 days from the day after submission (may extend)
This 10-day figure is for the consular visa route specifically. The separate in-country UGE residence-authorization route is reported to run on its own clock: up to 20 business days for a decision, plus up to 10 business days to correct an incomplete application if requested.
source · verified 2026-07-17
Guidance written by Elias Verne · last reviewed 2026-07-07
Who this visa is for
The Spanish teleworking (digital nomad) visa is built for people who earn their living from outside Spain: remote employees of a foreign company, or freelancers with mostly foreign clients. If you are self-employed you may also invoice Spanish clients, but that Spanish-sourced work cannot exceed 20% of your activity, so it is not a route for building a local client base.
You are also expected to show a professional background: a university degree or several years of experience in your field. In practice the visa suits established remote professionals rather than someone just starting out, and the income requirement (shown above, tied to 200% of Spain's minimum wage) confirms that framing.
How the application works
There are two doors into the same programme. You can apply for a one-year visa at a Spanish consulate in your country of residence, or, if you can enter Spain first, apply to the Large Companies Unit (UGE) for a residence permit that is reported to run up to three years. Both are checked here against the official figures in the table above; the consular route is the one most applicants outside Spain use.
Whichever door you choose, the document set is similar: proof of remote income above the threshold, proof of the employment or client relationship, a clean criminal record certificate, and health insurance valid in Spain. Because thresholds move with the minimum wage each year, confirm the exact current figure on the official source linked above before you gather documents.
Common pitfalls
Health insurance is the single most-cited reason applications are refused. The cover has to come from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain and match what the public system provides; a generic travel policy is usually rejected. Treat it as a core requirement, not a formality.
The second trap is income proof. Passive income (rent, dividends, a pension) does not count toward the threshold, and the euro figure itself is contested across sources because it is derived from the minimum wage. We flag that ambiguity on the fiche above rather than pick a number for you - verify the year's exact amount at the consulate.
Spain vs Portugal for nomads
Spain and Portugal are the two most-searched European options, and they trade off cleanly. Spain asks for a lower monthly income and offers the Beckham regime (a flat rate on Spanish-source income, with foreign income generally outside the net), which suits higher earners who want predictability early on.
Portugal asks for a higher income floor but its D8 route is a well-trodden path toward permanent residence and citizenship, and its tax picture shifted when NHR was replaced by the narrower IFICI. If your priority is a lower bar and a clean tax rule now, Spain leads; if it is a long-term move toward an EU passport, compare the Portugal fiche before deciding.
The figures above are the sourced, dated record; this guide explains and compares them and is not legal or tax advice.
Last full review: 2026-07-17. Figures are re-verified quarterly.