Welcome, digital nomads! Are you tired of being confined to one location while you work remotely? Are you ready to explore new horizons and experience a different culture while still being able to make a living? Look no further because Spain has got you covered with their new digital nomad visa.
Imagine yourself sipping on a café con Leche while working on your laptop on a terrace in Madrid or taking a break from work to catch some waves in Barcelona. With this visa, you can experience all of this and more!
But before you pack your bags and book your flight, let’s take a closer look at what this visa is all about and what you’ll need to apply for. In this article, we’ll explore the most important insights about Spain’s new digital nomad visa. What is it? How does it work? What are the requirements and conditions?
So, if you are ready to take the leap and start your digital nomad adventure in Spain, let’s find out all you need to know to apply for the digital nomad visa so you can embark on a journey filled with tapas, flamenco, and endless opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.
What is Spain’s New Digital Nomad Visa?
Let’s start off by looking at the historical and legal context that ultimately led to the creation of the new digital nomad visa. In the year 2013, the government of Spain promulgated a brand new piece of legislation known as the Entrepreneur Law. The purpose of this law was to entice qualified employees and financial capital from other countries to relocate to the territory of Spain. This law resulted in the creation of a multitude of visas, including the entrepreneur visa, the golden visa, and a large number of other visas.
However, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, there was a sudden surge in the number of opportunities available for working from home. Because of this, the Entrepreneur Law became inadequate, and it could no longer meet the requirements of the community of people who work remotely.
The government has recently released a new law that is called the “Startup Law”. This law was created with the same impulse and very much with the same purpose in mind. In contrast to the Entrepreneur Law, the Startup Law places a primary emphasis not on established enterprises but rather on newly established businesses, individuals with creative abilities, and novel ideas. The Startup Law is a law that was created to be much more responsive to the needs of the current market.
The ultimate objective is to establish Spain’s reputation as one of the leading nations on the global stage in terms of its capacity to seduce entrepreneurs, investors, and workers with specialized skills. This results in the best conceivable combination for a country, as Spain offers everything that one would need in order to find the most advantageous living conditions possible (especially for remote workers). This is accomplished with the help of the brand-new digital nomad visa.
Non-EU citizens will be able to live and work remotely from Spain if they obtain a digital nomad visa. The digital nomad visa is a type of residence permit that can be extended for up to five years at a time. It will enable foreign remote workers to operate as digital nomads in the country legally. Finally, non-Spaniards who want to move to Spain but continue working for a company in their home country or who have customers located in a variety of countries will be able to obtain a residence permit that is specifically designed to meet their requirements.
What Do You Need to Obtain a Digital Nomad Visa?
There are two distinct categories of non-nationals who are qualified to apply for a digital nomad visa, and each has slightly different requirements. In order to be taken into consideration, applicants must fit into one of these categories.
The first category of workers is hired by companies that allow them to continue working remotely even though they are physically located in another nation. In this case, even though you reside and work in Spain, the company you work for does not actually have its headquarters there. The second kind of employee fits the description of independent contractors who work for numerous clients located all over the world. The self-employed person may also have numerous sources of income from internet business ventures, but they are not based in Spain.
Based on the above profiles, the following are the necessary requirements to obtain a digital nomad visa.
- A passport that still has at least one year left on its validity as of the application date.
- You must be employed by or have a formal working relationship with an organization located outside of Spain if you are not currently employed by one.
- If you work for yourself, the percentage of your overall income that comes from customers in Spain (or businesses with a physical presence in Spain) cannot be greater than twenty percent of the total.
- Before completing your application as a freelancer, you must show proof that you have worked for your company or have been in a freelance relationship with your clients for at least three months.
- An employed worker is required to show proof that they have worked for the same business for at least a year.
- To demonstrate that you have the degree of education and expertise required to complete the application, you can choose between two different routes. Prior to submitting your application, you must either have at least three years of relevant work experience, or you must be a graduate or post-graduate of a prestigious, accredited college, trade school, or business school.
- You cannot have had your admission into Spain rejected or have a criminal record. You must submit a criminal history certificate that is notarized, apostilled, and valid for at least 90 days. You must give a declaration stating that you haven’t been imprisoned for a crime in the past five years. The application form must be completely filled out (you can download it here)
- You must be able to pay the administrative fee in the proper amount.
- You must have coverage under a health insurance policy active in Spain. Ensure you enroll in a private health insurance plan that offers all-encompassing coverage throughout Spain.
- You must provide evidence, such as bank statements or tax returns, proving you have enough money to support your standard of living while you’re in Spain. You can show a bank statement proving you have at least €25,000, which is equal to 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (and €9441 for each additional family member, which is equal to 75% of the Spanish minimum wage). In the event that the money is housed in a foreign bank, a simple translation will be necessary. On the other hand, you may also use your salary or employment contract as proof that you are economically sufficient.
- A rental contract or hotel reservation, or other proof that you have a safe place to stay while visiting Spain.
How Can You Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa?
One significant perk of the digital nomad visa is the ability to apply in two different ways. Either of the following methods of application can work.
On the one hand, you can apply for your 3-year card directly from Spain with a tourist visa but on the other hand, you can also enter Spain with a 1-year visa from your country of origin (at the Spanish consulate) and then change it to a 3-year card later.
The application is fast-tracked, which means you will hear back favorably after only 20 days. The last step is to go to the police station to register your fingerprints and pick up your actual residency card.
Another advantage of this visa is that the years are taken into account in your application for Spanish nationality. Both Spanish nationality and indefinite residence are determined by the years with this 3-year card and any later renewals that you may make. You can get permanent residence after five years as a remote worker or digital nomad in Spain.
You can even include your spouse and children in the same application for the digital nomad visa. As a result, you can easily relocate to Spain with your family. Traveling in the EU is also made easier with this visa. You will also have unrestricted movement throughout the EU if you obtain this visa.
The visa also offers immense tax benefits. Due to the huge tax advantages provided by the digital nomad visa, digital nomads can significantly lower the amount of taxes they must pay. You will be able to pay taxes at a flat rate of just 24% of your income rather than having to pay taxes at a progressive rate that can be as high as 48% of your income.
The Take Home Message:
Well done, digital nomads! This concludes our overview of Spain’s digital nomad visa. You must now have a solid understanding of the visa’s purpose, operation, and prerequisites.
We sincerely hope that this article has motivated you to start your digital nomad adventure in Spain. Spain has a wide variety of options for both personal and professional development, from the crowded streets of Madrid to the sandy beaches of Barcelona.
However, don’t just believe us; see for yourself. Plan your upcoming adventure while applying for the digital nomad Visa. Imagine working remotely while touring the Roman ruins or taking a break from the office to go hiking in the Pyrenees. There are countless options.
Don’t forget to check with the Spanish Consulate in your country for the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and the application process. And, as always, happy travels!
If you liked this guide, you’ll find these useful..