Digital Nomad Visa. Detailed guide

If you work remotely and want to move to a European country, Spain offers one of the most suitable and straightforward options for you. In this article, we will provide a detailed guide on how to obtain a digital nomad visa in Spain, including information on taxes, document preparation, and application submission.

With this guide, you can independently apply for a residence permit and move to Spain. If you have any questions or want to discuss your individual case, you can always reach out to our immigration experts. And if you don’t have the time or desire to handle the details and submissions, we can assist with the complete process of obtaining a residence permit. In any case, good luck! 🙂

Program Overview:

• Processing Time: 3-4 months
• Validity: Up to 3 years
• Citizenship: After 10 years of residence
• Renewal: Possible
• Fees/Government Charges: Approximately €700
• Work Eligibility: Remote work from abroad
• Family Relocation: Possible

What is the Digital Nomad Visa and Residence Permit?

The Digital Nomad Visa and Residence Permit (VNZ) in Spain are programs that allow you to live in Spain for an extended period. They are much easier to obtain than other types of visas and residence permits. The main requirement is to prove a regular income from online work outside of Spain.

The purpose of these programs is to attract foreign qualified specialists (entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers) who can contribute to the country’s economy without taking local jobs.

Is a Digital Nomad Only an IT Specialist?

No, the visa is suitable for any job that can be done remotely. This includes professions such as lawyers, economists, designers, PR specialists, IT specialists, SMM managers, and many others. You can work for a company based in your home country, whether you are an employee, freelancer, or self-employed.

There are two digital nomad programs — the Residence Permit and the D Visa:

• The D Visa is issued for one year and can be applied for through the consulate in the applicant’s country of citizenship or current residence.

• The Residence Permit is typically issued for three years and must be applied for within Spain, requiring proof of entry into the country.

What are the Advantages?

• This residence permit is considered one of the fastest options in Europe, with a processing time of 3-4 months.
• The residence permit can be renewed. It counts towards the years required for permanent residency, and eventually, citizenship if desired. To obtain citizenship, you only need to legally reside in the country for 10 years.
• Knowing a foreign language is not required.
• You can apply with your family or partner without marriage registration and include your parents. Adult family members are granted the right to work in Spain.
• You will have access to European banking services as a Spanish resident.
• You have the right to travel freely within the Schengen Area.

What are the Restrictions of the Digital Nomad Visa?

• If you want to renew the residence permit after three years, you need to spend more than 183 days in Spain within a calendar year.
• Working for Spanish companies is allowed as long as this work does not exceed more than 20% of your professional activities.

Conditions for Obtaining the Digital Nomad Visa

• Must be a citizen of a non-EU country
• Required monthly income verification (or income plus a bank statement showing available funds): €2646 for the main applicant. Additional amounts for dependents can be found here.
• Proof that you have been working with your company for more than a year and have been employed there for at least 3 months
• No criminal record for the past 5 years

Document Checklist

Main Applicant

• Passport: Scan of all pages, including blank ones
• Fee Payment: Generate the payment form
• MI-T Form: Complete the MI-T application form
• Contract: Employment or service contract signed more than 3 months ago (Acreditación de relación laboral/profesional)
• Bank Statement: Showing transactions for the past 3 months that match the contract income, plus the last three invoices or pay slips
• Company Registration Document: Proof that the employer company has been registered for more than a year. For Russian companies, a statement from the tax authority (EGRUL, EGRIP). For foreign companies, check with the employer on how to obtain this, plus an apostille
• Remote Work Permission Letter: A letter from the company allowing remote work, including company name, position or list of services, contract date, salary in both rubles and euros, contract duration, and explicit permission to work remotely in Spain
• Educational Documents: Diploma from a university/technical school/college in the applicant’s field. If not available, proof of professional activity for the past 3 years
• CV/Resume: Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume
• Social Security Document: Depending on the type of contract:

1)For Employment Contracts: Certificate of departure from the Social Security Fund (SFR). –If there is a bilateral agreement between your country and Spain regarding social security, provide the “Certificate of Departure” from the SFR (or Form A1 for employment in the EU).

–No Agreement: If there is no agreement, your employer must register with the Spanish Social Security system, register you, and make contributions on your behalf in Spain

2) Not Employed (Self-Employed/Freelance/Service Contract as an Individual): No additional document required. Simply sign a letter of commitment to register as a self-employed individual (autonomo) in Spain. It’s recommended to show registration as a self-employed individual or freelancer. After obtaining the residence permit approval, you must register in Spain and make social security contributions.

Insurance: Required if employed; not needed if you are self-employed or a freelancer, as you will have state insurance (this can be skipped for self-employed individuals).

Criminal Record Certificate: Certificates are required from all places where you have lived for more than 6 months in the last 2 years. The certificate must be less than 6 months old at the time of submission and must have an apostille.

Declaration of No Criminal Record: A form in which you declare that you have not had a criminal record in the last 5 years. Just fill out and sign the form.

Documents for Family Members

• MI-F Form: Complete the MI-F application form.
• Fee Payment: Generate the payment form.
• For Partner: Marriage certificate.
• For Child: Birth certificate.
• Passport: Scan of all pages.
• Finances: Employment letter with salary details, same as the main applicant, or a bank statement showing sufficient funds.
• Insurance: Required if the main applicant is employed; not needed if you are self-employed or a freelancer, as you will have state insurance.
• Criminal Record Certificate: Certificates from all places where you have lived for more than 6 months in the last 2 years.
• Declaration of No Criminal Record: A form declaring that you have not had a criminal record in the last 5 years. Just fill out and sign the form.

Some of these documents must be translated by a sworn translator (Hurado translator). This is a translator accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Hurado translator must be listed in the official register, and their name can be verified in the current database of sworn translators.

What needs to be translated by a Hurado translator?

• Criminal record certificate
• Marriage and birth certificates
• Contract/Agreement
• Confirmation of the company’s registration date (such as Company House certificates, EGRUL, etc.)
• Diploma / Other proof of experience (employment record)

What Taxes Will I Have to Pay?

There are two types of taxation:

1. Preferential Rate – 24% for annual income up to €600,000.
   A recently relocated digital nomad is entitled to pay income tax at the non-resident rate for the first six tax periods (years) after being recognized as a tax resident of Spain. This is covered under Article 93 of the Beckham Law on income tax. Once you switch to the progressive scale, you cannot revert back. Individuals must file a personal income tax return (Renta) between April 6 and June 30 of the following year. The main requirement for those who qualify is not having been a resident of Spain for the previous 5 years.

Tax Rates Under the Special Regime:

• For annual income up to €600,000: 24%
• For annual income over €600,000: 47%

2. Progressive Tax System: 19-47%

Tax rates are applied progressively. Before calculating income tax in Spain, all expenses such as health insurance, etc., are deducted from earnings:

• Up to €12,450: 19%
• €12,450–€20,200: 24%
• €20,201–€35,200: 30%
• €35,201–€60,000: 37%
• €60,001–€300,000: 45%
• Over €300,001: 47%

To roughly calculate your taxes, you can use an online tax calculator.

If tax has been paid in another country, to avoid double taxation in Spain, you need to provide proof of payment to the Spanish tax authorities. For example, if you paid 15% in another country and Spanish law requires 20%, you will only need to pay the remaining 5%. This is possible if there is a double taxation agreement between the countries.

How to submit documents and obtain a 3-year residence permit independently?

In Spain

• Obtaining a Schengen Visa: First, you need to obtain a Schengen tourist visa. Do this in advance, as it can take 1-2 months to receive.
• Gathering Documents: Next, collect all the documents according to the checklist, translate them into Spanish, and get them apostilled.
• Entering Spain: You can legally enter Spain with a Schengen tourist visa or a student visa.
• Paying for Insurance: Pay for insurance.
• Submission: The procedure for applying for the digital nomad visa is done online using an electronic signature. On the official application website, you need to upload all scanned documents to your personal account and pay a fee of 74 euros.
• Receiving: After receiving a positive response, you need to visit a police station within 30 days to submit your biometrics.

Details

• Obtaining a digital signature is possible but can be problematic as you need an NIE. It’s easier to find someone with such a signature and submit through them. For example, we can help with this.
• All documents must be in PDF format. Each set of documents should be organized into separate folders: one for the main applicant, and one for each family member. The maximum size for each set is 24MB. File names should not contain special characters or commas, as such files will not be accepted for review.
• Include both the payment receipt and the fee form in the document set.
• The document review period is 20 working days. If necessary, additional documents may be requested.
• Although the application for the residence permit is submitted online, you still need to demonstrate legal presence in Spain at the time of document submission. If your legal status expires during the review period (e.g., your Schengen visa expires), you can continue to stay in Spain legally based on the document review procedure.
  

At the Spanish Consulate in the Country of Citizenship/Residence

Gathering Documents: Just like when applying in Spain, the first step is to collect all the required documents according to the checklist, apostille them, and translate them into Spanish.

Paying for Insurance: Pay for insurance.

Obtaining an NIE: Schedule an appointment to obtain your NIE (Foreigner Identification Number for those residing in Spain) and to submit your documents. Since you need to make an appointment in advance to submit your documents, it makes sense to schedule both procedures simultaneously.

Submission: Next, book an appointment through the official website at the nearest Spanish consulate to submit your documents. In Russia, you can apply in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, and more than 20 other cities. On the appointed day and time, you need to go to the consulate with all your documents. If applying with your family, each family member must be present at the consulate. Prepare a complete set of documents and the required amounts in rubles to pay the fees for the NIE and document processing.

Receiving: Next, you need to wait for your D visa. The visa is issued for one year and can later be converted to a residence permit in Spain 60 days before it expires. During the process, consulate staff may call the phone number provided in your application and request any missing documents, so you must stay in the city where you applied until you receive your visa. The waiting time typically ranges from 2 weeks to a month.

Details

The list of documents is identical, except for

• Form: Instead of the MIT form, you need the national visa application form. You can find the form here.
• Hurado Translation: All documents must be translated by a sworn translator.
• Passport: Your passport must be valid for at least one year (to allow for the insertion of the one-year visa).
• Original Criminal Record Certificate: You must provide the original certificate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do rejections happen?

Yes, the main reasons for rejections are the absence of any required document in the initial application or after an additional request. For example, if you do not submit the payment receipt for the fee or fail to show legal entry (passport without a stamp or missing entry declaration), you will receive an immediate rejection. If you fail to upload the required document or provide justification (!) for its absence after an additional request, you will also be rejected. You have 10 working days to respond to an additional request. You can request an additional 5 days if needed.

Rejections may be due to:

• Income below the minimum required for self-sufficiency.
• Insufficient health insurance that does not cover the entire period of stay.
• Incomplete or incorrect documents.
• Criminal record.
• Unclear remote work arrangements that do not demonstrate the ability to work from Spain.
• Failure to prove the purpose of stay as a digital nomad.
• Issues with company/employer documentation that do not confirm compatibility with visa conditions.

What Are the Chances of My Residence Permit Application Being Approved?

There is no official statistic, but indirect data suggests that the chances of approval are very high, provided all the documents in your application meet the program’s requirements.

How Do Employed Workers Pay Taxes?

In June of the year following the reporting year, you must submit an annual tax return. This return should reflect all income earned over the past year.

A nomad who is an employed worker is not required to register with the Spanish social security authorities. The employer pays the insurance contributions on behalf of the employee. This rule applies if the employer’s country has a social security agreement with Spain. If there is no such agreement, before applying for a residence permit, you need to register as self-employed and sign a service contract with your employer. The nomad must work in this new status for at least 3 months before submitting documents to the immigration authority.

Main Additional Costs

• Apostille and sworn translation of the education document: from €50
• Apostille and sworn translation of birth certificates: from €50
• Health insurance: approximately €530
• Technical translations of other necessary documents: from €50
• Obtaining NIE: from €100

*Costs may vary slightly.