The Digital Nomad Visa allows non-EU nationals to have a residence permit in Spain for up to 5 years while continuing to work for an overseas-based company.
Covid has changed many aspects of our lives, including the way we work. Whereas just a few years ago remote working was an exception, nowadays it has become another form of interaction with the world of work.
In such a context, Spain and many other countries in our region have seen the need to provide legal protection for this new paradigm. For this reason, on 22 December 2022, the Government approved the final text of the new Startups Law, a regulation that pursues the following objectives:
- To stimulate the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our country, encouraging the creation of new technology companies.
- Attract foreign investment and talent.
- Make Spain a benchmark for international entrepreneurship.
What is the Digital Nomad Visa?
The Digital Nomad Visa is a residence permit that enables non-EU citizens to live in Spain while working remotely for a company based abroad.
This new residence permit is aimed at three different profiles of foreigners:
- Foreigners working remotely from Spain for a company outside of Spain.
- People with different sources of online income, who move from one place to another (this includes freelancers).
- Persons working for a foreign company located in Spain (this includes the audiovisual sector).
Benefits
The Digital Nomad Visa provides great advantages for its beneficiaries.
The most important benefit is the creation of a new type of residence permit. You can apply for this permit directly within your first 90 days in Spain. It will be a tourist visa that will grant a 5-year residence card extendable for a further 2 years.
However, the application may also be initiated at the Spanish consulate located in your country of origin. This method will allow you to obtain a 1-year residence permit, which can be extended up to 3 years.
Other benefits of the Digital Nomad Visa
- Express visa processing in just 20 days.
- Positive administrative silence applies: if no notification is received within 20 days, the application is deemed to have been accepted.
- Possibility of including family members in the application.
- The time this residence permit lasts counts towards permanent residence and for Spanish nationality.
- Possibility of travelling freely throughout the European Union.
- You can work for a company or client in Spain as long as the income from that does not exceed 20% of your turnover.
Digital Nomad Visa application requirements
The requirements to be fulfilled in order to apply for the Digital Nomad Visa are as follows:
- The company you work for must be located outside Spain and the contract must be for at least one year.
- Income received from Spanish sources may not exceed 20% of the total.
- You must prove that you have had a relationship with the company you work for for at least 3 months prior to your application.
- Provide evidence of sufficient experience and training.
- Have no criminal record (make a statement that you have no criminal record) and have not been banned from entering Spain.
- Fill in the Visa Application Form.
- Pay official fee 790 038.
- Take out a private health insurance policy with full coverage in Spain.
- Have a Bank Certificate proving that the applicant has at least 25,000 euros (and 9,441 euros for each additional family member).
*If the visa applicant is self-employed, they must prove that they work for at least one company outside Spain and that it is possible to carry out this work remotely.
Where to live as a Digital Nomad in Spain
Spain isn’t the only country that has launched a Visa for digital nomads, but it is one of the countries that offer the best conditions for this type of residence permit. By this, we are not only referring to the many tax benefits of this permit. Spain, and specifically Costa Blanca, has some particularly attractive conditions for foreigners who decide to move to our country.
On the one hand, its 320 days of sunshine a year and its mild weather mean that you can enjoy the beach and nature for a large part of the year. Costa Blanca is the ideal place for those looking to escape the cold climates of their home countries. Moreover, with energy prices soaring, living in Costa Blanca means significant savings, something to bear in mind when moving to another country.
Calpe, one of Costa Blanca’s favourite towns for foreigners.
Furthermore, the area’s good connections with the rest of Spain and with other countries make travel to the country of origin comfortable and manageable.
In addition to this, Costa Blanca stands out for being a region with a unique charm and for enjoying a wide variety of leisure activities, which is very interesting in order to disconnect after a hard day’s work.
If you’re looking to move to Costa Blanca, at Hispania Homes we will not only find the ideal home for you to enjoy your new Mediterranean lifestyle in, but we will also help you with all the paperwork, such as, in this case and if you need it, the application for the Digital Nomad Visa.
