Digital nomad residence
You can tell whether you meet the route's tests, how your work setup counts, and how to choose where to file.
Spain's international teleworker residence, often called the digital nomad route, lets non-EU remote workers live in Spain while working for foreign companies or clients. It does not fit students, retirees or anyone who does not work remotely for a foreign employer or clients; they use other routes.
Pick the article that fits your situation
Spain's digital nomad residence route, who qualifies and what it allows
Who can use Spain's remote-work residence route: non-EU remote workers with a foreign employer or clients, enough income, and a work record. It is for anyone checking whether they qualify.
Do you meet the nomad route's qualification and experience test?
The nomad route asks you to show a qualification or work experience. It is for non-EU remote workers.
How much of your work can be for Spanish clients?
Explains the limit on how much of your income can come from Spanish clients on the digital nomad route, how the share is worked out, and what happens at renewal. Written for self-employed remote workers, with a note for employees.
Employee or freelancer, how the nomad route treats each
Shows how the digital nomad route treats employees of foreign companies and freelancers differently: how long you must have worked with the company, which proof you give, and what applies if you own the company or do both kinds of work.
Bringing a partner and children on the digital nomad route
Explains who in your family can join you on the digital nomad route, how much extra income you must show, whether your partner can work, and whether to apply together or later. For remote workers planning to move with a partner or children.
Apply for the nomad route from abroad or from inside Spain?
Helps you decide whether to file your digital nomad application at a Spanish consulate or, if you are already legally in Spain, with the UGE-CE. It compares eligibility, waiting times, your rights while you wait, and the risk of switching.
About this topic
Key rules
- Income threshold: You must show income of at least 200% of Spain's minimum monthly salary, and each year's figure changes with that salary.
- Permit length: The first permit lasts up to 3 years and can be renewed in 2-year periods, up to 5 years in total.
- Tenure: You must have worked with the company for at least 3 months before you apply.
- Freelancers: At most 20% of your total professional income may come from Spanish clients.
Digital nomad residence: the whole process, step by step
- Check you are eligible: non-EU nationality, no irregular stay in Spain, a clean criminal record.
- Confirm your qualification or experience: before you apply.
- If you freelance, check your Spanish-client share: before you apply.
- Gather documents for your type of work: before you book an appointment.
- Arrange health insurance valid in Spain with no co-payments: before you file.
- Collect family certificates: apostilled and translated into Spanish, and recently issued, so get them close to filing.
- Pay the fees, book an appointment and file: at the consulate for your place of residence, or in Spain if you are there lawfully, after your documents are ready.
- Wait for the decision, which the central immigration office for large companies (UGE-CE) makes: the legal deadline is 20 working days.
- Collect your visa and enter Spain: within the visa's validity.
- Register for your foreigner ID card (TIE) at the police, with fingerprints: within 30 days of entering Spain.
- Renew your permit at the end of each term if you still meet the conditions.
Digital nomad residence: questions that cross several articles
Does a company have to meet conditions for me to qualify?
Yes, your foreign company must have been operating for at least one year, and if you are an employee it must be located outside Spain. See Employee or freelancer, how the nomad route treats each.
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What to read next
More in Eligibility and route selection
Route map and first choices
You leave with a short list of Spanish routes that fit your passport and situation, and know which ones to read next.
Short stays and Schengen limits
You can count your days correctly, know what a short stay allows, and avoid the myths that lead to overstay.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
You know which free-movement category you fall under, what you must be able to show, and where the rules are lighter or stricter than for visa routes.
Also in Immigration and residency
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.