Bringing a partner and children on the digital nomad route

Key rules

• Extra income: The first family member adds 75% of the monthly minimum wage, over 14 payments, to the income you must show, and each further member adds 25%.
• Work rights: A job with a Spanish employer, or self-employment in Spain, needs a separate work authorisation for your partner.
• Timing: Your family can apply with you or later, but a later application needs you to hold or have applied for your authorisation.
• Relationship proof: Certificates from outside the EU need an apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation; EU-issued ones need no apostille. All must be recent.

Who can come with you

Your spouse can be included. Your registered partner can be included. Your minor children can be included. Adult children can be included only if they depend on you financially and cannot provide for themselves because of health. Dependent parents are also covered. Each adult relative needs proof of dependency, described on what proof of relationship you need.

An unmarried, unregistered partner is a separate case: there is no certificate to show, so the consulate decides case by case what proof of the durable relationship it accepts.

How much extra money you must show

Your own income test is €2,849 a month in 2026. The first family member adds €1,068.38 a month and each further member adds €356.13. The minimum wage is reset every year, so these amounts change.

Can your partner work?

Your partner and adult family members can work remotely for a foreign company from the start. Work in Spain itself is a separate matter: it needs its own authorisation.

When should your family apply?

Applying together with you is the usual route, and their authorisation is tied to yours. They can also apply later, once you hold your authorisation or have applied for it.

Papers and translations

Documents issued in another EU state need no apostille, and a multilingual standard form replaces the translation. Documents from a non-EU country need an apostille if the country is a Hague Convention member, or full legalisation if it is not, plus a sworn translation into Spanish unless they are already in Spanish.

Each family member pays the same residence authorisation and TIE card fees as you, listed on the apply page.

If you are an EU citizen, a UK citizen or already in Spain

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you register under EU free movement rules and your family follows the EU family member route — see Who counts as family of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.

If you are a UK citizen with Withdrawal Agreement rights, your residence and family rights come from that agreement, not from this route.

If you already live in Spain, you can file here with the fast-track unit after a legal entry — see Apply for the nomad route from abroad or from inside Spain?

Documents you need

• Marriage certificate, issued by the civil registry, if you are bringing a spouse.

• Registered partnership certificate, if you are bringing a registered partner.

• Birth certificate for each child, showing the parentage.

• Proof of dependency for each adult relative you bring, such as an adult child who cannot provide for themselves because of health.