Spain for a remote worker, the visa is the easy part

Key rules

• Income needed: The digital nomad route needs income of at least 200% of the minimum wage, about 2,849 euros a month, plus extra for dependants.
• Tax residency: You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main activities or economic interests are based there.
• Spanish clients: No more than 20% of your income can come from Spanish clients.
• Beckham deadline: File Modelo 149 within six months of registering with social security or starting work.

The visa is the easy part

If you work remotely for a company outside Spain, the visa is a paperwork exercise. The checklist, documents and timeline below cover it. The harder questions are what you will pay in tax, whether your internet and workspace hold up, and whether you will have a life outside work.

EU citizens need no visa at all, so for them tax and daily life are the whole question.

Who the visa fits

The digital nomad route is for non-EU people who work for, or freelance for, companies outside Spain. Up to 20% of your income can come from Spanish clients. You need a degree or at least three years of relevant experience, plus a clean criminal record and health insurance. You also need no history of illegal stay in Spain.

The permit lasts up to 3 years if you apply from a consulate, or 1 year if you apply from inside Spain. After that it renews for 2 years, then 5 years. Applications go through a central office for large businesses and professionals, so your application is not handled by a local office. Requirements and the minimum wage change, so confirm the current figures before you apply.

Tax is the real decision

Where you are taxed depends on where you live, not on your visa. You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main activities or economic interests are based there. Short temporary absences still count as days in Spain. Your tax status is also presumed to be Spanish if your spouse and dependent minor children usually live in Spain. If two countries both claim you, a tax treaty between them settles it.

Plan around this before you arrive. Count your days from the first month, and ask a tax adviser how your home country treats you once you leave.

The Beckham regime

New residents can opt for a special regime, known as the Beckham regime. It taxes your Spanish-source income at a flat 24% up to 600,000 euros and 47% above that. Foreign income is largely exempt. It runs for the year you arrive plus five more years.

You qualify if you were not a Spanish tax resident in the previous five years. You must also move for an employment contract, as a director, as an entrepreneur of an innovative business, or as a qualifying digital nomad. Retirees living on a foreign pension do not generally qualify.

You must apply with Modelo 149 within six months of registering with social security or starting work. Missing that window can cost you the regime, so put the date in your calendar when you arrive.

Internet and workspace

Spain has some of the best fibre coverage in the EU. About 90% of households are covered, and 1 Gbps offers are common. Rural areas are weaker but improving. Before you sign a lease, check coverage for the exact address with the operators or the government's coverage map.

Coworking spaces are plentiful in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and Seville. Smaller towns have fewer. Monthly desks typically start from about 100 euros.

Time zone and community

Spain is on Central European time. That suits Europe and overlaps with the morning in the Americas. Check how your working hours fit your team before you commit to a city.

Community is mostly a city story. The big cities with coworking spaces are where you will most easily meet other remote workers. In a small town you will need Spanish and some effort to build a circle. Choose the place for the life you want after work, not only for the desk.

Timeline and deadlines

• Show a contract or proof of remote work with a company outside Spain: covering at least three months, before you apply

• Watch your days in Spain to see when you become a tax resident: once you spend more than 183 days in a calendar year

• Renew your permit: for 2 years first, then 5 years

• Use the Beckham regime: for the arrival year plus five more years

Documents you need

• Proof of your degree, or proof of at least three years of relevant experience.

• A work contract or other proof of remote work for at least three months, with a company outside Spain.

• A clean criminal record certificate.

• Health insurance cover.

• Proof of income of at least 200% of the minimum wage, about 2,849 euros a month, plus extra for each dependant.

• A Modelo 149 application for the Beckham tax regime, if you want it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I be taxed as a non-resident if I move to Spain for remote work?

Yes, the impatriate (Beckham) regime taxes new residents like non-residents on Spanish-source income, but only if you were not a Spanish tax resident in the previous five years. You must also move for qualifying work, such as an employment contract or as a qualifying digital nomad. Foreign pension recipients do not generally qualify.

How long does the Beckham regime last and what does it cost in tax?

The Beckham regime lasts for the arrival year plus five more years. Spanish-source income is taxed at a flat 24% up to 600,000 euros and 47% above that, while foreign income is largely exempt.

Do I need a coworking space to work from Spain?

No, a coworking space is optional, because about 90% of households have fibre and 1 Gbps offers are widespread. Coworking is plentiful in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and Seville, with monthly desks from about 100 euros, but fewer in smaller towns. Rural coverage is lower, so check your exact address before you commit.

Can I take on Spanish clients on the digital nomad permit?

Yes, but Spanish clients can make up no more than 20% of your income. The rest must come from an employer or clients outside Spain.