Spain's Digital Nomad Visa for Remote Workers

The visa, and who qualifies

Spain's digital nomad visa was created by Ley 28/2022 — the Startup Law — and has been operating since January 2023. Formally a residence authorisation for international teleworkers, it covers two profiles. The first is employees of companies established outside Spain who work entirely remotely; under this permit they may not work for Spanish companies at all. The second is self-employed professionals with predominantly foreign clients: billing companies based in Spain is allowed, but only up to 20% of total professional activity.

Applicants must show professional standing — either a degree from a recognised university, college or business school, or at least three years' professional experience in their field. The working relationship must be established too: at least three months with the current employer or clients before applying, and the employer or client company must demonstrate real, continuous activity for at least one year.

The visa is for non-EU nationals; EU and EEA citizens already hold free-movement rights and do not need it. In Sitges the largest applicant groups are American and British remote workers, followed by Canadians and non-EU nationals employed by Nordic and Swiss companies.

The 2026 income requirement, calculated

The income threshold is pegged to Spain's minimum wage, the SMI, so it moves every year. Real Decreto 126/2026 set the SMI at €1,221.00 per month in 14 payments — €17,094.00 gross per year — with retroactive effect from 1 January 2026. The main applicant must show 200% of that figure: €34,188.00 per year, equivalent to €2,849.00 per month.

Family members raise the bar. The first (typically a spouse or partner) adds 75% of the SMI — €12,820.50 per year — and each additional member adds 25%, or €4,273.50. A couple therefore needs €47,008.50 per year; a couple with one child €51,282.00; with two children €55,555.50. All figures are assessed gross, before tax in your home country.

Income is evidenced with the employment contract, recent payslips and bank statements, or with client contracts and invoicing history for the self-employed. Salaries in dollars, pounds or kroner are converted to euros at the official exchange rate, so applicants near the threshold should keep an eye on currency movements.

Social security — the part that trips up US applicants

Every applicant must show they will be covered by social security while working from Spain. Employees do this with a certificate of coverage issued under a bilateral agreement between Spain and the employer's country, or by the employer registering with Spanish Social Security and contributing here — something many foreign companies are reluctant to do. The self-employed route is simpler: register as an autónomo in Spain and contribute directly.

For UK employees this is generally workable: under the social security protocol to the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, HMRC can issue certificates keeping workers in UK National Insurance while they work from Spain. For Americans it has been the sticking point. The US–Spain totalization agreement was long interpreted by the SSA as covering only temporary, employer-initiated postings — not employees who chose to move — so certificates of coverage were routinely refused. The honest consequence: many US applicants restructured as independent contractors and applied through the self-employed route instead.

That picture has been shifting. Since 2024–2025, immigration practitioners report certificates of coverage being issued for some US W-2 employees and accepted by the UGE, reflecting an updated US–Spain arrangement reported to extend to remote workers — though practitioners also report closer scrutiny of certificate-backed applications in late 2025 and early 2026. Treatment remains case-by-case rather than codified policy, so US applicants would be wise to confirm the current position with a specialist before choosing a route.

Two routes in — and where they lead

There are two ways to apply. The first is a visa at the Spanish consulate in your country of residence, valid for up to one year, which can later be converted into a residence permit in Spain. The second — the route most applicants prefer — is to apply while lawfully in Spain, for example during a 90-day visa-free stay.

In-country applications go to the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos), which must decide within 20 working days, with administrative silence counting in the applicant's favour. Successful applicants receive a three-year residence permit directly, rather than the one-year consular visa, and family members — spouse or partner and dependent children — can be included in the same application.

The permit renews in two-year periods provided the conditions still hold, up to five years in total. At five years of continuous legal residence, holders qualify for long-term residence, which removes the income and employer conditions altogether. Time on the visa also counts towards Spanish nationality — ten years for most nationalities, two for citizens of Ibero-American countries.

Tax — the Beckham regime pairing

The visa's headline tax feature is that holders may opt into Spain's impatriate regime, widely known as the Beckham law. Instead of progressive income tax rates that climb quickly towards 47%, employment income is taxed at a flat 24% up to €600,000.00 per year (47% above that) for the year of arrival plus the five following — up to six tax years in total.

The option must be requested within six months of registering with Spanish Social Security, and it is generally available to employees on the visa rather than to most self-employed applicants, who fall under ordinary IRPF rules. While the regime applies, wealth tax is limited to Spanish assets and the Modelo 720 foreign-asset declaration does not apply.

Two caveats. US citizens still file with the IRS wherever they live, so the interaction between the two systems needs planning. And Beckham status affects how property purchases and rental income are taxed — the detail is covered in our Beckham law guide for property buyers.

Buying rather than renting in Sitges

Since the Golden Visa ended on 3 April 2025, buying property in Spain no longer confers residency. The digital nomad visa reverses the logic: residence rights come from your work, and a purchase becomes a straightforward housing decision. There is no restriction on visa holders buying, and no minimum price.

Mortgages are available. Non-resident buyers typically borrow 60–70% of the bank valuation, with lenders assessing foreign salary income; once resident, some banks improve terms. On a resale purchase in Catalonia, budget roughly 11–14% on top of the price for transfer tax (from 10%), notary, registry and legal fees. A NIE number is required before completion — usually obtained as part of the visa process.

Many arrivals rent for six to twelve months first, though Sitges's long-term rental market is tight and quality stock moves quickly. With the permit's five-year runway to long-term residence, buying early can make sense where the numbers work — particularly for families settling around specific schools.

Why Sitges works as a remote-work base

Sitges sits 35 kilometres south-west of Barcelona. The R2S Rodalies line runs directly to Barcelona Sants in around 35–40 minutes, and Barcelona–El Prat airport is roughly 25 minutes by road — relevant for US and UK workers flying home regularly. Fibre broadband is standard across the town, with symmetric gigabit connections widely available.

The rhythm suits remote work. For US East Coast employers, the six-hour time difference leaves mornings free with a working afternoon and evening; for UK and Nordic teams the overlap is near-total. The town has coworking spaces, a large international community, seventeen beaches and a sheltered microclimate that keeps winters mild.

Barleigh Ellis is a licensed local agency — API 1190, AICAT 12717 — and a REALTOR® (No. 061327620). We work with digital nomad visa holders on both rent-first strategies and direct purchases, and coordinate with immigration and tax specialists where needed.

Frequently asked questions