Spain digital nomad visa: the income requirement

How that figure is built

Main applicant — 200% of the monthly minimum wage

€2,368

What you must show, monthly

€2,368

What proves it

• An employment contract, or client contracts, at least three months old and showing the work is remote
• A letter from the employer confirming they permit remote work from Spain
• Payslips or invoices covering the recent months, matching the bank statements
• Bank statements showing the money arriving in your name
• For the self-employed, proof of registration as a business in your own country
• Criminal record certificate, apostilled, and private health insurance valid in Spain

People who can help with this

Independently listed, experienced with international retirees, free to contact.

• Artemis Law

  Barcelona-based immigration lawyers helping retirees and other foreigners move to Spain with personalised, English‑, Spanish‑ and German‑language support.

  Barcelona

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• My Spain Visa

  Spanish immigration law firm specialising in visas, residency and property support for international clients.

  Marbella

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• Vega Abogado

  Madrid immigration law firm helping internationals with visas, residency, nationality and appeals; English-speaking service and written fixed quotes.

  Madrid

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Questions people ask

Can I get this visa on pension income?

No. This visa is granted on the basis of work carried out remotely, so the income has to come from employment or self-employment for people outside Spain. Pensions, rent and investment income do not qualify however large they are — the route for those is the non-lucrative visa, which has its own and rather higher income test.

How much of my work can come from Spanish clients?

A small minority of it. The visa is built on the idea that your income comes from outside Spain, and a self-employed applicant may take only a limited share of their turnover from Spanish clients — commonly stated as up to a fifth. Going over is one of the more common reasons an otherwise strong application is refused.

Is the tax really 24 per cent?

Only if you apply for it and qualify. Holders can opt into a special regime that taxes Spanish-source employment income at a flat rate up to a threshold, instead of the progressive scale — sometimes called the Beckham regime. It is an election with conditions and deadlines, not an automatic benefit of the visa, and it is worth advice before you count on it.

How long does it last, and does it lead to residency?

It is granted for an initial period and then renewable, and the years count towards permanent residency and eventually citizenship in the ordinary way. Many people arrive on it in their fifties and are still there when they stop working, which is why it belongs on a site about retiring here.

Which is better for me, this or the non-lucrative visa?

It depends on whether you are still working. If you are, this one asks for less: €2,368 a month against €2,400 for the non-lucrative visa, and it lets you keep earning, which the other explicitly forbids. If you have stopped working, this visa is not available to you at all.