Digital Nomad Visa in Spain 2026: a UK citizen’s guide

What the digital nomad visa in Spain offers UK citizens

The digital nomad visa in Spain remains one of the most practical routes for British professionals who want to live in Spain and keep working remotely.

Since Brexit, UK citizens can stay in Spain for only 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, as our guide for British expats after Brexit explains.

This guide to the digital nomad visa in Spain sets out the 2026 requirements, the application routes, social security and tax rules, and the mistakes that most often delay an application.

The minimum income for a single applicant in 2026 is €2,442 a month, 200% of the minimum wage set by Royal Decree 126/2026 [3][4].

Legal basis of the digital nomad visa in Spain

The visa for international teleworking was created by Law 28/2022, the Startup Law, which added Articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies to Law 14/2013 on support for entrepreneurs [1].

It has been available since 23 December 2022.

Applications made from within Spain are decided by the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE) of the Ministry of Inclusion [4].

The general immigration regulation, Royal Decree 1155/2024, does not govern this permit, although it matters when changing to another type of residence.

Who qualifies

• A university degree or professional qualification, or at least three years of relevant experience [1].
• A working relationship with the employer or clients of at least three months before the application [1].
• An employer or client company that has been operating for at least one year [1].
• Employees: work only for companies located outside Spain [1].
• Self-employed professionals: Spanish clients may account for no more than 20% of total professional activity [1].
• No criminal record in Spain or in the countries of residence, shown by certificates covering the last two years and a sworn declaration covering the last five years, and no entry ban [1].
• Public or private health cover valid in Spain; travel insurance is not accepted.

Our article on becoming self-employed in Spain explains the autónomo registration that freelancers normally need.

2026 income requirements for the digital nomad visa in Spain

The income threshold for the digital nomad visa in Spain is linked to the Spanish minimum wage (SMI), which Royal Decree 126/2026 sets at €1,221 a month in 14 payments for 2026 [3].

Applicant	Percentage of SMI	Monthly amount in 2026
Main applicant	200%	€2,442
First family member	75%	€916
Each additional family member	25%	€306

Source: UGE guidance and the Spanish Consulate General in Washington, applying Royal Decree 126/2026 [3][4][6].

Over a year, the main applicant’s threshold is equivalent to €34,188, because the SMI is paid in 14 instalments.

Income is usually shown with payslips or invoices, bank statements, and the employment contract or client contracts.

Application routes and processing times

Route	Where	What you receive	Legal decision period
Consular visa	Spanish consulate for your area: London, Manchester or Edinburgh	Visa valid for up to one year	10 working days [1]
Residence permit	UGE, while legally in Spain	Residence permit of up to three years	20 days; no answer means approval [1]

The UGE fee is €73.26, paid with form 790 code 038 [4]. UK nationals applying in London pay a reciprocity fee of £719 for the teleworking visa under the consular fee list in force from 1 January 2026, plus the BLS visa centre service charge [7].

The London consulate asks for a passport valid for at least one year and an NIE before the application [7].

Our guide to the NIE and the TIE explains both documents.

Step by step from the UK

Step	Action
1	Confirm eligibility: qualifications, three-month relationship, company age, income
2	Arrange social security cover: HMRC certificate of coverage (PDA1) or Spanish registration
3	Obtain the criminal record certificate, apostille and sworn translations
4	Apply at the consulate, or to the UGE from within Spain
5	Register on the padrón and collect the TIE after arrival
6	Consider the special tax regime: form 149 within six months of the social security start date

The municipal registration step is covered in our guide to empadronamiento in Spain.

Duration, renewal and long-term residence

Under the digital nomad visa in Spain, the consular visa lasts up to one year, while the residence permit lasts as long as requested, up to three years [1][8].

The permit can then be renewed for two-year periods, with no fixed maximum [1].

After five years of legal and continuous residence, the holder can apply for long-term residence in Spain.

Earlier statements that the digital nomad visa in Spain is capped at five years in total are incorrect.

Social security and healthcare for UK applicants

The UGE requires applicants to be registered with Spanish social security, unless an employee holds a certificate under an international social security agreement that expressly covers remote work from Spain [4].

UK employees sent to work temporarily in Spain by their UK employer can ask HMRC for a certificate of coverage (also called a PDA1), which keeps them in the UK system for up to two years under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement [9].

Without that certificate, the UK employer must register in Spain and enrol the employee in the Spanish general scheme.

Self-employed applicants generally register in the Spanish self-employed scheme (RETA); the London consulate also lists the UK self-employed certificate, so the position should be checked case by case [4][7].

For health cover, the London consulate accepts private insurance covering all the risks of the Spanish public system, or an S1 form registered with Spanish social security, and the UGE rejects policies with co-payments or waiting periods; see our guide to the Spanish healthcare system [7].

201,074 people held temporary residence under Law 14/2013 and similar schemes on 30 June 2026, according to the Permanent Immigration Observatory [10].

Tax implications of the digital nomad visa in Spain

A person who spends more than 183 days a year in Spain, or whose centre of economic interests is in Spain, is a Spanish tax resident [5].

Employees holding the digital nomad visa in Spain are expressly eligible for the special regime for inbound workers under Article 93 of the Personal Income Tax Law, often called the Beckham Law [5].

The regime taxes employment income at 24% up to €600,000 and 47% above, for the year of the move and the following five years, provided the person was not resident in Spain in the previous five years [5].

The application is made with form 149 within six months of the start date shown in the social security registration or coverage certificate [11].

Self-employed digital nomads generally do not qualify unless they enter through the entrepreneur route.

Our guides to the Beckham Law and the UK-Spain double taxation treaty cover the detail.

Freelancer or limited company

Self-employed applicants usually register as autónomos with the tax agency and social security.

Others set up a Spanish limited company (SL), whose minimum share capital is €1 since Law 18/2022 on business creation and growth amended the Capital Companies Law [12].

Our guide to creating a limited company in Spain explains the process.

Bringing family members

A spouse or registered partner, children under 18 or dependent adult children, and dependent parents can apply with the main applicant [4].

The family must meet the additional income amounts shown above.

Marriage and birth certificates need an apostille and a sworn Spanish translation.

Why Valencia suits remote workers

Many UK applicants for the digital nomad visa in Spain choose the Valencian Community over Madrid or Barcelona.

Valencia offers lower living costs than the two largest cities, a large international community, an airport with direct flights to the UK and a Mediterranean climate.

Administrative steps are also manageable: Valencia town hall registers residents at any of its padrón offices and issues certificates on the spot, which helps with the TIE and the SIP health card.

Our guide to the cost of living in Valencia compares typical expenses.

Employees on the visa who opt for the special regime pay 24% on employment income up to €600,000, for the year of arrival and the following five years [5].

The Golden Visa is no longer an alternative

The investor residence permit known as the Golden Visa was abolished with effect from 3 April 2025 by Organic Law 1/2025 [13].

Applications filed before that date are still processed and existing holders can renew, but new applications are not accepted, as our article on the end of the Golden Visa explains.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using the €2,849 monthly figure that circulates online; the official 2026 threshold is €2,442 a month.
• Applying as an employee while also working for Spanish companies.
• Starting the application before the three-month working relationship is complete.
• Submitting travel insurance instead of full health cover.
• Missing the six-month deadline for the special tax regime.
• Assuming the permit cannot be renewed beyond five years.

How Delaguía y Luzón can help

Our immigration law team in Valencia has advised international clients since 1960.

We prepare applications for the digital nomad visa in Spain, review social security and tax positions, and handle renewals and family applications.

Frequently asked questions about the digital nomad visa in Spain

What is the income requirement in 2026?

€2,442 a month for the main applicant, 200% of the €1,221 minimum wage.

Family members add €916 for the first person and €306 for each additional person.

Can UK citizens apply from within Spain?

Yes, while they are legally in Spain, for example during a visa-free stay.

The UGE then issues a residence permit of up to three years.

How long does a decision take?

Consulates must decide within 10 working days.

The UGE must decide within 20 days, and no answer in that time means approval.

How long can I stay?

The permit lasts up to three years and can be renewed for two-year periods.

After five years, long-term residence is available.

Can I work for a Spanish company?

Employees cannot; they must work only for companies outside Spain.

Self-employed professionals may take up to 20% of their work from Spanish clients.

Do I pay tax in Spain?

Yes, if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain or your economic centre is in Spain.

Employees may opt for the 24% special regime.

Can self-employed nomads use the Beckham Law?

Generally no.

The digital nomad route to the regime is available to employees.

Do I need to pay Spanish social security?

Yes, unless you are an employee with an HMRC certificate of coverage (PDA1) that covers remote work from Spain.

Self-employed applicants normally join the Spanish self-employed scheme.

Can my family come with me?

Yes.

A spouse or partner, children and dependent parents can apply, subject to the extra income amounts.

Is the Golden Visa still available?

No.

It was abolished with effect from 3 April 2025 for new applications.

References

1. Law 14/2013, Articles 74 bis to 76, as amended by Law 28/2022 (BOE)
2. Law 28/2022 on the startup ecosystem (BOE)
3. Royal Decree 126/2026 setting the minimum wage for 2026 (BOE)
4. Ministry of Inclusion, UGE: digital nomad frequently asked questions
5. Law 35/2006 on Personal Income Tax, Articles 9 and 93 (BOE)
6. Spanish Consulate General in Washington: international teleworking visa
7. Spanish Consulate General in London: digital nomad visa
8. Ministry of Inclusion: management criterion 2/2025 on permit duration
9. GOV.UK: Paying National Insurance if you are going to work in the EU
10. Permanent Immigration Observatory: foreign residents with documentation, 30 June 2026
11. Spanish Tax Agency: form 149, special regime for inbound workers
12. Law 18/2022 on business creation and growth (BOE)
13. La Moncloa: end of the Golden Visa, 2 April 2025