25/02/2023
Spain's digital nomad visa is finally available. Here's everything you need to know
Spain's long awaited digital nomad visa is finally available.
The remote work visa gives non-EU nationals the chance to live and work in Spain for up to five years.
Approved by parliament in November 2022, it is part of the new Startup Act, which aims to attract entrepreneurship and bolster the country's tech scene.
Various other European nations have capitalised on the rise of remote work over the past few years, with Italy, Greece, Croatia and Portugal all introducing some form of digital nomad scheme.
Spain's visa was teased back in **January**2022, when Economic Affairs Minister Nadia Calviño said the country was hoping to “attract and retain international and national talents by helping remote workers and digital nomads set up in Spain.” Authorities hope that it will help the country to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.
Here's how Spain's new digital nomad visa will make living and working in the country easier and cheaper.
Who can apply for Spain’s digital nomad visa?
Spain's digital nomad visa is open to non-EU nationals who work remotely for non-Spanish companies. Applicants are permitted to get a maximum of 20 per cent of their income from Spanish firms.
Both self-employed freelancers with multiple clients and remote workers employed by a single company outside of Spain are eligible for the visa.
Applicants need to be from outside of the European Economic Area. They must not be living illegally in Spain at the time of their application and cannot have lived in the country within the five years prior to applying.
They need to prove they have worked with their clients or company for more than three months before applying, and the company they work for must have been operational for at least one year. They need to be able to demonstrate that they have a contract of employment or, if freelancing, have been regularly employed by a company outside of Spain - and that their job can be done remotely.
They must also prove that they are qualified or experienced in their field.