Relocation
Digital nomad visa Spain: requirements and process for Americans
4 min read
If you work remotely for a company outside Spain, the Digital Nomad Visa is your option. You don't need an employer in Spain. You don't need a pension or passive income. You only need an employment contract with a foreign company and a minimum salary. For a broader view of all visa options available to Americans, the complete guide for Americans moving to Madrid covers all three routes.
Who can apply
The digital nomad visa is perfect for: freelance consultants billing international clients, remote employees of US companies, startup founders with a Delaware company but living in Madrid, creative professionals (design, marketing, development) with international portfolios.
You can't use it if: you work for a Spanish company (you'd need a work visa for that), you work without a formal contract (even if it's for an international client), or your only "proof of income" is bank transfers without legal backing.
Income requirements
You need a minimum income of €2,300 monthly (approximately $2,500 USD). This comes from a formal contract with your foreign employer. The contract must be in English or Spanish and must specify:
- Monthly salary minimum €2,300
- That it's remote work from Spain
- That it's by contract (not a one-off project)
- Contract duration (minimum 12 months)
Some US employers don't want to formalize it this way because they think it exposes them to Spanish tax obligations. Tell your employer: it's not true. If you're a US citizen, you're Spain's fiscal responsibility, not the company's. The contract just formalizes that you work remotely.
If you work as a freelancer (1099 or contractor), it's more complicated. You'd have to open a business in Spain (as a self-employed person) or demonstrate average income of €2,300 monthly with client histories. Many consulates accept this but it requires denser documentation.
Required documentation
Valid passport for at least 6 months.
Employment contract. Signed by you and your employer, specifying remote work, monthly salary minimum €2,300, duration. Bring 2 apostilled copies.
Proof of income. Last 3 months of pay stubs or transfers from your employer, showing you received €2,300 monthly. Or, if it's a new contract, a letter from your employer confirming you'll start receiving €2,300 monthly from X date.
Criminal background certificate apostilled (same process as non-lucrative visa).
Private medical insurance covering Spain (same requirement).
Proof of residence. Booked Airbnb or similar for your first months.
Process
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Get a letter from your employer formalizing the remote contract with minimum salary €2,300 monthly.
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Book an appointment at the consulate. Gather documentation.
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Attend your appointment. Present everything.
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Pay the fee (around $160-190 USD).
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Wait 4-8 weeks.
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Travel to Spain with approved visa.
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Within 30 days, request your TIE.
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Within 30 days of having your TIE, submit your work authorization request at the local foreigners' office. This is an extra step that the non-lucrative visa doesn't require, but it's simple if you have all your papers.
Advantages vs disadvantages
The advantage is you don't need a pension or savings beforehand. You just need work. It's perfect for young people, freelancers, remote professionals who still generate active income.
The disadvantage is it's conditional on maintaining that work. If you lose your job, you have 3 months to find another or your visa becomes questionable. Some consulates are lax about this, others aren't. Don't count on it.
If you want to compare this option with the alternative for those who have passive income, the non-lucrative visa for Americans explains that path in detail.
Another disadvantage: if your employer is in the US and you're a US citizen, you still owe US federal taxes plus Spanish taxes. Many remote workers forget this. For a complete breakdown of what to declare and when — FBAR, FATCA, the tax treaty, and FEIE — the guide on US taxes while living in Spain covers it all.
After you have the visa
Once approved and living in Madrid, you can change employers as long as you maintain the minimum €2,300 monthly salary. The consulate doesn't need to know, but the tax authority does. If you change jobs, update your tax filing in both countries.
The visa renews every 1 year (unlike the non-lucrative which renews every 2). Renewal is similar to the initial application.
Some Americans use the digital nomad visa to arrive in Spain, then after 3-4 years switch to non-lucrative if their income becomes passive, or to permanent residency if they formalize Spanish work at some point.
If your long-term plan is to stay in Madrid, the digital nomad visa is a good bridge. If you want to work online only forever, it's your ideal visa.
