🇪🇸 Digital Nomad Visa (Startup Act)
Spain digital nomad visa for Americans
The Digital Nomad Visa (Startup Act) lets you live in Spain while you keep working for clients or an employer outside the country. Income needed: €2,849/mo (200% SMI, 2026) (about $3,274 a month). Length: 1 yr (consulate) or 3 yrs (in-country).
🛂 Open to applications 🧾 Heavy tax Europe (Schengen)
The visa in numbers
📊 At about $3,274 a month, Spain's bar is higher than 23 and lower than 18 of the 42 open nomad visas with a set income minimum. Compare all nomad visas →
Requirements and details
| 🛂 Visa | Digital Nomad Visa (Startup Act) |
| 💵 Income needed | €2,849/mo (200% SMI, 2026) ≈ $3,274 a month in US dollars at current rates |
| 💳 Fees | ~€80 visa + permit fees |
| ⏳ How long it lasts | 1 yr (consulate) or 3 yrs (in-country) |
| 🔁 Renewal | Yes → 2-yr renewals up to 5 yrs |
| 📍 Where you apply | Both → consulate abroad (1-yr visa) OR in-country while legal (3-yr permit, the better deal) |
| 📆 Time you must spend there | 183+ days/yr effectively required to renew NLV/DNV residence → plan for tax residency |
| 🏠 Path to permanent residency | PR at 5 yrs; citizenship at 10 (renounce-US rule applies, Ibero-American exceptions) |
| 🧾 Tax | 183 days → tax resident; Beckham Law flat 24% for DNV employees possible 🔴 Heavy · Worldwide income · top rate 47% |
| 📝 Good to know | Max 20% Spanish-source income; Beckham Law flat tax available; NLV→DNV in-country conversion blocked (2026) |
| 📄 Documents |
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Not working remotely? The passive-income route
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV): €2,400/mo passive (~€28,800/yr, IPREM). No work allowed at all; 1 yr + 2-yr renewals. Golden Visa abolished Apr 2025.
Can the income bar cover life in Spain?
All-in monthly cost for one person (everyday living costs plus a 1-bedroom city-centre rent), from the cities we cover.
| City | All-in / month | Income bar covers it |
|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Seville | $1,712 | 1.9× |
| 🇪🇸 Las Palmas | $1,818 | 1.8× |
| 🇪🇸 Alicante | $1,854 | 1.8× |
| 🇪🇸 Valencia | $2,214 | 1.5× |
| 🇪🇸 Malaga | $2,217 | 1.5× |
| 🇪🇸 Madrid | $2,529 | 1.3× |
| 🇪🇸 Barcelona | $2,618 | 1.3× |
Data last updated · Source: Curated immigration research (confidence: high)
Spain nomad visa: common questions
How much income do I need for Spain's digital nomad visa?
€2,849/mo (200% SMI, 2026). That's about $3,274 a month in US dollars at current exchange rates.
How long does the Digital Nomad Visa (Startup Act) last, and can I renew it?
1 yr (consulate) or 3 yrs (in-country). Renewal: Yes → 2-yr renewals up to 5 yrs.
Where do I apply?
Both → consulate abroad (1-yr visa) OR in-country while legal (3-yr permit, the better deal).
What documents do I need?
Passport, proof of remote work (contract/clients, employer 1+ yr old), income proof, clean criminal record (apostilled), private health insurance, NIE number; degree OR 3 yrs experience. Requirements vary by consulate, so check the current list before you book an appointment.
Can it lead to permanent residency in Spain?
PR at 5 yrs; citizenship at 10 (renounce-US rule applies, Ibero-American exceptions).
Will I pay tax in Spain as a digital nomad?
183 days → tax resident; Beckham Law flat 24% for DNV employees possible. As an American you also stay taxable by the IRS on your worldwide income wherever you live; the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits usually stop you paying twice. Compare taxes abroad for Americans.