Residence permit for international teleworkers: Digital nomads

Nationals from third countries who travel to Spain to carry out work or a professional activity remotely for companies located outside the country (doing so through the exclusive use of computer, electronic, and telecommunications means and systems) are considered to be residing in Spain as international teleworkers.

Foreigners who are in Spain regularly or who have entered the country through a teleworking visa may request a residence permit in order to telework remotely for a company located abroad. Said residence permit will be valid in the entire country.

This permit's validity will be for a maximum of three years, unless it is requested for a shorter work period.

Holders of this residence permit may request its renewal for two-year periods provided that conditions that brought about the permit's granting in the first place are maintained.

• The applicant's original, valid passport and a photocopy of all pages. The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the visa expiration date. 
• Proof of payment of the fee. 
• Application form signed by the teleworker (Form MIT).
• Proof of having sufficient financial resources. The bearer of the visa must prove the following amounts: 
  • Visa holder: prove 200% of the minimum interprofessional wage (Spanish acronym SMI) per month; that is, €2,160/month (as of 2023).
  • Person linked to the visa holder: prove an additional 75% of the minimum interprofessional wage per month; that is, €810/month. This amount must be added to the amount indicated above (€2,160 + €810 = €2,970). 
  • For each additional family member in addition to the visa holder and person linked thereto: prove an additional 25% of the minimum interprofessional wage per month; that is, €270/month. This amount must be added to the amounts indicated above (€2,160 + €810 + €270 = €3,240).
  • Annual amounts are to be calculated in 14 instalments.
• To prove the amounts indicated, any means of proof may be used. For example, an employment contract, firm offer of employment, or (in the case of a professional activity) a commercial contract for the work or professional activity giving rise to this residence permit. The ownership, legality, and availability of the funds used must be established. This can be done through bank account statements. 
• Proof of an employment or professional relationship with a foreign company or companies lasting at least three months as of the date of the application. 
• Prof of the continuous business activity (for at least one year) of the foreign company or group of companies with which the teleworker has an employment/professional relationship. 
• For cases of remote employment, a letter from the foreign company authorising the applicant to carry out remote work from Spain.
• For cases of professional activities, documentation proving the terms and conditions under which the professional activity will be carried out remotely. 
• Criminal record check issued in the last three months by the competent authority in the country where the applicant resided during the two years prior to the visa application's submission date. The criminal record check must be duly legalised and apostilled. Additionally, a sworn statement saying that the applicant has no criminal record from the last five years will also be submitted.
• Medical certificate issued in the last three months by a registered doctor certifying verbatim that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that may have serious public health repercussions in accordance with the provisions of the International Health Regulations of 2005. This certificate must be duly legalised and apostilled.
• Proof of having public or private health insurance through an insurance entity authorised to do business in Spain. The policy must remain in force during the residence permit's validity period and travel insurance is not considered valid. If the applicant is covered by an international social security coordination scheme and said scheme provides health coverage for workers insured in one State who carry out their professional activity in another State, said extreme must be proven by means of a certificate issued by the competent body of the State under whose social security system the applicant is insured. 
• In the case of private insurance, the insurance entity must be registered on the list of insurance and reinsurance entities published by the General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds, working under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism.
• In the case of public health insurance, this insurance can be proven for public health insurers that have a health care agreement with the Autonomous Community in whose territory the foreigner is registered – provided the requirements are met to this end.
• Sworn statement containing the commitment to comply –prior to the start of work or the professional activity– with social security obligations and, in the event that an international standard for the coordination of social security and self-employment systems does not apply, proof of the company's Social Security registration. 
• Qualification or documentation proving professional experience amounting to at least three years in positions analogous to those of the position to be performed as an international teleworker (with said experience being considered comparable to the aforementioned qualification and being relevant for the undertaking of the remote employment or professional relationship authorised). 
• Proof must be through the presentation of documentation that shows graduate or postgraduate status from recognised universities, professional training programmes, and business schools. 
• For professions regulated by law, official degree validation must be proven in accordance with the sector rules on the undertaking of regulated professions. 
• In the case of vocational training qualifications and if there are questions about equivalence with the Spanish educational system, documentation proving the official validation of said studies before the Ministry of Education may be required.

• Visa:  If the applicant is outside of Spain, he or she must first apply for a visa at the Spanish Consulate in his or her country of residence. 
• Residence permit: Provided the applicant is in Spain legally, the residence permit should be applied for with the Large Business and Strategic Groups Unit (Spanish acronym UGE).