Did you know that there is a new digital nomad visa Spain , recently introduced in January 2023?
The digital nomad visa has been introduced to Spain as of January 2023, and it varies from many of the other types of visa that you can obtain to enter Spain as a non EU citizen.
In this regard, the digital nomad visa, which differs from the non-lucrative visa for Spain, as it accommodates you working remotely in Spain, as long as the earnings do not consist of more than 20% deriving from Spanish consumers.
This visa must be completed before arrival, or within the 90 day visitation period, through the Spanish diplomatic mission or consular office of your place of residence. That is if you are a non EU/EEA citizen.
As an EU citizen it is not necessary to have a digital nomad visa, but if you think it might benefit you, you should get your NIE “white paper” and submitt your application as a digital nomad visa within the 90 day visitation period.
In order to qualify for this new digital nomad visa you must meet certain economic requirements.
Firstly, relating to financial self-sufficiency whereby the Spanish government has declared a level of 200% of the value of the minimum wage (SMI – salario minimo interprofesional), subsequently requiring a monthly rate of €2.160.
Furthermore, if there are accompanying family members, the first must be supported with a value of €795 or 75% of the SMI (subject to change), other family members can be covered by 25% of the SMI.
Income will be taxed at a special rate, if the applicant(s) is to spend more than 183 days in Spain within a financial year, to become a Spanish tax resident. Whereby income up to €600k, will be taxed at a rate of 24%.
Applicants will benefit from double taxation agreements held by Spain with over 90 different countries, meaning that once tax residency is confirmed in Spain, you will not have to pay tax twice!
The economic means present the largest obstacle to completing this digital nomad visa in Spain.
Yet there are some complementary requirements that must be met in order to obtain the digital nomad visa for Spain.
Of particular importance to this visa process, is the ability to prove certain factors about the job which will be conducted within Spain.
Primarily, to prove specific expertise in the field of work (unrestricted), by way of university degree, professional certificate, or proof of three years work experience.
As well as proof of expertise, it is mandatory to prove that the work is stable and well established. This can be proven by; a contract valid for the duration of stay, also by demonstrating that the company has been established for at least one year and freelancers can prove long term contracts.
While ensuring that the ability to work is remote and sustained through connection to the internet in Spain.
When considering matters regarding security, applicants must adhere to the following requirements, in order to be eligible for the completion of the visa application.
Fundamentally, a clean criminal record must be provided for the last 5 years in all countries of residence within the time period. While the applicant must provide full health insurance either equivalent to the Spanish public health insurance or full private cover, which must apply to all family members if there are any in accompaniment.
The establishment of this new visa system for Spain now entitles individuals to work remotely in Spain, by means of the internet. This type of visa is an innovation to Spanish policy which facilitates remote work for migrants and promotes direct investment within the country.
Following revelations in online work, which were influenced by the pandemic, it seemed as though this visa was necessary to the recovery and development of the Spanish economy, as many people realised the possibility to work remotely with their business, or job.
As such, many non EU/EEA members will consequently take the opportunity to have the luxury of living abroad whilst simultaneously considering many tax benefits and the ability to work remotely during their time in Spain.
Yet it must be clarified that the digital nomad visa should not be confused with the non-lucrative visa for Spain. Despite having many of the same processes, the permissions granted to individuals with respective visas differ greatly, in which we have a follow-up article outlining the non-lucrative visa process and requirements.
Thank you for reading this post, if you think we have been able to help you or if you still have any questions, you can always contact me via WhattsApp (+49 1520 8381499) or e-mail (erica@taxandlawspain.com).
