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Spain Digital Nomad Visa: Your Guide to Working Remotely in Spain

June 16, 2024
Alfie Laurence

This is your guide to applying for the Digital Nomad Visa Spain. As of June 2024, I am applying for the Digital Nomad Visa Spain in order to live and work remotely living in Spain. The digital nomad visa is officially known as the ‘Visa de Residencia Temporal No Lucrativa para Trabajadores Remotos’. Keep note of that as you will need it! In this blog, I am going to take you through some of the key steps I am taking to get there and to see how it goes. You could consider this to be part 1 of the series of GET ALFIE TO LIVE IN SPAIN.

My circumstances currently is as follows. I am a self-employed worker contracted to 3 different companies. For 2 of the UK based companies,  I work in marketing, sales and logistics. I also work as a trip leader for other companies all over the world. I decided to settle over the last year in the UK but have since realised that I would love to live and work remotely in Spain. Whether that is in a small village in rural Andalucia, Mallorca, Valencia or Madrid. I don’t know yet. All I know is the freedom to live and work in Spain would allow me to live a happier and more fruitful life without being held back by the 90 day limit of being a UK citizen post Brexit. The joys…

In this first post, I’m just going to simply outline the various steps of the checklist in short form and where I am at with them.

Fill in National Visa application form available online (free) - province of residence in Spain must be stated.

I have linked the form here for you to immediately access and begin filing in. It’s a free form and so you can crack on with it. Some bits to be aware of are the need for a NIE (see number 2) and an address in Spain. In many cases, this may not be easy at this early stage. In some instances, people have used AirB&B addresses, family friends’ homes and so on. Fortunately, I have an address in Spain, which is a family home. Make sure you read all the points very carefully as a simple wrong check box, could cost you the application.

NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjeros)

“The NIE is a personal, unique number assigned to foreigners who, for economic, professional, or social reasons, are engaged in activities related to Spain and require identification in this country.” This is on the official Spanish government website. It is necessary for when applying for the Digital Nomad Visa Spain. The number that can be requested in Spain or at the consular office in London / in your country of residence. Email cog.londres.leg@maec.es before you book an appointment. You will need to fill out an EX-15, have proof of why you need the NIE and a valid passport. You will also need to fill out a Form 790, code 12. The NIE is usually issued within 3 weeks but it may take longer. The total cost is £8.45 and can be paid on the day.

Valid passport

Pretty obvious one. Original and photocopy of biometric data pages. Passport must be valid for at least a year.

  1. 1 recent passport size coloured photograph

When you get these printed, you will need a couple. The ACRO police certificate also requires a digital passport style photograph.

  1. Criminal record certificate - ACRO if UK based submission.

You need to get an ACRO police certificate completed and applied for online. Prove you’re not a criminal basically and you’ll more likely get to live in Spain! The ACRO police ceritificate is the UK version. The cost is £65 for standard delivery time or £115 for express delivery. Once obtained, the police certificate must be translated into Spanish by SWORN translators-interpreters.

Work contract / self-employed contract with permission to work remote

Okay listen in, this bits important. Certification of working for at least 3 months (before the visa application for a foreign company). If like me, you’re self employed then the contract must include the length of the contract and some terms and conditions allowed to work remotely in Spain. You must also have a certificate confirming that you will pay UK National Insurance while self-employed abroad temporarily. Forms via HMRC website eg. CA3822 & CA3837.

Health insurance - contracted with an insurance company authorised to operate in Spain.

Beware this is different to travel insurance. There are certain companies which have authority to operate in Spain eg. AXA, Bupa Global, Sanitas. There are loads available. Get different quotes based on your terms. I’m looking into cover from AXA and have been quoted £150 a month (approximately).

Proof of residence in the UK

You must provide proof of legal residence in a consular district in the UK ie. London, Sussex.

Payment of visa fee (£298)

Bit of a pricey visa fee but has to be done!

Proof of financial means of 200% of monthly Spanish national minimum wage (€1,134 per month). 

Works out around £1,950 a month. This can be via pay slips, bank statements over 3 months prior to moving to Spain. Basically what this is showing to the authorities in Spain is that you can cover yourself to live and work in Spain as a foreigner.

Hope this helps to get you going! Stay in touch with how you get on and if you have any questions.

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Written by

Alfie Laurence
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