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As I mentioned in my first article, I came to Barcelona with a student visa, but I needed to change my visa type to continue living here. After detailed research, my lawyer and I decided that the Spain Digital Nomad Visa would be the most logical visa type for me. I had been planning to write this article for a long time, but I wanted to wait for my application to be approved first. As of December 5, I received approval for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa. In this article, I will try to share in detail the Spain Digital Nomad Visa application process, required documents, and my personal experiences.
What is a Digital Nomad Visa?
The Spain Digital Nomad Visa is a type of visa that provides residence permits for 1 to 3 years to remote workers, freelancers, and non-EU/EEA self-employed professionals with monthly earnings of €2500 or more. This visa aims to support the country’s digital transformation by providing legal residence and work opportunities in Spain for remote working professionals.
The Digital Nomad Visa is primarily designed for professionals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs from outside the EU who can conduct their work remotely. When you apply for this visa type from Turkey, you can get a 1-year residence permit, while applications from Spain can get up to 3 years of residence permit. I applied from Spain and received a 3-year residence permit. One of the most important features of the visa is that applicants must obtain at least 80% of their income from sources outside Spain. In other words, collaborations with Spanish companies should not exceed 20% of total income.
As someone who has been living in Barcelona for a year, I observe that this visa has brought new dynamism to the city. I can say that the city’s already cosmopolitan structure has become even richer, especially with professionals working in fields like technology, design, and digital marketing choosing Barcelona.
Who is the Spain Digital Nomad Visa For?
Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa is a special visa program designed for professionals who meet certain criteria. I’m sharing the target audience and application requirements for this visa.
Remote Working Professionals: Professionals working in technology-based jobs who can work independently of their workplace’s physical location constitute the main target audience for this visa. This category includes professions such as software developers, digital marketing specialists, UX/UI designers, and content creators.
Freelancers: Professionals who own their own business and provide services to clients in different countries can apply for this visa. This group includes professions such as graphic designers, consultants, software developers, and digital content creators.
Entrepreneurs: Owners or managers of remotely manageable businesses can also benefit from this visa. E-commerce site owners, digital agency founders, or technology startup founders can be given as examples for this group.
Basic Requirements for Application:
- Not being an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen
- Obtaining at least 80% of income from sources outside Spain
- Not having been resident in Spain within the last 5 years
- Having at least 3 years of professional experience or being a graduate from a recognized educational institution
- Being able to demonstrate a minimum monthly income of 2,500 Euros
- Having a clean criminal record
- Having comprehensive health insurance
Education Level and Experience Requirements:
- University degree or professional certification
- Minimum 3 years of work experience in the relevant field
- Documents that can prove employment and work status
Important Notes:
- Applicants need to document their business relationships with their companies or clients
- There is a requirement that activities in Spain must not exceed 20% of total income
- The sustainability of the remote working model needs to be proven
This type of visa offers an ideal option for professionals who work in the digital world, can earn location-independent income, and want to live in Spain. During the application process, it’s crucial to carefully review all conditions and prepare the required documents completely.
How Long Does It Take to Finalize a Visa Application?
If I were to describe the Digital Nomad Visa application process based on my personal experience, I submitted my application on October 31, 2024. About two weeks after the application, on November 12, apostille and translation were requested for some documents. We prepared these documents and uploaded them to the system on November 26. Finally, on December 5, exactly 36 days after my application, my visa was approved. This duration is considered quite normal when looking at the general process. Although the process may seem long, you can proceed smoothly with a regular and complete application.
I want to share another important detail from my experience: I spent a full two months preparing the documents, and even though I thought I had considered every detail and fulfilled all requirements, additional documents were still requested during the application process. Therefore, I recommend being flexible and prepared during the application process, as document preparation might take longer than you think.
Documents Required for Digital Nomad Visa Application
Before sharing the required documents for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa, I want to address an important point based on my personal experiences. I chose to proceed with the visa application through a lawyer. Since the document preparation process is truly complex, I’m sharing the detailed list below, but remember that you should conduct the application process with a lawyer. The apostille matter is a complexity in itself, which we’ll cover in detail in the next section.
If you’re applying from Spain, you’ll need well-scanned PDF versions of all documents since the entire application process is conducted online.
Now, let’s list the documents required for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa in detail:
1. Basic Documents
- Visa application form (This is handled by your lawyer who manages your application process)
- Passport valid for minimum 1 year (I recommend getting the 10-year one) and photocopies of all pages
- NIE (For residents in Spain, photocopy containing front and back of TIE document)
- Criminal record (Get it using PTT e-apostille service, have it sworn translated to Spanish, and get another apostille for the translation)
2. Financial Documents
- Bank account balance (You need to show minimum €32,000 in the account, currency or timing of deposit doesn’t matter)
- Bank statements for the last 6 months (No translation needed for this)
- Document showing total amounts in your accounts (Your bank prepares this in English for Spain, then you need to get it sworn translated to Spanish)
- Invoices issued in the last 3 months (Total monthly invoices should be minimum €2,500, Spanish translation preferred even if not sworn)
- Payment proofs for invoices issued in the last 3 months (No translation needed as it will be from the bank)
3. Professional Documents
- Resume prepared in Spanish
- Registration documents for all companies you’ve worked with (Apostille from relevant country + Spanish sworn translation + apostille)
- Contracts with companies you work with (must include the following information):
- Signed (by both company and yourself)
- Detailed description of services provided
- Job start date
- Text indicating that the work will be performed remotely
- Compensation information
- Preferably in Spanish, if not then Spanish translation (I didn’t get this sworn)
4. Residence and Education Documents
- For residents in Spain: Current Empadronamiento
- For residents in Turkey: Proof of residence (Double apostille and Spanish sworn translation)
- Diploma or student certificate (Double apostille and Spanish sworn translation)
5. Other Requirements
- Health Insurance (I chose an annual policy from Adeslas)
- Letter of Intent (prepared by your lawyer)
- Visa Fee (paid by lawyer)
Before applying, make sure that all documents are complete. If you have any problems with the application process, you can get detailed information using the form at the end of the article.
What is Apostille and Why is it Necessary?
Let me explain the concept of “apostille” that you’ll frequently encounter during the visa application process. An apostille is an international certification that verifies the authenticity of official documents you’ll use in a foreign country. This system, which came into our lives with the Hague Convention signed in 1961, enables documents to be valid in different countries.
During my visa process in Barcelona, I also had to get apostilles for many documents. You can think of it this way: to use a document from Turkey in Spain, you need to prove that it was actually issued by authorized institutions in Turkey. That’s exactly what an apostille does – it internationally certifies that your document is official.
For example, let’s consider your criminal record. You obtained this document from Turkey and need to present it to Spanish authorities. But how will Spanish authorities know if the Turkish document is authentic? This is where the apostille comes in and guarantees the authenticity of your document at an international level.
I’ve tried to share my own experiences and what I’ve learned about the Spain Digital Nomad Visa process. The information I’ve shared here is based on my personal experience as someone who has been living in Barcelona for a year. I want to emphasize that I’m not an immigration consultant or legal expert. My only aim is to share information that might help you, as someone who has gone through this process.
During the visa application process, I worked with a lawyer and translation office who conducted their work very professionally. If you’re also looking for reliable professional support, you can fill out the form below. If you reach out to me through the form, I can introduce you to the lawyer and translation office I worked with.
Remember that each application process is unique and can vary according to personal circumstances. That’s why I strongly recommend getting professional support. I hope the information I’ve shared has been helpful for your visa application process. I will continue to update this article as visa requirements change.
Also, if you want to get information about Spain Non-Lucrative Visa, you can review the article.