Digital Nomad Residence in Spain: Applying From Inside the Country
The international teleworker permit can be requested from inside Spain if you are here legally. This is who qualifies, how much income you need in 2026 and what happens with family members and tax.
Spain’s residence permit for international teleworkers (the digital nomad permit) can be requested from inside Spain if you are here legally. You apply online to the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE), show income of at least 200% of the minimum wage, about €2,442 a month in 2026, and get up to three years, as of November 2026.
Who can apply for the teleworker permit from inside Spain?
The permit is for non-EU nationals who work remotely for companies based outside Spain. The legal basis is Law 14/2013 on entrepreneurs (articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies), added in December 2022. EU citizens and their family members do not use it; they register under EU rules.
You can file the application in Spain only if you are not in an irregular situation. In practice that means you entered and stay legally, for example on a visa-free stay, a teleworker visa or a student stay. The UGE’s own FAQ adds two limits:
- If you hold a non-lucrative residence, you cannot use time spent working remotely under it, because that permit does not allow work.
- If you hold a student stay that allows work, you can switch, provided you were registered with Spanish Social Security from the moment you started working for the foreign company.
From abroad the route is different: you request a teleworker visa at a Spanish consulate, valid for up to one year, and apply for the residence permit in Spain within the 60 days before the visa expires.
What are the main requirements?
| Requirement | What the law or UGE asks for |
|---|---|
| Work done remotely | Only by computer and telecom means, with no need for on-site supervision |
| Employer or clients abroad | The company or group must have been active for at least one year |
| Length of the relationship | At least three months with the foreign company before you apply, for employees and freelancers alike |
| Qualification | A university, vocational or business school degree, or at least three years of professional experience |
| Clean record | No criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you lived in the previous five years |
| Health cover | Spanish Social Security registration or private insurance with no copays or waiting periods |
| Income | Enough for you and your family (see below) |
Employees may work only for the foreign company. Freelancers can also work for Spanish clients, but that work must not exceed 20% of their total professional activity.
How much income do you need in 2026?
The UGE’s FAQ for international teleworkers asks for monthly income from work equal to 200% of the salario mínimo interprofesional (SMI), Spain’s minimum wage. Royal Decree 126/2026 set the 2026 SMI at €1,221 a month in 14 payments, so 200% works out at about €2,442 a month.
- For a household of two (you plus a spouse, partner or child), add 75% of the SMI, roughly €916 a month.
- Add 25% of the SMI, roughly €305, for each further family member.
The amounts are based on the SMI in force when you apply, and they rise when the minimum wage rises. Contracts, payslips and company certificates are the usual proof.
How do you apply, and how long does it take?
- Pay the fee. The UGE lists a fee of €73.26 for initial applications, paid online by card, account debit or Bizum to get the payment reference (NRC). Each family member pays separately.
- Prepare documents: passport, contract or service agreements, company certificate showing at least one year of activity, letter allowing remote work, proof of degree or experience, criminal record certificates and health cover. Foreign documents usually need an apostille and a sworn translation; see our guide to apostilles and sworn translations.
- File online with the UGE using a digital certificate, either yourself or through a representative.
- Wait for the decision. Article 76 of Law 14/2013 gives the UGE 20 days from electronic filing. If it does not answer in that time, the application counts as approved (positive administrative silence).
- Get your TIE. With the approval, book the fingerprint appointment for your foreigner identity card; our guide to the TIE appointment in Barcelona covers that step.
Filing the application also extends your current legal stay until the decision.
Can your family come, and can they work?
Yes. A spouse or partner in an equivalent relationship, children under 18, adult children who still depend on you and dependent parents can apply with you or later. The UGE confirms that family members can work in Spain without restriction, as employees or self-employed.
Do you have to pay Social Security in Spain?
Yes, in most cases. The UGE says registration with Spanish Social Security is compulsory because the work is done from Spain. Employees are registered by the foreign company, which must first register as a non-resident employer. The only alternative is a certificate under a social security agreement between Spain and your home country. Freelancers must join RETA, the self-employed scheme, and cannot rely on a bilateral agreement. If you do not register after approval, the permit can be withdrawn.
How does renewal and tax work?
The residence permit lasts up to three years, unless you request a shorter period. You can renew it for two years at a time while the conditions still apply, filing online. Applying for renewal keeps the permit valid until the decision.
Living in Spain for more than 183 days in a calendar year normally makes you a tax resident, taxed on worldwide income; see the 183-day rule. Some newcomers can opt for the special regime for inbound workers, explained in our guide to the Beckham Law. Tax depends on your contract, your home country and any tax treaty, so check your case with an asesor fiscal. This page explains the general rules only.
Bottom line
Count your three months with the foreign employer or clients before you file, not before you arrive, and make sure your stay is still legal on the filing date. If you are freelance, plan your Spanish client work so it stays under the 20% limit, because the UGE can ask for invoices at renewal.
FAQ
Can I apply after entering Spain as a tourist?
The UGE’s condition is that you are not in Spain irregularly when you file. Apply while your legal visa-free stay is still running, and check your case with the UGE or an abogado de extranjería before you travel.
Does private health insurance replace Social Security?
Not for the work itself. Insurance can cover the health requirement, but the UGE says Social Security registration is still compulsory, except where a bilateral agreement certificate applies to employees.
Is this the same as the digital nomad visa?
No. The visa is requested at a consulate abroad and lasts up to a year. The residence permit described here is requested in Spain and lasts up to three years.
Can I change to another permit later?
Yes. The UGE says you can move to another Law 14/2013 permit, or to an ordinary permit under the 2024 immigration regulation, if you meet its conditions.
