Good to know · Residency
International telework (digital nomad) visa or residence authorization
The international telework route lets a non-EU national live in Spain while working remotely for companies located outside Spain, either via a visa from a consulate (up to 1 year) or a residence authorization applied for from inside Spain through the Ministry of Inclusion’s UGE-CE unit (up to 3 years).
- Why it matters
- Remote employees and freelancers with non-Spanish clients are directed here instead of the non-lucrative route, which bans remote work. The rules cover what proportion of work may be for Spanish clients and which income level to prove.
- When
- You will keep working remotely for a company or clients outside Spain while living in Spain.
- How long it takes
- Visa decision: legal period 10 days from forwarding (extendable); visa valid up to 1 year; in-Spain permit up to 3 years; TIE renewal can start 2 months before expiry. Ley 28/2022 (BOE) gives the in-Spain authorization as renewable for 2 more years.
- Official page
- Telework (Digital nomad) Visa
- Last checked
- 7 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 6 steps, what to bring (7 items), and tips and what to watch for, with every official source.
Do these first
- Understand the visa pathways for Americans moving to Spain
- Apostille and sworn-translate US documents for use in Spain
- Private health insurance: when it is required
- Understand the Schengen 90/180 rule, the EES and ETIAS before you have residency
- Work remotely for a US employer (international telework residence)
- Understand Spanish tax residency and the annual Renta declaration