So, you’ve arrived in Spain on a visa and are now considering how to settle down. You might wonder whether a specific entry visa is required to obtain a Digital Nomad Residence Permit. Is this true? Let’s break it down in today’s article.
Which visa types are eligible fort Transition?
You can transition to a Digital Nomad Residence Permit from any type C or D visa that allows you to stay in Spain. The simplest way is to get a Schengen visa, which doesn’t necessarily have to be issued by Spain. After arriving, you can apply for the Digital Nomad Residence Permit.
If you’re eligible for visa-free entry (e.g., you hold a passport from Ukraine or Israel), you can directly apply for the residence permit. It’s also possible to switch from a student residence permit or a non-lucrative visa to a Digital Nomad Residence Permit. In such cases, you can apply without a criminal record certificate.
The process typically takes about 2.5 months: around a month for the application review, 10 days for fingerprinting, and another month for the residence card to be issued.
What Documents Are Required?
To apply for the Digital Nomad Residence Permit, you need to gather and prepare the following documents:
- MI-T Application Form in Spanish, confirming your intent to obtain a residence permit and work remotely. You can fill it out here.
- Passport with visa and copies (scan) of all pages. If you entered Spain from another EU country (without a Spanish entry stamp), you must obtain an “Entrada en España” declaration from the police at the border.
- Proof of Employment for at least three months before applying for the residence permit. This could be a work contract showing your salary. The minimum requirements are:
- €2,520/month for the primary applicant
- €315/month for each additional family member
The contract must be in Spanish or translated by a sworn translator or consular translation (legalization).
- Bank Statement showing proof of payment under the contract for the last three months.
- Proof of Work Experience of at least three years in your field (e.g., work record, self-employment certificate) or a copy of your diploma if your profession is related to your work. The document must be translated by a sworn translator or consular translation (legalization).
- Letter from Your Company, permitting remote work from Spain and confirming your status as a digital nomad. The letter must now include your salary in euros.
- Proof of Company Existence and Activity for at least one year (e.g., company registry extract). The document must be translated by a sworn translator or consular translation (legalization).
- Criminal Record Certificate with an apostille from all countries where you’ve spent more than six months in a calendar year within the last two years.
- Declaration of No Serious Offenses in the last five years, completed in Spanish.
- Private Health Insurance valid in Spain (for self-employed individuals, there may be an option to forgo this). Travel insurance is not acceptable.
- Payment of Fees for processing your residence permit application (receipt + form).
- Social Security Certificate from your home country (departure certificate), if your employer is from the EU or if there is a social security agreement between your employer’s country and Spain. The document must be translated by a sworn translator or consular translation (legalization).
Note: Self-employed individuals may not need this certificate and can independently register with the Spanish social security system. To do this, you must write a free-form application in Spanish and include it with the other documents.
- Spanish-Language CV (Resume).
Be prepared for possible requests for additional information from immigration authorities, and be flexible during the document collection process, as requirements may vary from case to case.
Where to submit your application
We recommend applying directly from Spain through the immigration service’s website. You’ll need a Spanish digital signature (electronic certificate) for this. You can either obtain one yourself or use the signature of a trusted person.
If you first need to obtain a type D visa, you can apply through the Spanish consulate in your country of citizenship or residence (where you have a residence permit). However, not all consulates issue this visa or even accept applications. For example, the Spanish consulate in Turkey does not accept applications from people with an Ikamet.
How Much Does It Cost to Transition to a Digital Nomad Residence Permit?
The primary expenses come from sworn translations of documents (Traducción jurada). On average, the cost of a sworn translation for the main applicant’s document package is around €300, though this may vary depending on the language (translations from complex languages are more expensive). You’ll also need to pay two fees for each person:
- €73.26 for processing the residence permit application
- €16.08 for the issuance of the residence card
We also offer a service to guide you through the process, allowing you to relax without worrying about submitting all documents and translations on time—we’ll handle everything for you! You can check the prices on our website in the “Services and Prices” section.
We wish you an easy application process and look forward to seeing you in future articles!