In short - you can get a Digital Nomad Residence Permit in Spain if you earn your salary outside of Spain (specifically, if your employer is located outside of Spain), but you live and work from Spain.
Detailed Conditions for Obtaining a Digital Nomad Residence Permit in Spain
If you are an employee or a freelancer, you can work remotely, and if your employer agrees, you're welcome to apply.
The most significant advantage is that you don't need to show a large sum of money on a European account. Instead, you need to present a contract with your employer (or client, if you're a freelancer or individual entrepreneur) that shows a sufficient income.
What is considered a sufficient income for Digital Nomad in Spain:
- 200% of the minimum wage for the first applicant
- 75% for the second applicant
- 35% for each additional applicant
The minimum wage (or SMI) for the year 2023 is €1,080 paid over 14 months (or €1,260 over 12 months). So, do the math!.
Yes, you'll need a bank statement from your home country, showing your expenses and balances. But if you don't earn this money, it might be challenging for you to obtain the permit. Also, if you work for a Spanish employer with this type of residence permit, you can only work for them 20% of the time (we are law-abiding citizens, after all!).
You must stay in Spain for at least six months (if you've already obtained the residence permit) and pay taxes in Spain.
You can apply for the residence permit while in Spain, if you have arrived as a tourist, for example. You can also apply for a digital nomad residence permit from country of your citizenship. But a residence permit obtained outside of Spain will be issued for only one year but not for 3 years, as if you get it being in Spain.
There were many "wise consultants" scaring people that it's only for IT specialists and similar professions. However, I've seen successful cases for psychologists, even a guitar teacher who teaches online. So, chances are pretty good. At least, for now.
A digital nomad residence permit in Spain is issued for a period of 3 years with an extension for 2 more years. Then comes the permanent residency. It's a good duration since the currently popular student visa, for example, is issued for six months to a year.
The digital nomad approval process in Spain takes about a month. Surprisingly, they stick to the timelines, which is quite impressive.