Spain residency

Spain offers non-EU citizens two main ways to live there without a Spanish job: the non lucrative visa (NLV) for people living on their own resources, and the visa for international teleworkers, usually called the digital nomad visa, for people who keep working remotely for employers or clients abroad. The two routes look similar on paper but are mutually exclusive in one important way: the NLV does not allow any work at all, including remote work for a foreign employer.

Who this route suits

The NLV suits retirees and anyone with enough pension income, savings or investment income to live without earning. The digital nomad visa suits remote employees of foreign companies and freelancers whose clients are mostly outside Spain. If you are still working, even part-time for a company back home, the NLV is the wrong visa.

The main options at a glance

	Non lucrative visa	Digital nomad visa
Income test, single applicant (2026)	€2,400 a month (€28,800 a year), 400% of IPREM	About €2,849 a month, 200% of the minimum wage
Each family member	Plus €600 a month	Plus about €1,068 for the first, about €356 for each additional
Work allowed	None, remote or local	Remote work for foreign companies; freelancers can take up to 20% Spanish clients
Where you apply	Spanish consulate for where you live	Consulate abroad (visa up to 1 year) or from inside Spain while legally present (permit up to 3 years)
Other key conditions	Passive income or savings, criminal record check, medical certificate	Degree or three years' experience; at least three months with a company operating for at least a year

Both routes require health insurance from an insurer authorized in Spain, and consulates read that strictly: no copays, no waiting periods and, at most consulates, no coverage cap. Travel insurance is not accepted for either.

The order to tackle things

1. Decide whether you will be working. That single question picks your visa. If you won't, read the Spain non lucrative visa income requirement guide; if you will, read the Spain digital nomad visa guide.
2. Check your income against the current formula. The NLV uses IPREM, frozen at €600 a month for 2026; be wary of guides using the 14-payment figure or rounding the single requirement down to €28,000. The digital nomad threshold uses the minimum wage set by Royal Decree 126/2026, and some consulates still show stale dollar conversions.
3. Find your consulate's checklist. Requirements are applied by the consulate covering your place of residence, and wording differs between them, from criminal record checks to translation rules.
4. Buy compliant health insurance last, but before you file. The health insurance guide for the non lucrative visa explains what "sin copagos" means, why US plans such as Medicare are rejected, and how to read your consulate's wording. The same Spanish-authorized, no-copay standard applies to digital nomad applicants.
5. Plan for renewal. The NLV's first authorization lasts one year from entry and renews for two years if you have lived in Spain more than 183 days in the calendar year.

What to watch out for

• Switching later is not straightforward. Time on a non lucrative permit does not count toward applying for the digital nomad permit from inside Spain, because the NLV does not allow work.
• Cheap "con copagos" policies. They look similar to compliant policies but get applications refused.
• Freelancer Social Security. Digital nomad freelancers must register with the self-employed regime after approval; failing to do so can lead to the permit being revoked.