If you will keep working remotely while you live in Spain, the visa you need is the digital nomad visa (international telework). The non-lucrative visa (NLV) is for people who will live on savings or passive income and not work at all: the regulation grants it to reside "without carrying out work or professional activities", and Spanish consulates in the US state it does not allow remote work either.
Both permits let a non-EU national live in Spain for more than 90 days, and both are popular with people moving from the US, the UK, Canada, Australia or Latin America. That is where the similarities end. They are built for two very different lives, and choosing the wrong one is the most expensive mistake you can make before you even book a consulate appointment.
The one question that decides it: will you work?
The digital nomad visa exists precisely so you can keep working from Spain. Under Law 14/2013 (art. 74 bis), you work remotely for companies based outside Spain; if you are self-employed, up to 20% of your professional activity can be for Spanish clients.
The non-lucrative residence is the opposite. Article 61 of the Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024) defines it as authorisation to reside in Spain "without carrying out work or professional activities". The regulation does not mention remote work specifically, but consulates do: the Spanish Consulate General in Washington says the NLV "does not allow any type of work or professional activity, including remotely (online)", and the Los Angeles consulate says "this type of visa does not allow teleworking".
Side by side
| Digital nomad visa | Non-lucrative visa (NLV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Work allowed | Yes — remote, for companies outside Spain (freelancers: up to 20% Spanish clients) | No work or professional activity; US consulates say remote work is not allowed either |
| Money you must show (2026) | Income from work of 200% of the minimum wage: €34,188 a year | Financial means of 400% of the IPREM: €2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) |
| Each family member | +€12,820.50 the first, +€4,273.50 each additional (per year) | +100% of the IPREM: +€600 a month (€7,200 a year) |
| Professional profile | Degree or 3 years of experience; company active 1+ year; relationship 3+ months | No professional requirements |
| Where you apply | Consulate from abroad, or online in Spain (UGE) if you are there legally | Spanish consulate for your place of residence |
| Decision deadline in the law | Visa: 10 working days. Residence in Spain: 20 days, positive silence | Immigration office: 1 month after the consulate refers it (silence = refusal); visa issued within 1 month of approval |
| How long it lasts | Visa up to 1 year; residence up to 3 years, renewable for 2 | 1 year, then renewals of 2 years |
| Criminal record | Certificates from your countries of residence in the last 2 years + sworn statement covering 5 years | Certificate(s) from the countries where you lived in the last 5 years |
| Health insurance | Public or private from an insurer authorised in Spain, no waiting periods or co-payments | Public or private from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain |
Sources for every row are listed at the end of this guide. The income figures are explained in detail on our income requirements page.
How the money requirement really differs
The two permits measure different things. The digital nomad visa asks for income from work: the Ministry of Inclusion sets the bar at 200% of the Spanish minimum wage, which for 2026 (Royal Decree 126/2026) is €34,188 a year, about €2,849 a month over 12 months. You prove it with payslips or invoices from the remote relationship and bank statements that match.
The NLV asks for financial means measured against the IPREM, a public reference index. Royal Decree 1155/2024 (art. 62) sets 400% of the monthly IPREM for the applicant and 100% more for each family member, to be shown for the whole period of the authorisation. The IPREM in force is €600 a month (Law 31/2022, the figure the public employment service SEPE still publishes for 2026), so the NLV threshold is €2,400 a month, €28,800 a year.
On paper the NLV threshold looks lower. In practice the question is not how much you have, but where it comes from: a salary from abroad points to the digital nomad visa; savings, pensions or rental income with no job point to the NLV.
Applying from inside Spain
This is a real advantage of the digital nomad route. If you are already in Spain legally — for example as a visitor — you can apply for the international telework residence permit online with the Large Companies Unit (UGE), for up to 3 years, without going back to a consulate. The NLV has no equivalent: Royal Decree 1155/2024 (art. 63) requires you to apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate for the place where you live. See the two routes on our timeline page.
Duration, renewals and staying put
- Digital nomad: the visa lasts up to 1 year. Within the 60 days before it expires you can switch to a residence permit of up to 3 years, renewable for 2-year periods while you still meet the conditions.
- NLV: the initial authorisation lasts 1 year from your entry into Spain; renewals are for 2 years. To renew, the regulation (art. 64) requires that you actually lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.
Taxes: one difference worth knowing
Spain's special regime for people moving to the country (art. 93 of the Personal Income Tax Law, the "Beckham law") expressly mentions employees holding the international telework visa, with a 24% rate on employment income up to €600,000. The non-lucrative permit is not one of the circumstances that article lists. Tax residence and the regime have their own rules, so speak to a registered tax adviser before you decide; our taxes and Beckham law page summarises the article.
Which one fits you?
- You have a remote job or clients abroad and want to keep them: digital nomad visa. Check the full requirements.
- You are retired, or living on savings, investments or rental income, and will not work: the NLV is designed for you.
- You are already in Spain legally and work remotely: the digital nomad residence permit filed with the UGE avoids a trip back to a consulate.
- You plan to stop working "for a while" but might take freelance gigs: be careful. The NLV is granted on the basis that you will not work; any income from work is a risk at renewal.
Questions
Can I hold the NLV and keep working remotely for my US employer?
The regulation grants the NLV to reside without work or professional activities, and the Spanish consulates in Washington and Los Angeles state that remote work is not allowed. If you will keep working, the digital nomad visa is the permit designed for that.
Which needs more money in 2026?
The digital nomad visa asks for €34,188 a year in income from work; the NLV asks for financial means of €28,800 a year (400% of the €600 monthly IPREM) for the applicant. What matters most is the type of money: earned income versus means that do not come from working.
Can my family come with me on either visa?
Yes. On the digital nomad visa add €12,820.50 a year for the first family member and €4,273.50 for each additional one. On the NLV add 100% of the IPREM — €600 a month — per family member.
Can I apply for the NLV from inside Spain?
Not as a first application: Royal Decree 1155/2024 requires the visa application at the Spanish consulate for your place of residence. The digital nomad residence permit, by contrast, can be filed online from Spain if you are there legally.
Official sources
- Law 14/2013, arts. 74 bis–76 (BOE, consolidated text)
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation, arts. 38, 39, 61–64 (BOE)
- Initial non-lucrative temporary residence — information sheet 6, Ministry of Inclusion
- Non-lucrative residence visa — Consulate General of Spain in Washington
- Non-lucrative residence visa — Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles
- Law 31/2022, additional provision 90 (IPREM: €600 a month) · SEPE, annual amounts
- International teleworkers FAQ — UGE, Ministry of Inclusion
- Royal Decree 126/2026, 2026 minimum wage · Personal Income Tax Law, art. 93
Accessed 15 October 2026. Spain Nomad Visas is an independent private service, not a law firm or tax adviser: always follow the current instructions of the consulate where you apply.
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