Spain
Capital Madrid
Ways in
Every mobility asset the live catalog holds for this country. Open one for the full requirement detail.
How much time you must spend on the ground
Derived from each program’s stated physical-presence requirement.
The pipeline to permanent residency
The staged journey for Spain Digital Nomad Visa. Processing, permanent residence and citizenship times come from the Mobility Asset Database.
Qualify & Assemble Proof
The Digital Nomad Visa is for remote work for companies outside Spain (with only a limited share of Spanish clients if self-employed). Assemble proof of income above the threshold ($2,470/month), a clean criminal record, and private health cover.
Submit the Application
Apply at a Spanish consulate abroad, or from within Spain if you are legally present, with income and employment proof, background check, and health insurance. Processing typically runs 2.1–6.4 weeks.
Approval & Entry
On approval, enter Spain on the visa (if you applied from abroad) to begin residence within the visa's validity window.
Within visa validity
Empadronamiento & TIE
Register your local address (empadronamiento) at the town hall and complete fingerprinting for the TIE foreigner ID card soon after arrival.
Soon after arrival
Renewals
The authorization is renewable; re-prove ongoing remote income and activity each cycle. Continuous legal residence is what accrues toward long-term status.
Before expiry
Long-Term Residence / Citizenship
Long-term residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence; Spanish citizenship generally after 10 years (shorter for some nationalities, but not for US citizens).
City archetypes
Landing-zone comparisons — cost bands, community, and who each city suits.
Madrid
Spain's largest job market, cultural institutions, and nightlife, with an extensive metro and world-class museums. Cost of living is the highest in Spain, and winters can be genuinely cold.
- Largest job market in Spain
- World-class museums + extensive metro
- Highest cost of living in the country
Barcelona
Mediterranean coast, Catalan culture, and dense urban infrastructure, with beaches and a strong summer lifestyle. Cost of living rivals Madrid, and daily life is bilingual (Catalan alongside Spanish).
- Mediterranean beaches + summer lifestyle
- Catalan/Spanish bilingual daily life
- Costs rival Madrid
Valencia
Beach lifestyle and paella culture at lower costs than Madrid or Barcelona, with a warm year-round climate and a growing expat community. A smaller international job market makes it better for retirees and remote workers.
- Lower costs than Madrid or Barcelona
- Warm year-round + growing expat community
- Smaller international job market
Could Spain be your next move?
Open your personalized country view to review a city estimate and compare it with your saved monthly spending.
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