Moving to Spain from the United States
Spain's digital nomad visa, the tax questions that follow it, and the documents that decide whether your file is approved — written for Americans and reviewed by Spanish immigration lawyers.
Quick answer
A US citizen can live in Spain and keep working remotely for US employers or clients under the digital nomad visa created by Ley 28/2022. In 2026 the income floor is €2,849 per month (€34,188 per year) for a single applicant, plus €1,068 for the first dependent and €356 for each additional one. You can apply at the Spanish consulate covering your US address, which grants a 1 year visa, or from inside Spain before the UGE, which grants a 3 years permit and must decide within 20 business days.
How much you need to earn in 2026
The threshold is 200% of Spain's annual minimum wage, set at €17,094 for 2026 by Real Decreto 126/2026 (€1,221 across 14 payments).
| Household | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Single applicant | €2,849 | €34,188 |
| Applicant + spouse or partner | €3,917 | €47,004 |
| Applicant + spouse + 1 child | €4,273 | €51,276 |
| Applicant + spouse + 2 children | €4,629 | €55,548 |
| Applicant + spouse + 3 children | €4,985 | €59,820 |
Start here
The complete picture for a US citizen considering the move.
Tax and compliance
Where the money actually goes, and the questions Americans get wrong most often.
The Certificate of Coverage problem for W-2 employees
Spanish authorities stopped accepting the US Certificate of Coverage automatically for W-2 digital nomad visa applicants. What changed and what the options are.
Beckham Law and the digital nomad visa: who really qualifies
Who really qualifies for Spain's 24% impatriate tax regime on a digital nomad visa, why freelancers usually do not, and how it compares with the FEIE.
Do you still pay US taxes on Spain's digital nomad visa?
FEIE, Foreign Tax Credit, self-employment tax, FBAR and Modelo 720 explained for US citizens tax-resident in Spain on a digital nomad visa.
Requirements and documents
What you must prove, and what has to be apostilled and sworn-translated.
Spain digital nomad visa income requirement in 2026
The 2026 income floor is €2,849 a month, not €2,442. Where the number comes from, the family add-ons, and how income is actually evidenced.
Spain digital nomad visa document checklist for Americans
Every document a US applicant needs for Spain's digital nomad visa in 2026, which ones need an apostille and a sworn translation, and what to order first.
Process and decisions
Where to file, which visa fits, and what happens if it goes wrong.
Consulate or UGE: where should you file your DNV?
The consulate grants a 1-year visa; the UGE grants a 3-year permit in 20 business days. How to choose, and what positive silence actually means.
Digital nomad visa vs non-lucrative visa: which one?
If you do any remote work, the non-lucrative visa is not an option. A decision guide for Americans choosing between Spain's DNV and the NLV in 2026.
Why Spain digital nomad visas get denied — and how to avoid it
The refusal reasons that actually recur in US digital nomad visa files, how a requerimiento works, and what you can do after a negative decision.
Spanish citizenship in two years for Latin Americans
Dual US–Latin American citizens can naturalise in Spain after two years of legal residence. How the digital nomad visa starts that clock in 2026.
Work with a lawyer
Fixed price, filed by a lawyer admitted to a Spanish bar.
Spain digital nomad visa lawyer, at a fixed price
A Spanish immigration lawyer prepares, reviews and files your digital nomad visa. Fixed price, 100% online, based in Barcelona and working with US applicants.
English-speaking immigration lawyer in Barcelona
Spanish immigration lawyers based in Barcelona, working in English with US clients on digital nomad visas, residence permits and Spanish citizenship.
Already in Spain, or looking for another procedure?
The rest of Abroad Life is in Spanish, and it covers every procedure we handle — residence permits, family and EU-family cards, Spanish citizenship, driving licence exchange — each with its price shown upfront.
Find out if you qualify, before you spend anything
Create a free account, answer a few questions about how you work and what you earn, and a Spanish immigration lawyer reviews whether the digital nomad visa fits your situation.
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