Guide for US citizens · 2026

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.

Last reviewed 13 August 2026

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Quick answer

The 2026 income requirement for Spain's digital nomad visa is €2,849 per month, or €34,188 per year, for a single applicant. Add €1,068 per month for the first dependent and €356 for each additional one. The figure is 200% of Spain's annual minimum wage, which Real Decreto 126/2026 set at €1,221 per month across 14 payments — €17,094 a year. Two hundred per cent of €17,094 is €34,188, which is €2,849 a month. If you have seen a figure closer to €2,442, it was produced by dividing the monthly minimum wage over twelve payments instead of using the annual figure, and it is too low.

The numbers that matter

2026 SMI: €1,221 × 14
Single applicant: €2,849 / month
First dependent: +€1,068
Each additional: +€356

Where the number comes from

Spain's Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI) is set annually by royal decree, and it is expressed in fourteen payments a year rather than twelve — twelve monthly salaries plus two extra payments, which is standard in Spanish employment. For 2026, Real Decreto 126/2026 of 18 February set it at €1,221 per month across 14 payments, a 3.1% rise applied retroactively to 1 January 2026. That is €17,094 for the year.

The digital nomad permit requires income of 200% of the SMI. Applied to the annual figure, that is €34,188 a year, which expressed monthly is €2,849.

Why some sites publish a lower figure

A large number of English-language pages divide the monthly SMI by twelve rather than working from the annual total, and arrive at roughly €2,442 a month. The gap is over €400 a month, which is enough to make the difference between a file that clears the threshold and one that does not.

Spanish authorities work from the annual SMI. Budget against €2,849, and treat any page publishing the lower number as out of date or miscalculated — it is a useful test of whether a source has actually checked its arithmetic.

How much a family needs

The threshold rises with each family member included in the application: 75% of the SMI for the first dependent and 25% for each additional one.

2026 income floor by household size
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

How income is actually evidenced

Meeting the threshold on paper is not the same as evidencing it. What examiners look for is stability and recurrence, not a single strong month.

Employees: employment contract plus recent payslips, generally at least the last three to six months, matched against bank statements showing the money actually arriving.
Freelancers: client contracts, invoices across a sustained period, and bank statements. Lumpy income needs a longer track record than a salary does.
Company owners: evidence of the relationship with the company and of real distributions or salary, not just ownership.
Bank statements should show the account holder's name and be continuous. Screenshots and unlabelled PDF exports create avoidable requerimientos.

Dollar income is converted at the exchange rate applicable when you file. If you sit near the line, a few cents of euro strength can put you under it, so build in a buffer rather than filing exactly at the threshold.

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Abroad Life prepares, reviews and files your application through a lawyer admitted to a Spanish bar (abogado colegiado). Fixed price, agreed before you start, and the whole process runs online.

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Spanish administrative fees are paid separately to the authorities.

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Frequently asked questions

How much money do you need for the Spain digital nomad visa in 2026?

€2,849 per month, or €34,188 per year, for a single applicant. That is 200% of the 2026 annual minimum wage of €17,094, set by Real Decreto 126/2026.

What is the income requirement for a family of four?

For a main applicant with a spouse and two children: €2,849 plus €1,068 for the first dependent plus €356 for each of the other two. The combined figures for every family size are set out in the table above.

Why do some sites say €2,442?

Because they divide the monthly minimum wage across twelve payments instead of using the annual SMI, which Spain pays across 14. The correct calculation uses the annual figure, giving €2,849 a month.

Can savings count towards the requirement?

The permit is built around recurring professional income from remote work, and savings do not substitute for it. Strong savings can support a file, but they do not replace evidence of income at the threshold. If your money is passive rather than earned, the non-lucrative visa is the route designed for that — though it does not allow remote work.

Is the threshold based on gross or net income?

Gross. Compare your pre-tax earnings to the threshold, converted from dollars at the rate applying when you file.

Primary sources

Figures and legal references on this page come from the sources below. Requirements and thresholds change: check the current position before you rely on it.

This page is general information about how Spanish immigration and tax rules work, not legal or tax advice for an individual case. Every file Abroad Life submits is prepared and filed by a lawyer admitted to a Spanish bar.

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