Many people in the UAE now work from home. They work for firms in other lands. Spain lets them live in Spain and keep that job. This visa is the Spain Digital Nomad Visa.
You can use it if you work online for a firm outside Spain. You can also use it if you work for yourself. Then your clients must sit outside Spain too. You do not need a job in Spain at all. You also do not need to move your firm to Spain.
Bolo Asan walks you through each step below. Quick Answer: The Spain Digital Nomad Visa lets you live in Spain. You apply at the Embassy of Spain in Abu Dhabi. You need a valid UAE residence visa and work papers. You also need income proof and health cover. Spain gives health cover through Spanish Social Security. A consulate visa lasts up to one year. A permit from inside Spain lasts up to three years.
Who Can Get the Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Spain made this visa for people outside the European Union. So UAE residents with a non-EU passport can apply. You must work through a computer, a phone, or the internet. If you work as an employee, your firm must sit outside Spain. Your job must also allow full remote work from Spain.
Work for Yourself
If you work for yourself, the rule shifts a bit. You may take some work from a firm in Spain. But that Spanish work must stay at or below 20% of your work. The rest of your pay must come from outside Spain.
Your Background for the Job
Spain also asks for the right background for your job. You need a degree from a known university or business school. You can also show three years of work in the same field.
If you prove your work time in the UAE, you need one more paper. You get it from the UAE Chamber of Commerce or the Ministry of Human Resources. That paper needs a UAE Foreign Ministry stamp and a sworn Spanish translation. A sworn translator is a translator Spain approves.
Two Rules That Prove Real Work
Two more rules matter a lot for your case. Your firm must show real business work for at least one year. Your work link must already be at least three months old. These rules stop fake new setups and prove your work is real.
The law behind this visa is Law 28/2022. It changed Law 14/2013 and made this route for remote workers. Spain also has a work visa for a job with a Spanish firm. Read that guide if a Spanish job fits you better.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa Income Rules
Spain sets no fixed euro figure in the visa law. The income rule links your pay to the Spanish minimum wage. Spain calls the minimum wage the SMI. You must show steady pay equal to 200% of the SMI. The figure moves up when Spain raises the minimum wage.
For 2026, Spain set the SMI at 1,221 euros a month. Spain pays it in 14 parts across the year. That adds up to 17,094 euros a year. The rule sits in Real Decreto 126/2026. Over 12 months, the monthly base is about 1,424 euros. Twice that base is about 2,849 euros a month for one person. Treat that figure as a guide, not a promise. Ask the embassy for the fresh figure before you apply.
More Pay for Family
Family members lift the bar higher for your case. Spain adds 75% of the SMI for the first family member. That is about 1,068 euros more each month. Spain adds 25% more for each extra family member. That is about 356 euros more each month.
Keep Your Pay Steady
Your pay must look steady, not a one-time payment. The embassy asks for a bank statement from twelve months. Employees also show a work contract with clear pay terms. Self-employed workers show client contracts with agreed pay sums. Keep your payslips, contracts, and bank papers in one folder.
Note: The income figure tracks the Spanish minimum wage. Check the fresh figure with the embassy before you file. Do not trust a fixed figure from an old web page.
This table sums up the income rule for 2026.
| Who applies | Income rule | Each month in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| One person | 200% of the SMI | About 2,849 euros |
| First family member | Extra 75% of the SMI | About 1,068 euros more |
| Each extra member | Extra 25% of the SMI | About 356 euros more |
The table shows guide figures, so ask the embassy first.
Two Ways to Apply
You can take two routes to this visa. The right route rests on where you are when you apply. From the UAE, you apply for a visa at the Spanish consulate. That visa lasts up to one year. If you already live in Spain legally, you can apply inside Spain. That permit can last up to three years.
This table shows both routes side by side.
| Route | Where you apply | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Consulate visa | Embassy of Spain in Abu Dhabi | Up to 1 year |
| Permit inside Spain | Immigration office in Spain | Up to 3 years |
A consulate visa proves your stay in Spain while it lasts.
Not a Short Visit Visa
The Spain Digital Nomad Visa is not a short visit visa. A short visit to Spain follows normal Schengen visit rules. This visa covers a long stay for remote work. Compare the short visit rules in the Schengen Visa Requirements guide.
Spain closed its golden visa for new cases on 3 April 2025. But this remote work visa stays open as a legal route. Bolo Asan keeps this guide on the UAE route alone. So the steps below follow the Abu Dhabi embassy list.
Papers You Need
The embassy checks your papers with great care. Gather them early and keep them in one place. Keep the original paper and a copy of each one. Foreign papers often need legalization or an apostille first. Legalization is an official stamp that proves a paper is real. An apostille is a global stamp that does the same job. You also need a sworn translation into Spanish for each one. Here is the full papers list for your file.
- A filled visa form plus two fresh photos on a white background
- A passport valid for one year with two blank pages, plus a full copy
- A copy of your valid UAE residence visa
- A NIE number, which you arrange before you apply
- A police record, for people over 18, from each land where you lived in the last two years
- A signed note that you had no crime in the last five years
- Proof of health cover through Spanish Social Security, with firm sign-up or RETA sign-up
- A twelve-month bank statement plus a work contract or client contracts
- A firm letter on how long you worked there and that you may work from Spain
- Proof your firm did real business work for at least one year, from the trade registry or a like body
- Your degree papers or proof of three years of work in the same field
- Family papers for a spouse or kids, like a fresh marriage paper or birth papers
- A sworn Spanish translation for each foreign paper, with legalization or apostille where Spain asks for it
Social Security Needs Extra Care
Social security needs special care for UAE workers. Spain and the UAE have no social security deal at all. So a UAE firm must sign up with Spanish Social Security first. The firm must also pay monthly sums for its worker. The worker must also show proof that he joined the plan. Self-employed workers join RETA in place of firm sign-up. RETA is the Spanish plan for self-employed workers. They sign a note that they meet their social security duties. Bolo Asan lists this step in full since UAE workers face it.
Get Your NIE Early
NIE means the ID number for foreigners in Spain. The Abu Dhabi embassy asks you to arrange it first. You must have it before you apply for the visa. Contact the embassy NIE address in good time. You cannot file your visa file without this number.
Tip: Start your sworn translations and legalization early for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa. These steps take more time than any other paper. A lost stamp or a lost translation can slow your file a lot.
How to Apply from the UAE
UAE residents apply through the Embassy of Spain in Abu Dhabi. You do not use a short-stay visa centre for this visa. The embassy handles this long-stay file on its own.
Follow these five steps.
- Arrange your NIE number through the embassy NIE email first.
- Gather each paper from the list, with originals, copies, stamps, and translations.
- Email the embassy visa address to book your visit, with your UAE residence visa copy.
- Take your full file to the embassy visit and pay by card or cash.
- Collect your visa in person within one month after a yes answer.
Emails and Decision Time
The embassy visa email is emb.abudhabi.vis@maec.es, and the NIE email is emb.abudhabi.nac@maec.es. Bolo Asan lists both emails here since each desk handles its own step. The embassy must decide most cases within 10 days. The time can grow if the embassy asks for more papers. It can also grow if the embassy calls you for an interview. If the embassy says no, it must give reasons in writing. You can ask the embassy to look at the refusal again within one month.
Important: Your UAE firm must sign up with Spanish Social Security before you start work. Spain and the UAE have no social security deal at all. Talk to your boss about this step at an early stage. The embassy asks for proof of sign-up and joining with your file.
Tax rules in Spain can change how much cash you keep. Talk to a tax adviser before you move to Spain.
Family Members Can Join You
Your close family can apply with you for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa. Spain allows a spouse or a partner to join you. Minor kids can join you too. Adult kids who rely on you can join you too. They must not have a family unit of their own. Parents who rely on you can also join you.
Papers for Family
Each family member needs papers that prove the link. Spouses show a marriage paper from the last three months. Kids need birth papers to prove the link. Adult kids need papers that prove they rely on you. Each foreign family paper needs legalization or an apostille too. Each one also needs a sworn Spanish translation, like your own papers.
Family members lift the income bar, as the income part shows. Check the higher figure before you add family to your file. Bolo Asan readers with kids should note the birth paper rule early. A lost family paper can slow down the whole file.
How Long Your Visa Lasts
A Spain Digital Nomad Visa from the consulate lasts up to one year. The official telework visa page also states the one-year visa life. A permit from inside Spain can last up to three years. Ask about renewal well before your visa or permit ends. Keep your work and income papers ready for that step.
Bolo Asan Checklist Before You Apply
Bolo Asan made this list from the Spain Digital Nomad Visa papers list.
- Your remote work link is at least three months old and your firm shows one year of real work
- Your pay meets the 200% rule, with extra pay for each family member who joins you
- Your NIE number is ready before you file
- You have your police record, translations, and stamps ready
- Your social security sign-up is ready through your firm or through RETA
- Your passport stays valid for one year with two blank pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Bolo Asan answers the questions UAE readers ask most.
Can I apply for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa from the UAE?
Yes, you can apply at the Embassy of Spain in Abu Dhabi. Book your visit by email with a copy of your UAE residence visa. You need a valid UAE residence visa and a NIE number.
How much cash do I need for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
You need steady pay equal to 200% of the Spanish minimum wage. Spain adds 75% more for the first family member. Spain adds 25% more for each extra family member. For 2026, Spain set the wage at 1,221 euros a month in 14 parts. So the monthly guide figure for one person is about 2,849 euros. Ask the embassy for the fresh figure before you apply.
Can I work for a Spanish firm on the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
Employees must work only for firms outside Spain. So a Spanish boss does not fit the employee route. Self-employed workers may take Spanish clients as well. But that Spanish work must stay at or below 20% of all work.
Do I need a degree for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa?
You need a degree from a known university or business school. You can also show three years of work in the same field. If you prove UAE work time, the embassy asks for one more paper. You get it from the UAE Chamber of Commerce or the Ministry of Human Resources. That paper needs legalization and a sworn translation too.
Can my family come with me to Spain?
Yes, they can apply with you. Your spouse or partner can join you. Minor kids can join you too. Adult kids who rely on you can join as well. Parents who rely on you can join too. Each member needs papers that prove the link. Your pay must cover the extra sums for each person.
How long can I stay in Spain on this visa?
A visa from the consulate lasts up to one year. A permit from inside Spain can last up to three years. Ask about renewal well before your stay ends
Disclaimer: Bolo Asan is not an official site. We share general information only. This guide does not replace legal advice.
Spain decides each case on its own rules. Your result can differ based on your papers.
Check the official pages before you file. The Embassy of Spain in Abu Dhabi lists the digital nomad rules. The official telework visa page lists the filing steps.
Last Updated: 3 November 2026