Residence Application for Digital Nomads
Benefits
- Foreign nationals who wish to carry out a remote work or professional activity for companies located outside Spain, using exclusively computer, telematic, or telecommunications means.
- Foreign nationals who perform an employed activity for companies located outside Spain.
- Foreign nationals who carry out a self-employed activity (as freelancers) and may also work for companies located in Spain, provided that the percentage of such work does not exceed 20% of their total activity.
- Copy of the complete passport or valid travel document (all pages).
- Proof of payment of the fee (Form 790 038) along with the payment receipt if it is not reflected on the form itself.
- Proof of a minimum three-month employment/professional relationship at the date of application with the foreign company/companies with which the applicant maintains such relationship.
- Proof of real and continuous activity for at least one year by the foreign company or group of companies with which the worker maintains an employment or professional relationship.
- Letter from the foreign company authorizing remote work from Spain, specifying job profile, salary, terms, and other conditions under which the professional activity will be carried out remotely.
- Copy of the qualification related to the position or, where applicable, minimum substitute experience in similar functions to the position intended to be performed.
- Certificate of Social Security coverage (if there is an agreement with the country of origin) or registration in the Spanish Social Security system, proving at least the request for the foreign company’s registration and the commitment to register once authorization is obtained before starting work.
- Current criminal record certificate from the country or countries where the applicant has resided during the last two years. Additionally, a sworn statement declaring the absence of criminal records in the last five years (this will not apply if the applicant already holds a residence or stay authorization in Spain for more than six months and has previously submitted this document).
- Completed application form.
- Copy of the complete passport or valid travel document and, where applicable, of family members.
- Proof of sufficient financial resources for yourself and your family members during your period of residence in Spain.
- Public or private health insurance contracted with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain, unless you will carry out an activity that grants you insured status under the National Health System.
- Proof of payment of the corresponding fee.
- If the applicant is already in Spain when submitting the application and holds a stay or study permit of less than six months, they must present an original criminal record certificate from the country or countries where they have resided during the last five years.
What steps should you follow?
Step 1. Complete the application form
Download, fill in, and sign the residence authorization application form for holders. If you are accompanied by family members, you must complete the MI-F application form for each of them and submit the authorization request jointly.
Step 2. Pay the fee
The established fee must be paid before starting the application process. Form 790 for fee 038 must be completed and downloaded.
Payment can be made in cash at a bank branch or ATM, or via a bank account using a digital certificate or Cl@ve Pin o Cl@ve Permanente. Once the payment is completed, you must obtain the Complete Reference Number (NRC), which is required to submit the application.
Step 3. Access the electronic headquarters of the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit.
Once the form is completed and the fee paid, you must access the procedure “Submission of residence authorization applications for international mobility regulated by Law 14/2013” on the electronic headquarters of the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE).
- Select the option “Start Application” to begin the process and register the application. If the digital nomad is submitting the application, they must identify themselves using a digital certificate or through the Cl@ve PIN or Cl@ve Permanente.
- At the bottom, you will see the mandatory documents that must be attached (detailed below). Additionally, you may attach any supporting documents you consider relevant.
When everything is correct, check the box to consent to the electronic processing of your data and click the “Sign” button. Once the application is submitted, you will receive a registration number and be able to download the signed application file and the acknowledgment of receipt.
Paso 4. Notification.
The residence authorization will be resolved within the established timeframe. You will receive a notification in the electronic headquarters regarding the status of your application, and an email will be sent to the address provided during the application process.
Do you need additional information?
Modelo de solicitud de autorización residencia titulares MI-T
Format: .pdf. 231.53 KB
Solicitud para familiares
Format: .pdf. 194.21 KB
You must provide proof of the general and specific requirements established for each type of authorization, in accordance with Law 14/2013. You can consult an indicative list of the documentation to be submitted on the website of the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit.
To obtain long-term residence, you must meet the general requirements set out in the Regulation of Organic Law 4/2000. The most common case is having legally and continuously resided in Spanish territory for five years.
Residence will not be affected by absences from Spanish territory of up to six consecutive months, provided that the total does not exceed ten months (or one year if the absence is for work reasons) within the five-year period, unless the departures were made irregularly.
Regarding stays in Schengen countries, there is no difference between authorizations regulated by Law 14/2013 and other residence permits. That is: any foreign citizen residing in Spain has the right to move freely within the territory of the States applying the Schengen Agreement for a period not exceeding three months per semester.
(Currently, the countries applying the Agreement are: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland.)
The required documentation for traveling between these States is a valid travel document (passport or other) and the residence permit. You must also make an entry declaration in the corresponding State. For more information, you can consult the Ministry of the Interior website.
At the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit of the General Subdirectorate of Immigration, part of the Directorate General of Migration, under the General Secretariat for Immigration and Emigration of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, located at Plaza de la Remonta, number 12, 3rd floor, postal code 28071, Madrid.
Initial residence authorization applications and renewals can be submitted at any public registry.
In particular, they can be submitted, if preferred, at the registry of the General Secretariat for Immigration and Emigration at Calle José Abascal, 39, Madrid, as well as at the headquarters of the aforementioned Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit at Plaza de la Remonta, Madrid; in this latter case, by prior appointment.
Applications can also be submitted online with a digital certificate, through the electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, where you will find all the information about electronic processing.
The applicant, depending on the type of authorization, may be:
- For initial authorizations:
- In the case of investors and entrepreneurs, the foreign national themselves.
- For highly qualified professionals, researchers, or intra-company transfers, the company or entity requiring the foreign national’s services.
- For family authorizations:
- If the application is submitted jointly with that of the main holder, it will be the latter (in the case of investors and entrepreneurs) or the company or entity (in the case of highly qualified professionals, researchers, or intra-company transfers).
- If the application is submitted later, it may be one of the above or the family member themselves.
- Renewals are submitted by the foreign holder of the authorization (family members apply for the renewal of their own authorization).
Applications can be submitted by the interested person or through a representative.
Foreign nationals who have been issued a residence visa under this regulation may remain in Spain for a period of one year, authorizing their residence in Spain without the need to process the Foreigner Identity Card.
However, those who obtain a residence authorization under Law 14/2013 must personally apply for the Foreigner Identity Card. The resolution granting the authorization indicates the procedure, documentation, and where it can be requested.
When submitting the application in person, you must bring the original and a copy, with the UGE keeping only the copy. If you submit it at a public registry, you must bring the original and a copy and send only a certified copy.
ou will find the residence authorization application forms at this link.
The Law establishes as a requirement not to be in an irregular situation in Spain, so this requirement must be met at the time of application.
Submitting the residence authorization application will extend the validity of the residence or stay situation held until the procedure is resolved.
Yes, it is possible, provided that the requirements to modify an authorization established by the Regulation of Organic Law 4/2000 are met.
Yes. The fourth additional provision of Law 14/2013 establishes that residence authorizations allow residence and work (both self-employed and employed).
During their residence in Spain, the foreign national must have coverage either through public healthcare or private insurance. It is not necessary to provide proof of insurance when there is a prospect that the foreign national (and their family members) will be insured under the National Health System by registering with Social Security as a result of an employment contract or professional relationship.
In the case of entrepreneurs, if the activity is not going to start immediately, insurance with limited validity is accepted (for example, travel insurance, which usually has a validity of three months).
In other cases, you must have public or private health insurance contracted with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain, providing coverage equivalent to that of the National Health System and for the duration of your authorization or at least one year, renewable (travel insurance is not valid).
For inquiries about Social Security contributions, you can access the Social Security website.
The law does not establish a specific amount or specific documentation. Therefore, you may prove that you have sufficient financial means by any legally admissible means of proof. For example, with a job offer, pay slips, updated annual average balance of bank accounts, deposits, etc.
All documents must be translated into Spanish. In the case of foreign public documents, they must also bear the Hague Apostille or, failing that, have been legalized through diplomatic channels.
You can obtain more information about document legalization at this link.
Need help? Contact us for any question or suggestion.
QUERIES!