In this guide
- Can I apply for the digital nomad permit from inside Spain?
- Who qualifies as an international teleworker in Spain?
- How much income does a digital nomad need in Spain in 2026?
- What documents does a digital nomad application need?
- Which police certificates do British and American remote workers need?
- What health insurance or Social Security cover is required?
- In what order should I prepare apostilles, translations and the application?
- Can my family join me on a digital nomad permit?
Filing with the UGE soon? See our digital nomad visa Spain sworn translation service, with a fixed price before you pay.
Can I apply for the digital nomad permit from inside Spain?
Yes. If you are in Spain legally, for example on a visa-free stay, you can apply from here. You apply to the Unidad de Grandes Empresas (UGE) for a teleworker residence authorisation, with no consulate visa first. The UGE only requires that you are not in Spain irregularly.
The two routes compare like this:
| Residence authorisation (from Spain) | Visa (from abroad) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you apply | UGE, Ministry of Inclusion | Spanish consulate for your place of residence |
| How long it lasts | The period requested, up to 3 years | 1 year |
| Criminal records | Certificates for the last 2 years, plus a sworn statement for 5 years | Often all 5 years (e.g. Houston) |
| Fee | €73.26 per person (UGE FAQ) | Set by each consulate |
The 3-year maximum is set by Ley 14/2013, art. 74 quinquies. Already hold the 1-year visa? Apply to the UGE in the 60 calendar days before it expires.
Example: Priya, an Indian engineer, is in Madrid on a Schengen visa. She has worked 8 months for a UK company. She files with the UGE from Madrid. You can file in person or through a representative, such as a gestor.
Who qualifies as an international teleworker in Spain?
You qualify if you work remotely, using digital tools only, for a company based outside Spain. That company must have real, continuous activity for at least 1 year. You need at least 3 months' relationship with it, plus a degree or 3 years' experience in similar work.
The UGE's core conditions:
- A foreign company with at least 1 year of real, continuous activity, shown by a commercial register certificate.
- At least 3 months' relationship on the day you apply, shown by your contract.
- A qualification: a degree from a recognised university, vocational school or business school, or 3 years' experience.
- Regulated professions: Spanish recognition of your degree, or a notarised statement that you won't practise it in Spain.
Not planning to work at all? Read the Spain non-lucrative visa requirements.
Tip: a degree is a public document, so it needs an apostille and a sworn translation. See degree certificate sworn translation.
How much income does a digital nomad need in Spain in 2026?
You need a gross monthly income of at least 200% of Spain's minimum wage (SMI, salario mínimo interprofesional). In 2026 the SMI is €1,221 a month in 14 payments (Real Decreto 126/2026). The Consulate in Houston lists €2,442 a month for the applicant.
Family members add to the figure:
| Who | Share of the SMI | 2026 monthly figure (Houston consulate) |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant | 200% | €2,442 |
| First family member | +75% | €916 |
| Each further family member | +25% | €305 |
The UGE asks for 3 months of payslips or invoices, with matching bank statements sealed or signed by the bank. Short on income? Bank certificates must cover the gap for the whole period.
Common mistake: using a net figure. The UGE counts gross monthly income, before deductions.
Foreign-language statements need translating; see bank statement sworn translation.
What documents does a digital nomad application need?
You need proof of the company, your contract, your qualification, your income, health cover and a clean criminal record. For the UGE, foreign public documents need an apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation by a MAEC-appointed translator. The UGE says other documents only need a sworn translation.
| Document | Who issues it | Apostille? | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company registration certificate | Commercial register | Yes, it is a public document | Sworn |
| Letter from the company authorising remote work | Your employer | No | Sworn, if not in Spanish |
| Contract (at least 3 months) | You and the company | No | Sworn, if not in Spanish |
| Degree, or proof of 3 years' experience | University or employers | Yes, for a degree | Sworn |
| Payslips or invoices, bank statements (3 months) | Employer, you, bank | No | Sworn, if not in Spanish |
| Criminal record certificates | Police authority | Yes | Sworn |
| CV | You | No | A simple translation is enough |
For the rest, the UGE says it "basta que esté traducida por un traductor intérprete jurado" (no apostille needed). Consulates set their own lists. Mumbai asks for all English documents to be translated by a traductor jurado.
A certified translation made in the UK or USA is not a sworn translation, and most Spanish offices won't accept it. See our sworn vs certified translation guide and English to Spanish sworn translation.
Which police certificates do British and American remote workers need?
For the UGE, you need a criminal record certificate from each country you lived in during the last 2 years. Add a sworn statement covering 5 years. Brits use an ACRO police certificate with a paper FCDO apostille. Americans use an FBI check with a US Department of State apostille.
Consulates may want more. Houston asks for certificates covering 5 years, and an FBI check issued in the last 6 months.
| Nationality | Certificate | Apostille | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| British | ACRO police certificate | Paper apostille from the FCDO only: £45, usually up to 25 working days, plus postage | No e-Apostille for ACRO certificates |
| American | FBI Identity History Summary | US Department of State: $20 per document, about four weeks by mail plus mailing time | A state apostille on an FBI check is rejected |
Living in Spain? You can order these from here. Our guides on whether Spain accepts an ACRO police certificate and on the FBI background check for a Spain visa cover each step. The country routes are on UK documents for Spain and US documents for Spain.
Police certificate back with its apostille? Send the scan the same day. A certificate is usually translated within 24–48 hours, signed by a MAEC-appointed translator.
What health insurance or Social Security cover is required?
You need public or private health insurance with cover similar to Spain's National Health System. Travel insurance and policies with co-payments or waiting periods are not accepted. If you register with Spanish Social Security, you don't need separate insurance.
- Employees join Spain's general regime (Régimen General) before starting work here.
- Self-employed teleworkers commit to join the self-employed regime (RETA).
- Staying in your home system? You need a certificate of applicable legislation covering remote work from Spain. An application for one is not enough.
Certificates from insurers authorised in Spain are normally in Spanish, so they need no translation.
In what order should I prepare apostilles, translations and the application?
Get the apostille first, then the sworn translation, then file. The apostille is translated together with the document. Order short-lived certificates last, so they stay within each office's validity window.
- Check the company. It must show 1 year of activity and issue the remote work letter.
- Apostille your degree. Degrees are not on a short clock.
- Request and apostille your police certificates. Allow for ACRO or FBI processing times.
- Send scans for translation, with every page and each apostille, plus 3 months of payslips and statements.
- Pay the fee and file. €73.26 per person at the UGE, or your consulate's fee.
Why the order matters: apostille before or after a sworn translation. Planning around the stamp? See apostille and sworn translation.
Police certificates are commonly valid 3 to 6 months, set by each office. The translation itself does not expire; see how long a sworn translation is valid.
Can my family join me on a digital nomad permit?
Yes. Your spouse or partner, dependent children and dependent parents can apply with you, or later. Their authorisation lets them live and work in Spain without restrictions. Each adds to your income threshold: 75% of the SMI for the first, 25% for each further one.
Marriage and birth certificates prove the relationship. They need an apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation. See marriage certificate sworn translation and birth certificate sworn translation. Other route? See family reunification sworn translation.
What should my digital nomad checklist include?
Before you file:
- Company registration certificate showing at least 1 year of activity, apostilled
- Contract showing at least 3 months' relationship
- Degree (apostilled) or proof of 3 years' experience
- Payslips or invoices and bank statements for 3 months, showing 200% of the SMI
- Health insurance, or Spanish Social Security registration, or a certificate of applicable legislation
- Criminal record certificates, apostilled, plus the 5-year sworn statement
- Sworn translations of every foreign-language document, including each apostille
Is it safe to hand our translators your UGE documents?
Yes. A Delaware company certificate or an FBI check holds personal data. Here is how it is handled.
- Who translates? Every translator we work with is appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) and listed on the official MAEC register. You can verify a Spanish sworn translator from the seal on your translation.
- What if the UGE rejects it? Free, prioritised re-issue if rejected on formal grounds, such as a company name that doesn't match your contract. See our re-issue policy.
- Is my data kept? Files are deleted within 7 days of delivery; read our privacy policy.
Deadline close? Our urgent sworn translation often fits single certificates in. Employers moving staff can use our relocation and HR sworn translation service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the digital nomad visa while I'm in Spain as a tourist?
Yes, if your stay is legal. You don't apply for a visa from Spain; you apply to the UGE for a residence authorisation. The UGE only excludes people who are in Spain irregularly.
Do I need a degree for the Spain digital nomad visa?
No. A degree from a recognised university, vocational school or business school is one option. At least 3 years of experience in similar work is the other.
Do I need a sworn translation of my English contract?
It depends on where you file. The UGE says documents other than public ones only need a sworn translation, without an apostille. Mumbai's consulate asks for all English documents to be sworn-translated.
Can I work for Spanish clients on a digital nomad permit?
It depends. Self-employed teleworkers can, up to 20% of their professional activity. Employees may only work for their foreign employer.
How long does the digital nomad permit last?
The consulate visa lasts 1 year. A UGE residence authorisation lasts the period requested, up to 3 years.
How much does a sworn translation for the digital nomad file cost?
It depends on the number of pages. See our sworn translation prices.
As an indicative market range, sworn translations in Spain cost about €30–120 a page: roughly €30–80 for the first page and €15–40 for later pages (Cronoshare, January 2026). This is a market range, not our price. Our prices start from €29 per certificate.
These are starting prices. For your final price, send your details through the quote form. We email you a written quotation, and work starts only after you approve it.
Sources: UGE: documentation for teleworkers · UGE digital nomad FAQ · UGE teleworkers page · Ley 14/2013 (BOE) · Real Decreto 126/2026, SMI 2026 (BOE) · Telework visa, Consulate General of Spain in Houston · FCDO: get a document legalised · US Department of State, Office of Authentications. Last checked: 12 October 2026.
How do I get my digital nomad documents translated for the UGE?
Scan every page, including apostilles, and tell us your office and filing date. Then request a fixed quote for your teleworker file. You pay after seeing the total and delivery date.
What happens next
- 1We match your scans against the UGE list or your consulate's checklist and confirm the pages.
- 2After payment, you check a draft of names, company details and amounts.
- 3You receive the digitally signed PDF, ready to upload with your application.
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We are not affiliated with the UGE or any consulate. We only translate. We never sell appointments. More guides are on our sworn translation blog.