Where the number comes from: 200% of the monthly 2026 SMI, which is €1,221/month (RD 126/2026). Twice that is €2,442.
Some guides publish €2,849 instead. That figure annualises the 14-payment SMI and divides by twelve. The official instruction sets the threshold monthly, on the €1,221 monthly SMI.
The four requirements that decide the outcome
1. €2,442 per month
With family, add €916/month for the first member (75% of the SMI) and €305/month for each additional one (25%). A couple with one child therefore needs to evidence €3,663/month.
2. The income comes from outside Spain
This is the requirement that eliminates the most applicants and the one least often mentioned. Your employer or your clients must be located outside Spain. If more than 20% of your income is Spanish-sourced, you do not qualify.
3. Professional qualification
A graduate or postgraduate degree, or a recognised business school qualification — or, absent a degree, at least three years of professional experience in work comparable to what you will perform remotely.
4. A contract that authorises remote work
The employment or services contract must expressly allow you to work remotely from Spain. Silence is not permission: contracts that simply do not forbid it routinely come back with a request to amend.
Health cover and effective residence
You need full medical cover in Spain with no significant exclusions and no waiting periods. Travel policies generally do not satisfy this. Separately, the authorities verify effective residence of at least six months a year — a point that matters at renewal rather than at the first application.
Where you apply from changes the process. Whether the application is made at a consulate or from inside Spain depends on your legal situation at the time, and getting that wrong costs months. We check it first rather than publish a blanket rule that would not hold for every reader.
If this is not your route
Passive income rather than remote work? See the non-lucrative visa. Coming to study? See the student visa. Being hired by a Spanish company? See the work visa. Or compare them all in the visa comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum income for Spain's digital nomad visa in 2026?
€2,442 per month. The official instruction requires an amount representing monthly 200% of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI), and the 2026 SMI is €1,221 per month (RD 126/2026) — twice that is €2,442.
Can I have Spanish clients?
Only marginally. Your employer or clients must be based outside Spain, and if more than 20% of your income comes from Spanish sources you do not qualify — regardless of how much you earn.
Do I need a university degree?
You need to evidence qualification: a graduate or postgraduate degree, or a recognised business school qualification, or at least three years of professional experience in work comparable to what you will do remotely. A degree is not the only path, and many freelancers qualify on experience without realising it.
How much extra do family members add?
The first family member adds 75% of the SMI — €916 per month — and each additional member adds 25%, €305 per month, on top of the main applicant's €2,442.
Does my contract need specific wording?
Yes, and this is underrated. Your employment or services contract must expressly permit remote work from Spain. A contract that merely fails to prohibit it usually triggers a request to amend — and weeks of delay.
Do I have to live in Spain all year?
The authorities check effective residence of at least six months per year in Spanish territory. Treating the authorisation as a convenient entry document rather than a move tends to surface at renewal.
- Ley 14/2013, arts. 74 bis–74 quinquies — international teleworking (BOE, consolidated text)
- Ministerio de Inclusión — official teleworker FAQ: monthly amount of 200% of the SMI, 75% for the first family member, 25% for each additional one
- RD 126/2026 — 2026 SMI: €1,221/month (BOE) in force since 1 Jan 2026