Spain has two residence routes for non-EU citizens who want to live in the country without taking a Spanish job, and they are mixed up all the time. On paper the income figures look close. In practice the two permits are built for opposite situations, and choosing the wrong one usually means starting the file again.
The question that decides it: will you keep working?
The digital nomad visa is for people who keep working remotely for employers or clients outside Spain. The work continues; only the place you do it from changes.
The non-lucrative residence permit is the reverse. It does not allow any work — and that includes remote work for a company abroad. This is the point people miss most often: “I won’t work for a Spanish company” is not the same as “I won’t work”. If you plan to keep a remote job or keep invoicing clients, the non-lucrative permit is not your route, however comfortable your savings are.
Income: how much, and from where
The amounts are similar. The source is what matters.
For the digital nomad visa you need to show about €2,800 a month — twice Spain’s minimum wage — and it has to come from active work: a salary or freelance invoices. The employer or client relationship must already be at least three months old.
For the non-lucrative permit the figure is about €2,400 a month — four times the IPREM, Spain’s public income index — and it has to come from passive income or savings: a pension, rent, dividends, or funds that cover the full year.
Both routes add an amount for each family member. On the non-lucrative route that is about €600 a month per person; on the digital nomad route the required income also rises with each relative you include.
Where you file and how long the permit lasts
The digital nomad visa can be requested at a Spanish consulate or from inside Spain during a legal stay. Filed in Spain, the permit is usually issued for three years and can then be renewed.
The non-lucrative permit can only be filed at the Spanish consulate of the country where you live. The first permit lasts one year, followed by renewals of two years. To renew, you need to have actually lived in Spain for most of the year and still meet the financial requirement — it is not a permit you can hold while living somewhere else.
After five years of legal residence, either route can lead to long-term residence.
Side by side
| Digital nomad visa | Non-lucrative residence | |
|---|---|---|
| Work | Remote work for employers or clients outside Spain | No work of any kind, remote work included |
| Income | About €2,800 a month, from active work | About €2,400 a month, from passive income or savings |
| Family | Higher amount for each family member | About €600 a month more per family member |
| Where to file | Consulate, or inside Spain during a legal stay | Only the consulate of your country of residence |
| Duration | Usually three years when filed in Spain | One year, then two-year renewals |
| Special expat tax regime | May be available, case by case | Not available |
| Long-term residence | After five years | After five years |
Tax: the part to check before you move
Both routes make you a Spanish tax resident once you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain. That is true whichever permit you hold.
The difference is the special expat regime, often called the “Beckham law”: a flat 24% on employment income up to €600,000. Digital nomad visa holders may be able to apply for it, and whether they qualify is assessed case by case. It is not available on the non-lucrative route.
This is general information, not tax advice. A tax adviser needs to assess each case, ideally before you choose the route rather than after.
Which profile fits which route
- A remote employee, or a freelancer with foreign clients: the digital nomad visa.
- A retiree, a landlord, or an investor living on dividends or savings: the non-lucrative residence.
- Someone who works now but plans to stop later: it is sometimes possible to change route down the line, so the first permit does not have to be the last one.
If your income is a mix of salary and passive sources, the answer depends on which part you can document best and on what you intend to do once you are in Spain. That is worth a conversation before any document is apostilled.
The first call is free and is with LAVCOM’s advisor; our partner lawyers in Barcelona then prepare the file. Not sure where you stand? Our free pre-assessment asks about your income and plans and tells you which of the two routes actually fits.
Sources (checked against official sources on 6 October 2026): Real Decreto 126/2026, SMI 2026 (BOE) · IPREM 2026 (SEPE) · Visado de teletrabajo de carácter internacional (exteriores.gob.es) · Residencia no lucrativa, Ministerio de Inclusión · Ley 14/2013 (BOE) · Agencia Tributaria, régimen especial de trabajadores desplazados (art. 93 LIRPF).
This page gives general orientation. The right route and the exact requirements are confirmed only after reviewing your file.