Spain’s fast-growing Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) programme just became more expensive. In an order published late on 5 December, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration confirmed that the minimum income foreign remote-workers must prove has increased to 200 % of the new 2025 minimum wage (Salario Mínimo Interprofesional, SMI). Because the SMI now stands at €1,381.50 in 12 payments, a single DNV applicant must demonstrate at least €2,763 a month (about €33,156 a year). Dependants push the bar higher: a spouse or partner adds 75 % of the SMI (€1,036/month) and each additional child another 25 % (€345/month).
The adjustment keeps the visa’s financial bar in sync with domestic wage policy and addresses criticism that the scheme undercuts local salaries while fuelling gentrification in tech-heavy cities such as Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga. Demand, however, remains brisk. Interior-Ministry data show more than 14,000 DNV files opened in 2025—triple last year’s figure—prompting immigration offices and Spanish consulates to warn of longer processing queues if applications surge further in early 2026.
![Spain Raises Digital Nomad Visa Income Threshold to €2,763 a Month]()
For employers that deploy staff under the DNV, the message is clear: review compensation packages now. Early-career engineers or founders on lean salaries may no longer qualify unless companies top up pay or certify sufficient savings. Global-mobility managers are also urging assignees to reconsider family timing; a family of four will now need to prove roughly €4,489 a month—an extra €20,700 a year compared with 2024.
Tax advisers add that Spain’s so-called “Beckham Law” remains a sweetener. DNV holders who choose to become taxpayers can request the flat 24 % expat regime on Spanish-source income up to €600,000, but only if they apply within six months of registering as residents. Lawyers therefore recommend synchronising salary uplifts, visa filings and tax elections to avoid gaps that could derail eligibility.
Consulates will apply the higher threshold immediately for new files; applicants already in the pipeline will be assessed against the old figures if they submitted proof of income before 5 December. Nevertheless, immigration advisers expect consular staff to ask for updated bank statements as part of routine fraud checks, so candidates should be prepared to document their earnings again.
The adjustment keeps the visa’s financial bar in sync with domestic wage policy and addresses criticism that the scheme undercuts local salaries while fuelling gentrification in tech-heavy cities such as Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga. Demand, however, remains brisk. Interior-Ministry data show more than 14,000 DNV files opened in 2025—triple last year’s figure—prompting immigration offices and Spanish consulates to warn of longer processing queues if applications surge further in early 2026.
For employers that deploy staff under the DNV, the message is clear: review compensation packages now. Early-career engineers or founders on lean salaries may no longer qualify unless companies top up pay or certify sufficient savings. Global-mobility managers are also urging assignees to reconsider family timing; a family of four will now need to prove roughly €4,489 a month—an extra €20,700 a year compared with 2024.
Tax advisers add that Spain’s so-called “Beckham Law” remains a sweetener. DNV holders who choose to become taxpayers can request the flat 24 % expat regime on Spanish-source income up to €600,000, but only if they apply within six months of registering as residents. Lawyers therefore recommend synchronising salary uplifts, visa filings and tax elections to avoid gaps that could derail eligibility.
Consulates will apply the higher threshold immediately for new files; applicants already in the pipeline will be assessed against the old figures if they submitted proof of income before 5 December. Nevertheless, immigration advisers expect consular staff to ask for updated bank statements as part of routine fraud checks, so candidates should be prepared to document their earnings again.
