Spain’s fast-growing Digital Nomad Visa programme has just become a little more exclusive. Published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 26 February, Royal Decree 126/2026 lifts the national minimum wage (Salario Mínimo Interprofesional, SMI) by 3.1 percent. Because the Digital Nomad Visa sets its financial threshold at 200 percent of the SMI, the minimum income a main applicant must prove rises from €2,763 to €2,849 a month.
Under the updated rules, applicants must now show annual earnings of at least €34,188, while bringing a spouse or first dependent pushes the monthly requirement to €3,765. Each additional dependent adds €305. Although the headline numbers are higher, immigration lawyers note that the change is mechanical—linked to wage policy rather than a political backlash against remote workers. Spain continues to pitch itself as Southern Europe’s hub for location-independent talent, offering a one-year residence permit that can be renewed for up to five years and converted to longer-term residency.
For employers of globally distributed teams, the higher bar means reviewing salary benchmarks to ensure staff posted to—or hired in—Spain remain compliant. Payroll departments should also update cost-of-living calculators and assignment budgets. Meanwhile, would-be nomads who fall just short of the new threshold may look instead to Portugal’s Remote Worker Visa or Greece’s Digital Nomad route, both of which still sit below Spain’s income floor.
![Spain Increases Digital Nomad Visa Income Requirement to €2,849 per Month]()
Prospective applicants who want a smoother application experience can turn to VisaHQ, whose Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening, and appointment scheduling for the Digital Nomad Visa—helping you meet the new income proofs and avoid costly delays.
Practical tip: applicants can submit combined household income (for example, freelance revenue plus remote-employment salary) as long as 80 percent of earnings come from outside Spain. Proof can be shown through bank statements, contracts, and the new Modelo S189 digital form for foreign-sourced income declarations.
Immigration officials advise lodging applications early, as processing times in Madrid and Barcelona consulates currently average eight weeks. Those already in Spain on a tourist stamp may still file in-country, but must do so at least 30 days before their Schengen stay expires.
Under the updated rules, applicants must now show annual earnings of at least €34,188, while bringing a spouse or first dependent pushes the monthly requirement to €3,765. Each additional dependent adds €305. Although the headline numbers are higher, immigration lawyers note that the change is mechanical—linked to wage policy rather than a political backlash against remote workers. Spain continues to pitch itself as Southern Europe’s hub for location-independent talent, offering a one-year residence permit that can be renewed for up to five years and converted to longer-term residency.
For employers of globally distributed teams, the higher bar means reviewing salary benchmarks to ensure staff posted to—or hired in—Spain remain compliant. Payroll departments should also update cost-of-living calculators and assignment budgets. Meanwhile, would-be nomads who fall just short of the new threshold may look instead to Portugal’s Remote Worker Visa or Greece’s Digital Nomad route, both of which still sit below Spain’s income floor.
Prospective applicants who want a smoother application experience can turn to VisaHQ, whose Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) offers step-by-step guidance, document pre-screening, and appointment scheduling for the Digital Nomad Visa—helping you meet the new income proofs and avoid costly delays.
Practical tip: applicants can submit combined household income (for example, freelance revenue plus remote-employment salary) as long as 80 percent of earnings come from outside Spain. Proof can be shown through bank statements, contracts, and the new Modelo S189 digital form for foreign-sourced income declarations.
Immigration officials advise lodging applications early, as processing times in Madrid and Barcelona consulates currently average eight weeks. Those already in Spain on a tourist stamp may still file in-country, but must do so at least 30 days before their Schengen stay expires.
