The complete Spain DNV application guide — every step, in order

Step 1 — Check your eligibility

Before doing anything else, confirm that you meet the core requirements for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa. The four eligibility criteria are:

• Income of at least €2,849/month — this is 200% of Spain's 2026 national minimum wage (SMI). Income from employment or self-employment from non-Spanish sources. Both employed and self-employed workers are eligible.
• Work must be remote — you must be working for a company or clients based outside Spain (up to 20% of your income can come from Spanish sources, but no more).
• Clean criminal record — no unspent convictions in Spain or in any country where you have lived in the past 5 years.
• No previous Spanish residency violations — you must not have overstayed previous Spanish visas or had residency status revoked.

If you are self-employed, you must also demonstrate that your freelance or consulting business has been operating for at least 3 months before the application date, and that it is structured to serve clients outside Spain.

Step 2 — Gather your time-sensitive documents first

The moment you decide to proceed, start on the time-sensitive documents. The criminal record certificate has a validity window of 3 months from the date of issue — if your certificate expires before your application is submitted, you will need a new one. Order it immediately.

• Criminal record certificate — from every country where you have lived for more than 2 years in the past 5 years. UK applicants: ACRO Police Certificate (allow 2–3 weeks). US applicants: FBI Identity History Summary (allow 3–5 business days via an approved channeller, or up to 4+ weeks via direct FBI). Canada: RCMP Certified Criminal Record Check. Australia: AFP National Police Check. Each certificate must be apostilled — arrange this as soon as it arrives.
• Employer letter — if employed, request from HR immediately. Should confirm: your name, role, salary in writing, that remote work from Spain is permitted, and that the employer is not a Spanish company. Some employers also need to provide proof of trading (accounts, registration). Allow 1–2 weeks for larger employers' HR departments to process the request.
• Health insurance — employed applicants need a Spanish private health insurance policy with no co-payment, minimum €30,000 coverage, Spain-wide. This must be in place before submission. Our partner 247 Expat Insurance can arrange a qualifying policy — ask your case manager.

Step 3 — Enter Spain legally

For the UGE route, you must be legally present in Spain when your application is submitted. For most non-EU applicants — UK, US, Canada, Australia, and many others — this means entering on a standard visa-free tourist entry. The visa-free period is up to 90 days.

Timing tip: arrive in Spain before your full document dossier is complete if possible. This means your 90-day tourist entry clock starts while your criminal record certificate and other documents are still being processed, rather than after everything is ready. Arriving early maximises the time you have within your 90-day window to complete preparation and submit to the UGE.

If your nationality requires a Schengen visa to enter Spain, you will need to apply via your nearest Spanish consulate. Check with your case manager on the correct route based on your passport.

Step 4 — Open your case with My Spanish DNV

Pay Stage 1 (€500). Your dedicated case manager is assigned within 24 hours and contacts you directly. You are given access to your progress dashboard — a private online portal where you can see the status of every document, upload files for review, send messages to your case manager, and track your application progress in real time.

From the moment your case opens, your case manager begins reviewing your situation — checking your income evidence, flagging any document concerns, and planning your dossier preparation timeline. If you have a complex situation (multiple income sources, previous visa issues, or criminal record questions), your case manager will address these with you at this stage rather than discovering problems at submission.

Step 5 — Document preparation and review

This is typically the most time-consuming phase — and the one where errors are most costly. Your case manager works through each document with you:

• Sworn translations — all documents not in Spanish must be translated by a sworn translator recognised by the Spanish authorities. Your case manager arranges these through our network of accredited translators.
• Apostilles — documents from Hague Convention countries must be apostilled (authenticated for international use). Your case manager coordinates apostilles where required.
• Form preparation — the EX-23 (the formal application form) and any supporting forms are prepared by your case manager. These forms must be completed correctly and consistently with your supporting documents.
• Document dossier review — once all documents are assembled, your case manager conducts a full pre-submission review. Only when the dossier is complete and compliant is the application released for submission.

This phase typically takes 2–4 weeks from opening your case, depending on how quickly documents such as criminal record certificates and employer letters arrive.

Step 6 — UGE submission

We submit your complete dossier to the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos) via the authorised digital submission system. You receive confirmation of submission with an official reference number — keep this safe. The 20-working-day statutory processing clock begins from the date of formal registration of your application by the UGE.

Stage 2 payment (€500) is due at submission. Government tasas payable to the Spanish immigration authority are included in our service fee — we handle these on your behalf.

Step 7 — Awaiting the UGE decision

The UGE processes your application. Most decisions arrive within 20–25 working days. You are updated through your dashboard throughout this period. We monitor your application status and respond to any UGE queries (requerimientos) promptly — a timely and accurate response to any UGE request is critical to avoiding delays or rejection.

During this period, remain in Spain wherever possible. Leaving the Schengen zone after submission is not recommended without consulting your case manager first — it can complicate your application status.

Step 8 — Approval notification

You receive the positive resolution (resolución favorable) — your DNV is granted. This document contains your NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) — record it immediately and keep the document safe. Your permit is issued for 3 years and is renewable for a further 2 years (total 5 years), and then renewable indefinitely as long as you continue to meet the criteria.

Stage 3 payment (€899) is due on approval. We notify you the moment the resolution is received, confirm your NIE, and brief you on your next steps — particularly the TIE appointment process.

Step 9 — Book and attend your TIE appointment

The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is the physical residence card that proves your Spanish residency status in daily life. You book your TIE appointment yourself via the Cita Previa online system at the Comisaría de Policía Nacional serving your area.

Book your appointment within 30 days of arriving in Spain after receiving your approval. In popular cities — particularly Barcelona and Madrid — TIE appointments can be difficult to obtain quickly. Check the Cita Previa system regularly and early. Your case manager can advise on availability in your local area.

What to bring to your TIE appointment:

• Valid passport (original and photocopy)
• Original positive resolution document from the UGE
• Two recent passport-format photographs (biometric, white background)
• Completed EX-17 form
• Modelo 790 code 012 tasa receipt — approximately €16, paid in advance at a Spanish bank

At the appointment, your fingerprints are taken and a photograph may be captured. The appointment itself takes 15–30 minutes. Your TIE card is issued within 4–6 weeks — either sent to a designated address or collected from the Comisaría.

Step 10 — Empadronamiento, banking, and professional setup

Once your TIE is on its way or in hand, you complete the administrative setup that anchors you properly to Spanish life:

• Empadronamiento — register on the Padrón Municipal at your local Ayuntamiento (town hall) with proof of address. This is required for many services and is the administrative record of your residence in Spain. Bring your passport and a rental contract or utility bill.
• Spanish bank account — open a resident bank account with your NIE and TIE. Major Spanish banks include Santander, BBVA, CaixaBank, and Sabadell. Revolut and N26 are also popular with digital nomads. A resident account gives access to direct debits, local transfers, and Spanish services.
• Autónomo registration — if self-employed, register with the RETA (Régimen Especial de Trabajadores Autónomos) for Social Security and with the AEAT (Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria) as a self-employed professional. This must be done within 60 days of beginning to trade in Spain. A Spanish gestor (accountant-administrator) handles this — ask your case manager for a recommendation.
• Beckham Law application — if you are employed under an employment contract and you qualify, apply for Beckham Law (Régimen de Impatriados) within 6 months of first registering with Spanish Social Security. This is a separate tax process — consult a Spanish tax adviser. Beckham Law taxes qualifying income at a flat 24% rate for 6 years total, rather than standard progressive IRPF rates. It is not included in our DNV service.