Exclusive tips for getting Spain Digital Nomad Visa – from my experience

I was just like you a few months ago, I passed through absolutely all the stages before getting Spain Digital Nomad visa.

For me, so far (+6 months) it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made, but I don’t want to just hype all about it. In this post I focus on tips and impartial information, so these are my tips for you from my experience getting Spain Digital Nomad Visa. Tips related to the process of decision, is this visa really for you?, the things to take into account to apply, my best advice to be approved, and finally, tips when applying and waiting for the answer.

Tips – when researching about Spain Digital Nomad Visa

Let’s divide the research in two categories. One being the burocratic part and another about Spain itself.

Visa and tramits

A better decision can be made only when we really know about the options we have. Reasearch a lot about this visa: requirements to apply, requirements to keep the visa, advantages, disadvantages, long-term options it offers, tax implications and experiences from people that applied.

Trust me, most of the webpages indicated it was 24% fixed rate in taxes and no, is not like that for everyone. So don’t stay with the information a news portal or a short article says. The more you check from people who applied and inmigrations lawyers, better.

You can apply all by yourself or pay for a service to help you. In my case, I wanted to risk the least my chances of getting it, so I looked for professionals in the area. There are a lot of inmigration lawyers and of course, you have to choose carefully who to trust. Most of them know about this visa, but as it is relatively new, they haven’t worked as much with it.

Choosing a company or a lawyer that has proven experience specifically in this visa is my best advice to be approved, as the requirements have been changing since it was first released in 2022, and only the ones who are constantly working with this type of visa are up to date and know how to deal with its tweaks if any.

I recommend the following blog, Move To Spain, which also has a Facebook group. There are real experiences and great information posted everyday.

Also, evaluate another visa options. Some people just want to live in Europe for some months and that can be done without having to get a Digital Nomad Visa, just a tourist one which would also be easier and financially better. Others want to invest or buy a property and there are visa options for them too. Reasearch requirements of the different visa options, how long do they take, how easy it is to get. There are companies that offer a short and free call to listen to your situation and tell you the best options for you.

Spain, as your new country

• Learn some basics about Spainish culture, laws and societal behavior, picturing if you see yourself being part of it.
• Research about its cities to identify what’s the one you’d like to go to, at least when arriving.
• If you don’t know it yet, learn at least basic Spanish.
• See what are common things locals complain about. It’s good to be aware.
• If you chose one of the popular cities you have to be patient but also fast. Patient because it may seem imposible to find that perfect place… Keep looking. Fast because you have to know exactly what you’re looking for and once you see it, go for it ASAP. Spaniards use WhatsApp a lot, so it’s also a common form of contact when is to a particular. For agencies, I recommend calling directly.

Tips – when deciding to take the big step

For me it was a hard question because it represented a really big change in my life. I’ve never even lived in another country before and I was in a very comfortable situation in my home country.

If this is not such hard decision for you, just make sure to have clear what you’re looking for in Spain and if this is the best option to achieve that objetive in a more practical way, as I’ve known many cases of people that got dissapointed once having the visa. Common reasons were: taxes, not looking to live in Spain for a long-term (they just liked being tourists or wanted to keep “nomading” and jump on to a next country after a few months) and the typical resistance to change.

Now, if you’re having a harder time deciding, here are some questions you can reflect on. Ask yourself deeply, without thinking in society expectations, without thinking of just running out of your current situation…

1. Why do I want it? Which shall be aligned with what you want.

2. Make yourself questions such as:

• How is my ideal day?

• How is my ideal lifestyle?

• What are some of my biggest goals?

And for each of these questions evaluate if Spain, and this specific visa, is going to help you with it.

3. What are my values and what decision stays loyal to them?

4. Am I willing to go for it even if things could not turn out as expected in my plans?

Tips – when applying for Spain Digital Nomad Visa

It’s better to apply in Spain directly (in legal status), this is allowed. The reason is because requesting the visa from the Consulte or Embassy that’s in your country could ask for different requirements, take longer and is only valid for one year, thus is you’re looking to stay more, you shall renew it. Instead, when applying in Spain, a residence can be granted for three years if you have a permanent contract or can show you are self-employed and your work has no “ending date”.

Be specially careful to be checking with your inmigration lawyer or yourself in the web for updates or new requirements the inmediate 2 to 4 weeks before applying, as they can be changed or they may still be the same but, they change the focus on a new detail.

January, August and December are months to avoid applying because more people are on vacations and the visa, even if approved by default, would have a delayed confirmation.

As a foreigner, you can stay 90 days in any 180-day period within the Schengen area. Don’t wait until day 80 to apply. Do it at the very beginning of those 90 days.

Tips – when waiting for the answer

Good news, this is one of the easiest visas to obtain. All visas that are issued by the UGE have a resolution date of 20 days. When no answer is given, it defaults to approved. Plus, they’re usually fast. Mine was approved on the 12th day.

The approval rate for this visa or residency is high, +85%. So if you meet all the requirements chances of being the next Digital Nomad in Spain are right there.

I recommend asking for status every week if you’re doing the process with a professional. If it’s just you, then is important to check everyday because they could ask for complementary documents.

After applying, try to distract yourself from thinking over and over on it. Don’t worry, when you are 100% committed to moving to Spain, there’s no way you won’t get it.

Think ahead in a plan B or an option to re-apply if it’s not approved at the first time, but the best is to prepare very well and gather all the requirements to be confident when waiting. Just think those B or C plans a bit, because putting all your energy in plan A is key.

I trust you can do it! That’s why I also prepared an article on the steps to do after getting Spain Digital Nomad Visa, thoroughly explained for you to come back visit this page 😉

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I hope at least one of these tips helps you in your process. If so, please let me know or if you have any questions about my experience, feel free to ask.