Spain becomes one of Europe’s best destinations for digital nomads after government launches new visa

New digital nomad visa for British and other non-EU citizens will enable people working for foreign companies or clients to settle in Spain temporarily without the requirement for a full work visa 

A new visa introduced in Spain promises to make this country one of the best destinations in Europe for digital nomads.

As a part of the Spanish Parliament´s new ‘Startup Act, this visa aims to make Spain an attractive prospect for startups, digital nomads, and investment, by eliminating red tape and increasing flexibility.  

Citizens from the UK as well as other non-EU countries, working for foreign companies or clients can now choose to temporarily live in Spain, without the need to apply for full work permit.  

They will now be only required to provide proof of their employment, qualification, and experience, in order to qualify for the visa. 

The visa will be initially valid for a period of one year, with the possibility of renewal for subsequent years. Aside from this, people applying for this visa will also be permitted to bring their close family to Spain as well.  

“The new Spanish visa is great news for digital nomads in the UK and internationally”, said Martin Dell, co-founder of Kyero.com, the UK’s biggest online overseas property portal.  

He added, “Before this, the only visa options for Brits were the non-lucrative visa, which doesn’t allow you to work, and the Golden visa which requires an investment of at least €500,000 in the country, so this new accessible visa will be appealing to many people looking to work in Spain, particularly young people”.  

Dell said that as Spain remains a popular location, a new demographic of overseas buyers looking to move and live here is on the rise. With the new visa, this process will be much easier as people will have the choice to live where they want.  

Discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on countries across the European Union, Dell said, “As European countries look to recover from the pandemic, many are developing new digital nomad visas for non-EU citizens, encouraging people to move to their countries”.  

He also said that Covid-19 accelerated people’s interest in moving overseas and working remotely. Due to this “more workers became untethered from the office or considered self-employment”. 

Dell also said that his company Kyero has seen sustained interest in European property with an increase of visitors by over 45 percent who are searching for property in Europe on their platform in 2021, compared to 2020.  

The rise in remote working has driven up interest in more remote and often cheaper properties. Smaller cities and towns across Spain are keen to attract digital nomads, with many joining up to a new national initiative called the Red Nacional de Pueblos Acogedores para el Teletrabajo (or National Network of Welcoming Villages for Remote Workers). 

The network is designed to help these towns and cities encourage remote workers to settle there, improving their economy and attracting new talent. 

It also has an interactive map listing the towns and cities taking part including Huete, a pretty town less than 90 mins from Madrid, and Tolox, a charming pueblo blanco less than an hour from Marbella. 

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