Spain's Digital Nomad Program Is Now Live, Here's How to Apply

The program has officially launched.

While many Americans have returned to the office, a massive amount of the workforce is still treating their couch like a cubicle. For those lucky few (million), Spain is finally introducing a digital nomad visa so that you can move that figurative cubicle to Barcelona or Madrid, or Seville.

The new coveted visa is open to non-EU nationals who work remotely for non-Spanish companies, and it is valid for up to five years. You are, however, allowed to make some money in Spain as well, but there's a cap at 20% of your income. As a rule of thumb, that means if you're a freelancer with multiple clients or a remote worker for a company outside of Spain, you're in.

There are some important things to keep in mind, though. If you're a freelancer, you need to show proof that you have been working with your clients for at least three months before submitting an application. If you work for a company, instead, you need to show that it has been operational for at least one year. Needless to say, you also must demonstrate that you can do your job remotely.

Unfortunately, not everybody will be able to benefit from this shiny visa, and it boils down to field experience and past residences. You must have at least three years' work experience in your field to apply, and at the time of your application, you must not be living illegally in Spain, Euronews reports. You also cannot have lived there in the five years before applying. 

The program includes a lot of perks, besides the fact you can live anywhere in Spain. As part of the act, which passed in November, visa recipients with an annual income below €600,000 will qualify for a reduced non-resident income tax for up to four years. Translation: you'll only pay 15% in income taxes versus the typical 24% tax. 

Now, like any visa, there are stipulations. The minimum income requirement is set at 200% of the country's monthly minimum wage, which currently amounts to €2,334 per month or €28,000 per year. Basically, they want to ensure you're making enough money to spend in the country. It's all capitalism, kids.

You will also be required to have health insurance, and applicants must have no criminal record in both Spain and the country they lived in during the five years before applying. 

The digital nomad visa will be valid for up to one year, but you can extend that period for up to five years. To apply, you can head over to the consulate or embassy in your own country, or you can travel to Spain on a tourist visa and then apply within the first three months that you're there. 

The program has officially launched, so maybe order some moving boxes and pick up Rosetta Stone? 

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Megan Schaltegger is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist.
Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.