{"id":15037,"date":"2026-08-13T20:20:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T18:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gentile.law\/?p=15037"},"modified":"2026-08-13T20:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T18:23:08","slug":"digital-nomad-visas-in-spain-and-portugal-key-differences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gentile.law\/en\/digital-nomad-visas-in-spain-and-portugal-key-differences\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Nomad Visas in Spain and Portugal: Key Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published: <\/strong>13-08-2026<\/p>\n\n

In recent years, Spain and Portugal have regulated specific frameworks for international remote workers who wish to establish their residence in the Iberian Peninsula while continuing their professional activity for employers or clients located outside the host country. Although both frameworks respond to the same reality, their requirements, procedural structure and access conditions present differences that should be analysed before initiating any procedure. <\/p>\n\n

I. Applicable regulation<\/h2>\n\n

In Spain, the digital nomad visa is regulated in Articles 74 bis to 74 quater of Law 14\/2013, of 27 September, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation, as amended by Law 28\/2022, of 21 December, on the promotion of the start-up ecosystem. The initial application is processed before the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), with a decision period of 20 working days and positive administrative silence. <\/p>\n\n

In Portugal, the equivalent framework is the so-called D8 visa, regulated in Article 88.1 of the Legal Regime for the Entry, Stay, Exit and Removal of Foreigners from National Territory (REPSAE), approved by Law No. 23\/2007, of 4 July. The visa application is processed before the competent Portuguese consulate, and the residence permit is subsequently requested before AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum).<\/p>\n\n

II. Applicant profile <\/h2>\n\n

Both frameworks require the applicant to work remotely for companies or clients domiciled outside the host country. In Spain, Law 14\/2013 provides for both the employment modality – employees of foreign companies – and the self-employment modality – self-employed professionals with clients outside Spain, with the possibility of also working for Spanish clients provided that they do not exceed 20% of the applicant’s total activity. Portugal, for its part, does not establish a structural distinction between both modalities under the D8: the rule refers indistinctly to an employment relationship or to the provision of services for an entity domiciled outside Portugal, which in practice covers both employees and self-employed professionals. The required documentation varies according to the profile, but the income threshold and the procedure are the same. <\/p>\n\n

III. Access requirements <\/h2>\n\n

Minimum income<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In Spain, the holder must prove income equivalent to 200% of the applicable Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI) (\u20ac2,442\/month). For accompanying family members, an additional 75% of the SMI is required for the first family member (approximately \u20ac915\/month based on the 2026 SMI) and 25% of the SMI for each additional member (approximately \u20ac305\/month). <\/p>\n\n

In Portugal, the threshold is equivalent to four times the Portuguese national minimum wage. With the minimum wage updated to \u20ac920 per month in January 2026, the required amount is \u20ac3,680\/month (\u20ac44,160\/year). For the inclusion of family members, an additional 50% of the minimum wage is required for a spouse or partner (\u20ac460\/month) and 30% for each dependent minor child (\u20ac276\/month). In addition, Portugal requires the applicant to prove savings of at least \u20ac11,040 (equivalent to three months of minimum income), although this requirement operates mainly at the residence permit stage before AIMA and not as a formal requirement at the consular visa stage. In practice, most consulates and AIMA itself require these funds to be deposited in a Portuguese bank account, so opening such an account before applying is a usual part of the process. <\/p>\n\n

Evidence of activity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In Spain, the employment or commercial relationship with the foreign company must have existed for at least three months, and the company must prove real and continuous activity for at least one year. In Portugal, the relationship must be evidenced by a declaration under oath from the company or client, accompanied by contracts, invoices and bank statements for the last three months. <\/p>\n\n

Experience or qualification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Both countries require proof of professional qualification. In Spain, the applicant must provide a university degree or prove at least three years of professional experience in the sector. Portugal, by contrast, does not establish any degree or minimum experience requirement for the D8. <\/p>\n\n

IV. Structure and duration <\/h2>\n\n

In Spain, the initial authorisation is valid for three years when requested from Spanish territory, and for one year when processed through the consular route. In both cases, it is renewable for two-year periods. <\/p>\n\n

In Portugal, the process is structured in two phases. First, the Portuguese consulate grants an entry visa valid for four months. During that period, the holder must request the residence permit before AIMA, whose initial validity is two years. After that period, the permit may be renewed for successive three-year periods without any numerical limit, provided that the requirements are maintained and the minimum periods of presence in Portugal are respected (no more than 6 consecutive months outside the country and no more than 8 total months per period). <\/p>\n\n

V. Procedure and deadlines<\/h2>\n\n

In Spain, the application is filed before the UGE-CE and is decided within 20 working days. Administrative silence is positive. The application may be processed from Spain or through the consular route. <\/p>\n\n

In Portugal, the consulate has 60 days to decide the visa application. Since April 2026, the process has been entirely in person through the VFS Global network. Once in Portugal, the residence permit application before AIMA requires an in-person appointment, with decision periods that in practice range between an additional 60 and 90 days. <\/p>\n\n

VI. Tax regime <\/h2>\n\n

The holder of the digital nomad visa in Spain under the employment modality may benefit from the special inbound expatriate regime (Article 93 of the Personal Income Tax Law, the Beckham Law), which allows taxation at a fixed rate of 24% on Spanish-source employment income up to \u20ac600,000 per year (47% on the excess), with exemption for most foreign-source income for six years. Holders under the self-employment modality do not have access to this regime and are taxed under the general Personal Income Tax rules as Spanish tax residents. <\/p>\n\n

In Portugal, the applicable special tax regime is the IFICI (Article 58-A of the Estatuto dos Benef\u00edcios Fiscais), which provides a flat rate of 20% on qualified income from Portuguese sources for ten years. However, the IFICI is restricted to strategic professional categories. Those who do not fall into these categories will be taxed according to the general IRS tax scale, which can reach up to 48%. <\/p>\n\n

VII. Comparative Table <\/h2>\n\n
\u00a0<\/td>Spain \u2014 DNV<\/strong><\/td>Portugal \u2014 D8<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Legal Basis<\/strong><\/td>Articles 74 bis et seq. of Law 14\/2013 <\/td>Art. 88.1 REPSAE (Law 23\/2007)<\/td><\/tr>
Competent authority<\/strong><\/td>UGE-CE<\/td>Portuguese Consulate + AIMA<\/td><\/tr>
Formats<\/strong><\/td>Third-Party Account and Own Account<\/td>Employees and self-employed individuals (without formal distinction)<\/td><\/tr>
Minimum Income (Primary Beneficiary)<\/strong><\/td>200% of the minimum wage<\/td>\u20ac3,680\/month (4 \u00d7 2026 minimum wage)<\/td><\/tr>
Family Income<\/strong><\/td>75% of the minimum wage for the first family member + 25% of the minimum wage for each additional family member<\/td>+50% of the minimum wage per adult + 30% per child. Savings reserve: \u20ac11,040 per applicant (a practical requirement for AIMA, typically held in a Portuguese bank account) <\/td><\/tr>
Decision Deadline<\/strong><\/td>20 business days<\/td>60 days (visa) + 60\u201390 days (AR at AIMA)<\/td><\/tr>
Administrative silence<\/strong><\/td>Positive<\/td>It doesn’t apply in the same way<\/td><\/tr>
Initial Effective Date<\/strong><\/td>3 years (from Spain) \/ 1 year (consular)<\/td>Views: 4 months \u2192 AR: 2 years<\/td><\/tr>
Renewal<\/strong><\/td>2-year periods<\/td>3-year periods (unlimited)<\/td><\/tr>
Permanent Residency<\/strong><\/td>After 5 years of actual residence<\/td>After 5 years of legal residence<\/td><\/tr>
Special Tax Regime<\/strong><\/td>Beckham Rule \u2014 6 years (only for third parties)<\/td>IFICI \u2014 10 years (if the strategic category applies)<\/td><\/tr>
Family Members<\/strong><\/td>Yes, including<\/td>Yes, including<\/td><\/tr>
Application from the host country<\/strong><\/td>Yes, from Spain<\/td>No \u2014 requires a prior consular phase<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

At Gentile Law<\/strong>, we provide guidance on both the digital nomad visa application process in Spain and the D8 visa in Portugal, analyzing in each case the applicant\u2019s profile, income structure, and medium-term tax and immigration planning goals.<\/p>\n\n

This publication is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Contact us:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Santiago Randazzo Clavijo<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

Global Mobility Legal Advisor at Gentile Law<\/p>\n\n

santiagorandazzo@gentile.law<\/p>\n\n

+34 684 463 082<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Lais Verissimo Galvan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Global Mobility Paralegal at Gentile Law<\/p>\n\n

laisverissimo@gentile.law<\/p>\n\n

+34 684 463 736<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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