Working Remotely from Valencia, Legally

If you’re working remotely from Valencia, you need to be legally allowed to live and work in Spain. There’s no "digital tourist" status — even if you’re paid abroad in foreign currency. ## The quick decision tree **EU/EEA citizen?** You can live and work freely. Register your residency after 90 days (NIE green certificate). Done. **Non-EU, employed by a non-Spanish company?** → The **Digital Nomad Visa** is your route. **Non-EU, freelance with foreign clients?** → Digital Nomad Visa (if continuous work for one main client) or the autónomo route via non-lucrative visa + business registration. **Non-EU, planning to work for a Spanish company?** → That company sponsors a work visa. **Spouse of an EU/Spanish citizen?** → Family reunification route. Different timeline, similar paperwork. ## The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) Launched January 2023. For non-EU citizens working remotely. Key requirements: - Continuous employment with a non-Spanish company for at least 3 months, with company tenure of at least 1 year - Earnings of at least **200% of Spain’s minimum wage** (currently roughly €2,650/month gross) - Private health insurance valid in Spain - Clean criminal record (Apostilled and translated certificate from your home country) - Proof of qualifications or 3+ years of work experience in your field You can apply: - **From your home country**, at the Spanish consulate — the safer route. Takes 1-3 months. Approval lasts 1 year. - **From inside Spain**, on a tourist stamp — faster (20-30 days) but if you’re rejected, you can’t reapply from inside Spain. Higher risk. Approved applicants get a 1-year residency permit initially, renewable for 2 more years, then 2 more, up to 5 years total. After 5 years, eligibility for long-term residency. ## Beckham Law for DNV holders DNV holders are eligible for the **Beckham regime** — 24% flat tax on Spanish-source income up to €600,000 for up to six years. Significant savings if you earn over €60k/year. See the [autónomo and taxes guide](/guides/autonomo-and-taxes-the-realistic-guide). You must apply for Beckham within 6 months of starting work in Spain. Don’t miss this window. ## The autónomo route If you can’t qualify for the DNV (e.g. you have multiple smaller clients rather than one main employer), the alternative is: 1. Get residency some other way (non-lucrative visa, family reunification, etc.) 2. Register as autónomo and bill clients 3. Pay tax through quarterly filings This involves more ongoing paperwork than the DNV but is more flexible. See the [autónomo guide](/guides/autonomo-and-taxes-the-realistic-guide). ## The most important advice Before any irreversible move: 1. Have a 60-minute consultation with a Spanish immigration lawyer (€80-150) 2. Have a 60-minute consultation with a Spanish asesor fiscal (€80-150) Total €200ish. Saves expensive mistakes downstream. The two professionals will disagree on small details, which is useful — you’ll see where the genuinely complex bits are. Both exist in Valencia with English-speaking staff. See the [gestors and lawyers guide](/guides/gestors-lawyers-asesores) for how to find them. ## A real warning People sometimes try to "just work" from Spain on a 90-day tourist stamp, planning to leave and re-enter every 90 days. This violates the terms of the tourist entry (it doesn’t permit work), it doesn’t scale (you can’t rent properly, register, or build a life), and it leaves you tax-exposed if Spain decides you’ve become a tax resident anyway (which happens after 183 days in any calendar year regardless of visa status). If you’re here for more than a season, do it properly.