Spain Digital Nomad Visa from Qatar: Step-By-Step Guide

Are you working remotely and want to experience life in Spain? A digital nomad visa could be the right choice. Not only will you be able to visit Casa Batlló and go flamenco dancing whenever you want, but you’ll also gain access to the entire Schengen Area. So, let’s determine whether you’re eligible for this visa and what the application process entails.

A digital nomad visa enables non-EU/EEA freelancers and workers employed outside of Spain to spend a year in this country. Moreover, after one year, digital nomads can apply for an extension and are allowed to spend up to five years in Spain. 

In addition, digital nomads can bring family members with them and apply for permanent residency once their visa expires. 

Digital nomad visa for Spain requirements are mainly related to the type of applicant’s employment and earnings. Specifically, applicants have to be non-EU/EEA residents who work remotely for companies operating outside of Spain. If an applicant has a Spanish company on the list of clients, the work can’t constitute more than 20% of their total earnings. 

Furthermore, the total monthly earnings must be at least two times higher than the national minimum wage. The amount for 2025 is EUR 2,763 (around QAR 11,500), before tax. And, if you’re applying for the visa together with your partner, you should have a combined monthly income of a minimum of EUR 3,797. 

Finally, applicants must have at least three years of work experience in the field or a bachelor’s degree. 

Aside from being able to enjoy sunny days most of the year, a digital nomad visa to Spain has other benefits:

• Access to the Schengen Area: With this visa, you can visit all 27 Schengen Area countries without any additional visas for up to 90 days 

• Lower taxes: In Spain, there’s a so-called Becham law, which states that digital nomads pay 24% for taxes if they earn less than 600,000 EUR/year (over QAR 2.5 million). If they earn more than this amount, they pay 45% in taxes

• Relocation with family: You can apply together with your spouse and dependents

• Access to Spain’s healthcare and education for the whole family

• Eligibility for permanent residency after five years of living as a digital nomad

The Spain digital nomad visa falls under the national residence visa category. Here are the necessary documents:  

If you are applying for the digital nomad visa from Qatar, you also need to fill out these three forms: 

• Checklist

• MODELO 790-052

• Formulario-EX-0-English

Please note that all the documents except for the bank statements must be translated into Spanish.

The visa application fee is 331 QAR (€78.30). Apart from this fee, every applicant must pay the visa service charge fee, which is QAR 67 (€16). 

There are two ways to submit your digital nomad visa for Spain application: upon arriving in Spain or in Qatar.

If you choose to apply in Spain, you first have to get a tourist visa, which lasts for 90 days. Then, you should submit a request for a digital nomad residence permit at the nearest immigration office. If approved, you’ll be allowed to stay in the country for three years. 

The second way to apply is while you’re in Qatar, via the BLS Application Center, located on the 10th Floor of the Al Reem Tower, Al Wahda Street, West Bay. In this case, you’ll get a one-year visa. 

Bear in mind — the digital nomad visa is tied to your existing contracts and is dependent on their duration. For instance, if you have an 8-month contract with a company, you won’t be able to get a visa for more than eight months. 

Before you apply, you will need to get a foreign identity number (NIE). Here are the documents you’ll need: 

• EX-15 standard application form

• Proof of the reason why you need an NIE

• Valid passport and a copy of the pages containing biometric data

• Document proving residence in the Consular area

• Form 790, code 12

To make an appointment, send an email to cog.longres.leg@maec.es, and pay the fee on the day of the appointment. The fee is between QAR 42 and 50, depending on whether you’re applying in Spain or from Qatar. 

NIE application processing time is typically three weeks, with the letter being sent to you via email. 

Once that’s done, you can apply for a Spanish digital nomad visa and:

1. Gather all the necessary documents we mentioned

2. Schedule a visa application appointment either in Spain, if you’re already there on a tourist Schengen visa, or in the BLS Application Center in Doha

3. Attend the in-person appointment

4. Wait for the visa processing (between 20 and 45 days, to a maximum of 10 weeks during busy times) and collect it once it’s approved 

5. Apply for a residence permit within 30 days of your arrival

A digital nomad can relocate their partners, children, and dependent relatives as well. The family members will also be able to work or go to school in Spain.

Here are the documents required for the family digital nomad visa for those applying from Spain:

• Birth or marriage certificate, or a certificate proving the relationship of the couple

• Document proving financial dependency and civil status: This applies only to the adult children 

• Proof that relatives in the ascending line are under the digital nomad visa applicant’s care

If you are applying from Qatar, you need to fill out this checklist.

Note that all foreign documents must be translated into Spanish, legalized, or apostilled if from a non-Spanish-speaking country.

For shorter visas (up to two years), you need to go through the Embassy of Spain in Qatar. For a 5-year visa, submit your application at the BLS in Doha. 

The processing takes 15 days, but can last for 45 days during busy times.

The Spain digital nomad visa can be renewed for a maximum of five years, and the renewal application has to be sent at least 60 days before the visa expires. 

You can apply online, at the UGE-CE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos) using your cl@ve pin (register online at the website) or digital certificate. 

The documents for renewal are the same as for the original application, just updated — proof of employment and income, valid health insurance, certificate of a clean criminal record, and a passport. 

Additionally, you have to pay the visa renewal fee, which is around QAR 330. After submitting your application, you may be required to attend an interview (not all applicants do). 

The application processing can last between 20 and 60 days.

After five years with a digital nomad visa, you can apply for a long-term residence visa, which lasts for another five years.

Here are the required documents:

• National visa application form 

• Passport-sized photo

• A passport valid for at least 4 months after the application

• Residence permit, original and a copy 

• Proof of residence 

• Payment of the visa fee

• Criminal record certificate for the past five years

Once you apply, you’ll receive a proof of receipt with a code for checking your application status. The processing time is three months, but it can be longer if additional documents or an interview are required.

After five years of a digital nomad visa and another five with long-term residency, you can apply for Spanish citizenship. The key condition is that you stay in Spain for a minimum of 183 days per year.

To obtain citizenship in Spain, apart from submitting an application form and having a spotless criminal record, you also need to pass a Spanish language test (DELE A2) and a Constitutional and Sociocultural knowledge of Spain exam.