Alex Trelinski
SPAIN has tightened up on rules to apply for a digital nomad visa which affects non-EU citizens, including those from the United Kingdom- some of whom have already moved to the country.
New requirements for documentation have emerged as people are going through the process of getting a visa.
Applicants must now provide extensive proof of ownership and legitimacy, including evidence of 100% company ownership, a stable income, client contracts, and tax returns.
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The new demand is aimed at ensuring visa holders are genuine workers but there is criticism that Spain has made changes without much notice.
An unnamed British businesswoman in Spain told the i website: “We’ve moved our whole lives over here and to be told midway through we need a lot more information is very unfair.”
Lawyers and immigration experts have been advising applicants to create freelance contracts between themselves and their companies.
They now have to prove that their business has been around for at least year as well as paying themselves for three months.
The visa was introduced last year as a way of drawing in remote workers with lower living costs and taxes plus a warmer climate.
7,368 digital nomad visas have been granted up to January 2024 but there has been no breakdown from Spanish authorities over the nationalities that have taken advantage of them.
