Spain Digital Nomad Visa vs Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013)
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013) is faster: 1 months vs 3 months for Spain Digital Nomad Visa.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa Spain · digital nomad | Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013) Spain · entrepreneur | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Spain | Spain |
| Category | Digital Nomad | Entrepreneur |
| Application Fee | $160 | $80 |
| Minimum Income | $2,800 /mo | — |
| Minimum Investment | — | — |
| Processing Time | 3 months | 1 months |
| Family Included | 75% of main applicant minimum income per adult dependent; 25% per minor child | Spouse/partner and dependent children may be included as family unit members under the same application or subsequent family reunification |
| Path to PR | Yes — 5 years | Yes — 5 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 10 years | Yes — 10 years |
| Physical Presence | No fixed minimum days per year stated, but physical presence in Spain is expected; must not spend more than 6 months outside Spain annually | Must reside in Spain; no fixed minimum days per year specified for the startup visa itself, but physical presence is expected to run the business. PR requires not exceeding 10 months absence in 5 years. |
| Dual Citizenship | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax Impact | Eligible for the Beckham Law (Ley Beckham), offering a flat 24% income tax rate on Spanish-sourced income for up to 6 years instead of the progressive scale reaching 47% | Holders who become tax residents (183+ days/year) are subject to Spanish worldwide income tax. The Beckham Law (Ley Beckham, Article 93 LIRPF) may allow qualifying arrivals to pay a flat 24% rate on Spanish-sourced income for up to 6 years instead of progressive rates up to 47%, provided application is filed within 6 months of registration. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | $200 | $80 |
About Spain Digital Nomad Visa
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa lets remote workers and freelancers employed by non-Spanish companies reside in Spain for up to five years. Applicants must show income of at least about €2,334/month (200% of the minimum wage, 2024), a year of relevant experience or a related degree, a work contract of 3+ months, private health insurance and a clean criminal record; up to 20% of income may come from Spanish clients. Government fees are about $160 with first-year costs of $5,000–$9,500; in-Spain applications carry a 20-day statutory decision window, faster than the consulate route. Family can join, with income add-ons of 75% of the base per adult and 25% per child. Holders may opt into the modified Beckham Law — a 24% flat rate on Spanish-sourced income up to €600,000 with foreign income largely exempt for up to six years — if not Spanish tax resident in the prior five years, filing within six months. Permanent residency comes after five years, but citizenship takes ten years and Spain does not allow dual citizenship with most countries. Direct employment by a Spanish company is not permitted.
Full Spain Digital Nomad Visa profile →About Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013)
Spain's Startup Visa, established under Law 14/2013 on Support for Entrepreneurs and their Internationalisation, provides a streamlined residence permit for non-EU founders seeking to launch or scale an innovative business project in Spain. The programme is administered by the Large Business and Strategic Collectives Unit (UGE-CE) of the Spanish immigration authorities and grants initial residence for up to two years, renewable for two further years. The defining feature of the route is the ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación) assessment: applicants must obtain a favourable report from ENISA — or another accredited evaluating body — confirming that the proposed venture is genuinely innovative and commercially viable. There is no prescribed minimum capital investment, making the visa accessible to knowledge-based and technology startups that may not require significant physical capital. A fast-track processing target of 20 business days applies once a complete application is accepted, making it one of the faster entrepreneur routes in the EU. Successful applicants receive a residence and work authorisation, allowing them to operate their company, take on employment in Spain, and access the Schengen Area. Family members may be included at the time of application or through subsequent family reunification. After five years of legal residence, applicants may apply for long-term EU residence; Spanish citizenship is available after ten years of continuous legal residence, subject to language and integration requirements.
Full Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013) profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Spain Digital Nomad Visa
- ⚠Spain does not allow dual citizenship with most countries at citizenship stage
- ⚠Foreign employer must have been established 1+ year
- ⚠Self-employed applicants can receive up to 20% of income from Spanish clients
- ⚠Beckham Law application requires specific filing within 6 months of tax residency
- ⚠Social security: Spain may require contributions unless there is a totalisation agreement
Spain Startup Visa (Entrepreneur Visa – Law 14/2013)
- ⚠The ENISA assessment is the critical bottleneck — submit early and engage advisors who have worked with ENISA before. A negative report ends the application.
- ⚠Dual citizenship is generally not permitted after naturalisation; Spanish law requires renunciation of prior nationality (with limited exceptions for citizens of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal).
- ⚠The Beckham Law election window is strict: 6 months from first Social Security registration. Missing it means being taxed as a full resident on worldwide income from day one.
- ⚠Business plan language requirements are strict — submission in Spanish is standard and translations must be certified.
- ⚠Silence from UGE-CE beyond 20 business days is treated as denial (silencio administrativo negativo), triggering the need for an administrative appeal rather than automatic approval.
- ⚠Law 28/2022 (Startup Act) amended and expanded Law 14/2013 provisions — confirm current implementing regulations with a lawyer as secondary legislation is still evolving.
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.