Authorities in Spain have announced that they plan to issue digital nomad visas in order to offer citizens of the United States as well as those from non-European Union countries the opportunity to live in Spain while working remotely for companies located outside the country.

It has been emphasized that the visas will be offered to people who work remotely for companies located outside Spain and who derive a maximum of 20 per cent of their income from Spanish firms, as per a news report from Schengen Visa.

Even though the law has yet not been passed and there has been no detailed information given in this regard, according to a report provided by the Guardian, the visas will be initially given for a period of one year, renewable for more than five years taking into account the circumstances of the applicants.

In January this year, authorities in Spain unfolded their plans to introduce the digital nomad visa, which will attract internationals to live and work from Spain temporarily.

It has been emphasized that such a visa would bring significant help to the Spanish economic sector and also help the country recover from the damages caused by the spread of the Coronavirus and its new variants.

In this regard, Spain’s Economic Affairs Minister, Nadia Calviño, stressed that “the digital nomad visa will attract and retain international and national talents by helping remote workers and digital nomads set up in Spain.”

In order to benefit from Spain’s digital nomad visa, applicants must be from outside the European Economic Area and also be eligible to show that they have been working remotely for at least a year. In addition, they must also show that they hold a contract of employment or, if freelance, prove that they have been regularly employed by a company outside Spain.

According to the Guardian’s report, they must also prove they will earn enough money to be self-sufficient and that they have an address in Spain. However, it has not been clarified whether they will have to undergo a criminal record check.

Up to this point, several European countries are famous for their Digital Nomad Visa programs, including Estonia, Croatia, Portugal and Iceland.

In January this year, Romania’s government implemented the digital nomad visa. It was clarified that all persons benefiting from Romania’s digital nomad visa would have to apply for a long-term visa at the country’s consulates located abroad.