Spain vs. Portugal Digital Nomad Visa: A Complete Comparison Guide

Choosing the right digital nomad visa for your lifestyle and remote job is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when moving abroad. Today, we’re doing a deep dive into Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visa to see which country is right for you.

These are the two most popular digital nomad visas in the world as of 2024! Most of the digital nomad visa requests we get here at Nomads Embassy are for either Spain or Portugal. That’s why we thought a comparison guide for both digital nomad visas would be super helpful for remote workers trying to decide which country to relocate to. 

While at a glance, Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visas are fairly similar, there are some important aspects you’ll have to consider, including income and minimum stay requirements and the application process. 

So, if you’re torn between the Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visa, then you’ll definitely want to keep reading. And don’t forget, we’re happy to introduce you to our hand-selected local immigration lawyers for professional assistance with your visa application! 

The Importance of Choosing the Right Digital Nomad Visa

Digital nomad visas are an incredible opportunity for remote workers (and often times their family members) to live abroad. However, when choosing a digital nomad visa, there are many factors to consider, such as:

• Eligibility Requirements
• Tax Implications
• Minimum Stay Requirements
• Validity
• Family Inclusion
• Application Process

In this blog pots, we are going to touch on all of these factors while comparing Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visa.

Spain Digital Nomad Visa

Spain’s digital nomad visa (Teleworking Visa) officially launched in 2023 and soon became the most popular digital nomad visa in the world. Not only is Spain attractive for its low cost of living and stunning landscapes, but the application process for the visa is fairly easy. 

This digital nomad visa is most easily obtained by freelancers as they can register as self-employed individuals after moving to Spain. Applying for Spain’s digital nomad visa as an employee comes with a few more complications, but it is still possible! 

One of the major differences when it comes to this visa compared to the others is the importance on the applicant’s professional skills and education history. You’ll be required to either have a university degree or at least three years of experience in your current field… but more on that later! 

Portugal Digital Nomad Visa

The Portugal digital nomad visa (D8 visa) launched in late 2022 and quickly rose in popularity amongst remote workers. With Portugal’s gorgeous coastline, historic cities, and affordable cost of living, remote workers decided to relocate to Portugal.

This digital nomad visa is available to anyone who can prove they work remotely and earn the minimum income required. There is no requirement to show a history of professional work experience or academic achievements when applying. It’s also available to both freelancers and remote employees! 

Spain vs. Portugal Digital Nomad Visa

Alright, let’s not linger any longer on introducing these two popular digital nomad visas and dive into our comprehensive comparison! 

Eligibility Requirements

When considering applying for a digital nomad visa, the most important factor is determining whether you are eligible for it or not. Below is a comparison of the eligibility requirements for Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visas. 

Requirement	Spain Digital Nomad Visa	Portugal Digital Nomad Visa
Income for Individual Applicants	2,646€ per month before tax	3,480€ per month after tax
Additional Income for Spouses/Dependent Adults	995€ per month	435€ per month
Minor Children Dependents	335€ per month	261€ per month
Work Remotely	Yes	Yes
Clean Criminal Record	Yes from last 5 years	Yes from last 5 years
Univeristy Degree	Yes	Not Required
Industry Experience	3 years if no degree	Not Required
Remote Work Experience in Current Role	3 months	Not Required
Company Operation	1 year	Not Required
Local Accommodations	Not Required	12-month Lease
International Health Insurance	Yes	Yes

As you can see, there are more eligibility requirements for Spain’s digital nomad visa than for Portugal’s. 

Application Process

The application process for each of these digital nomad visas is also very different. 

Spain	Portugal
May apply for the digital nomad visa at a Spanish consulate in your country of residence (30-day processing time), enter Spain, and apply for the three-year residence permit	Must apply for the digital nomad visa at a Portuguese consulate or VFS office in your country of residence (60-day processing time), enter Portugal, and apply for the two-year residence permit within four months
May apply directly for the three-year residence permit as a tourist in Spain

There are two application methods for Spain’s digital nomad visa. 

The first is to apply for the 12-month digital nomad visa at a Spanish consulate in your country of residence. After approval, you may travel to Spain and apply for the associated three-year residence permit if you plan to stay for more than one year. 

If you can enter Spain without a tourist visa or are already in possession of a Schengen entry visa, you may visit Spain as a tourist and apply directly for the three-year residence permit under the digital nomad visa law. 

There is just one method to apply for Portugal’s digital nomad visa. 

You must submit your application at a Portuguese consulate or VFS office in your country of residence or one that is serving your jurisdiction. When applying for the digital nomad visa, you can choose whether you would like a 12-month non-renewable visa or a four-month visa that allows you to apply for the two-year residence permit. After approval, you may enter Portugal. If you received the four-month visa, then you may apply for the residence permit at an AIMA office. 

In summary, Spain’s digital nomad visa is easier and faster to apply for than Portugal’s digital nomad visa. 

Family Inclusion

Both Spain and Portugal’s digital nomad visas allow the main applicant to include family members. 

Family Member	Spain	Portugal
Spouse	Yes	Yes
Unmarried Partner	Yes	Yes
Children Dependents	Yes	Yes
Dependent Parents	Yes	Yes

You  will notice that both of the countries allow the same family members to be included on the digital nomad visas. 

One thing that is important to mention are the inclusion of unmarried partners. It is possible for both, but there are extra requirements. 

For Spain, the unmarried couple must register as a Stable Couple with the region where they wish to live. 

For Portugal, the unmarried couple must provide documents, such as a lease or deed, joint bank accounts, and joint tax returns, to prove their relationship.

Minimum Stay Requirement

To retain the validity of your visa and residence permit, you must be present in the country for a certain amount of time. This is known as a minimum stay requirement. 

	Spain	Portugal
Minimum Stay Requirement	183 days per year	Cannot leave for more than 8 months per residence permit period (ex: 2-year residence permit requires you to stay for a minimum of 16 months)

Tax Implications

One of the most common questions we receive in regards to digital nomad visas are the tax implications. 

	Spain	Portugal
Tax Resident	Yes	Yes

For both Spain and Portugal’s digital nomad visas, you will become a tax resident and there is no way around it. 

Taxes are one of the most complicated aspects of moving to a new country, which is why we recommend finding a local tax accountant or advisor to assist with your tax filings. 

The good news, is that Spain and Portugal have Double Taxation Treaties with a ton of countries, including the UK, US, Australia, etc., so you won’t pay tax twice on the same income. 

There are some tax benefits and programs for foreigners living in these countries though! 

In Spain, there is the Beckham’s Law, targeted at employees earning less than 600,000€ per year. They can get a decreased tax rate of 24% rather than the standard 48%. 

In Portugal, there is a revised version of the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) program. For highly skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors, they can benefit from a flat 20% tax for the first 10 years living in Portugal. 

Permanent Residency

One of the main attractions to Spain and Portugal’s digital nomad visa is that they both lead to permanent residency.

	Spain	Portugal
Permanent Residency	5 years	5 years

It’s important to note that there are additional minimum stay requirements to obtain permanent residency within these countries. 

For Spain, you must not leave the country for more than a total of 10 months within the five year period. 

For Portugal, you must not leave the country for more than eight months within the first two years and no more than eight months within the last three years during this five-year period. 

Path to Citizenship

Not only do Spain and Portugal’s digital nomad visas lead to permanent residency, but they also put you on a path to citizenship!  

	Spain	Portugal
Years to Citizenship	10 years	5 years

Spain offers citizenship by naturalization after 10 years of living in the country full-time. However, there is a caveat – Spain does not allow dual citizenship with most countries. 

The only exception are countries that were once Spanish colonies, which can hop on a fast track (two years) to citizenship and keep both nationalities. 

Portugal offers citizenship by naturalization after five years of living in the country full-time. And the good news is that they allow dual citizenship! 

Difficulty Applying on Your Own

Applying for a digital nomad visa can be complicated, no matter how streamlined the process is. However, some digital nomad visas are more difficult to apply for than others. 

When it comes to comparing Spain vs. Portugal digital nomad visa application processes, we would say that they are both equally difficult, but for different reasons. 

For Spain, the most difficult part of applying for the digital nomad visa is ensuring you have all of the required documents and that they are apostilled and legally translated. These documents will look different depending whether you are an employee or freelancer too. 

For Portugal, the most difficult part of applying fo the digital nomad visa is following the bureaucratic processes. Each consulate and VFS office has its own procedures, so the list of required documents will look different for each location. The processing time can take up to two months, so it can be helpful to have an immigration lawyer to communicate on your behalf when possible. 

Spain vs. Portugal: Which Digital Nomad Visa is Best?

At Nomads Embassy, we absolutely love the opportunities that both Spain and Portugal have offered remote workers over the last couple of years! They are both gorgeous countries for digital nomads and their family members.

But, we had to choose the best digital nomad visa of the two, we would have to say Spain. 

This is mostly due to the more streamlined application process when compared to Portugal’s digital nomad visa. 

However, the long-term payoff for Portugal’s digital nomad visa is better. In just five years, you can become a citizen and have dual citizenship. 

There are many many things to consider when applying for these visas – the decision is ultimately up to you! 

Find the Right Digital Nomad Visa for Your Lifestyle

Deciding which digital nomad visa is right for your lifestyle is one of the most complicated parts of applying. That’s why Nomads Embassy is here to help! 

We offer a one-on-one 30-minute Digital Nomad Visa Exploration Call with our visa experts to investigate your eligibility, discuss your long-term goals, and narrow down potential digital nomad visas that meet your requirements. 

Once you’ve decided on which country you’d like to relocate to, we can introduce you to our hand-selected local immigration lawyers for a consultation and eventually our Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa Services to submit a 100% compliant application! 

Want to get started? Schedule your Exploration Call or request our free digital nomad visa eligibility assessment today!