From a US paycheck to Spanish residency.
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa is the cleanest legal route for US remote workers and 1099 contractors - with a 6-year Beckham Law tax window at a flat 24% on Spanish-sourced income up to €600k.
Beckham Law eligible · No Spanish entity required · Keep your W-2 or 1099
Income · 2026
€2,849/mo
≈ $3,100/mo gross
Police clearance
FBI Identity History Summary
Apostille via US Department of State
Where you apply
Spanish consulate covering your US state
NY · SF · Miami · Houston · LA · Chicago · DC
Your roadmap from the United States to Spain
- 1
Confirm income & contract type
DNV applicants need 200% of Spain's SMI (€2,849/mo in 2026). W-2 from a US employer is fine if they authorise remote work. 1099 contractors need at least 3 months of stable invoices.
- 2
Order FBI background check + DOS apostille
Use a channeler for fastest turnaround (1–3 days). Then send to US Department of State for apostille, currently 6–10 weeks for mail-in or same-day at DC walk-in window.
- 3
Apostille degree or document 3+ years remote experience
If you have a US college degree, get the registrar copy apostilled by the issuing state. No degree? Document 3+ years of remote-work experience with employer letters.
- 4
Spanish-translate everything
Sworn (jurado) translation by a translator on Spain's MAEUEC list. Skip 'certified' US translations, Spain doesn't recognise them.
- 5
Book your consulate appointment
Apply at the Spanish consulate covering your US state of residence. Slots open 90 days out and disappear fast in NY, SF, and Miami.
- 6
Land in Spain → TIE within 30 days
Enter on the visa, register your padrón, get your NIE in your TIE appointment, and apply for Beckham within 6 months of becoming tax resident.
Your tax picture in Spain
Most W-2 employees and 1099 contractors qualify for the Beckham regime in their first 6 years: a flat 24% rate on Spanish-sourced income up to €600k. Above that, or for autónomo income, a progressive Spanish rate applies, but you keep the US foreign earned-income exclusion as a US citizen.
24% flat
Beckham rate on Spanish-source income up to €600k.
6 years
Beckham window for qualifying new tax residents.
0% on most
non-Spanish-source income under Beckham.
Free tool
Beckham vs. Autónomo, which nets you more?
- Toggle annual income & tax scheme
- 2026 autónomo social-security tiers
- Side-by-side vs. your US take-home
Free single-scenario tool. The full multi-scenario suite (Income, Tax, City, Emergency Fund) lives in the $15 DNV Smart Toolkit.
Estimates only. US citizens always file both returns. Confirm Beckham eligibility with a Spanish-licensed asesor within 6 months of becoming tax resident, miss the window and you're locked into standard IRPF.
United States-specific FAQs
Tap a question to expand the answer.
Three steps from idea to TIE in hand.
Most American applicants succeed by stacking the Free Guide, the Smart Toolkit, and an Application Review Pack before they book the consulate. Pick where you are.
Free DNV Guide
12-section starter guide with 2026 income thresholds, FBI/DOS timeline, and the Beckham vs. Autónomo decision tree.
Get the guideDNV Smart Toolkit
Income Calculator, Tax Estimator (Beckham vs Autónomo), City Comparison and Emergency Fund, all in EUR/USD with W-2 and 1099 presets.
Get the ToolkitApplication Review Pack
Send your draft. We return a written PDF Review Report plus written follow-up Q&A by email, catches mistakes before the consulate does.
Get the Review PackNot sure where you stand yet?
Take the 2-minute eligibility quiz, see your DNV readiness in plain English.