Last updated October 13, 2026

Quick summary

Americans have two main ways to live in Spain long term: the Non-Lucrative Visa for people who live on passive income or savings, and the Digital Nomad Visa for people who work remotely for clients or employers outside Spain. Both are applied for at a Spanish consulate, and both require private health insurance.

• Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV). About €2,400 a month for the main applicant (400% of the IPREM, which the consulate lists at €600 a month for 2026), plus about €600 a month for each family member. You cannot work in Spain on it.
• Digital Nomad Visa (DNV). About €2,442 a month for the main applicant (200% of the minimum wage the consulate uses for 2026), more for family members. The work must be for a company outside Spain.
• Apply at a consulate. Each Spanish consulate covers specific US states, so you apply to the one that covers where you legally live. The Washington, DC consulate lists its district as DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.
• Private insurance required. The consulate requires a policy from an insurer authorized in Spain with no deductibles, co-payments or coverage limits. Travel insurance is not accepted, and Medicare does not count.
• Long game. Long-term residence and citizenship come later. See the residency and citizenship section for what we could and could not confirm.

Why Americans are moving to Spain

Spain pairs a mild climate and a relaxed lifestyle with living costs that are lower than most of Western Europe.

• Lifestyle. Late dinners, walkable towns, strong food culture and a lot of time spent outdoors.
• Cost. Rent and everyday costs are well below most large US cities, especially outside Madrid, Barcelona and the resort coast.
• Healthcare. Spain has a well-regarded public system, and private insurance is affordable compared with US premiums.
• Travel. Spain sits in the Schengen area and has strong rail, air and road links across Europe.
• Visa options. Both a passive-income route and a remote-work route exist.

Visa options

Pick the route that matches how you earn money. The two visas have different income rules, and the NLV does not allow any work in Spain, including remote work.

These numbers are tied to Spanish benchmarks (the IPREM and the minimum wage) that change each year, and each consulate assesses files case by case. The figures above come from the Washington, DC consulate pages, so confirm the current ones with the consulate that covers your state.

Things to know

• Savings for the NLV. The Washington consulate sets no separate savings minimum, but funds must cover the first year. It asks for 3 months of statements from all accounts and a bank certificate showing the December 31 balance and the 12-month average, with a sworn Spanish translation.
• Health insurance. Must come from an insurer on the Spanish regulator’s list (link in the box above), match the public system’s coverage, and have no deductibles, co-payments or limits. Travel insurance is not accepted.
• Criminal record check. Only the FBI federal check is accepted, issued within 6 months before you file, with a Hague apostille on the signature and a sworn Spanish translation. State or local checks are not accepted.
• Medical certificate. The NLV requires one issued within 90 days of filing and signed by a physician (not a nurse practitioner or physician assistant). The consulate provides a bilingual template.
• The real estate golden visa ended. Spain closed its investor-by-property route in April 2025, so buying a home no longer gives residency by itself. You can still buy property on any visa.
• Employed vs self-employed. For Social Security, the consulate accepts either a company or self-employed (RETA) registration in Spain, or for employees a US Social Security certificate under the US–Spain agreement plus private insurance. Get tax advice before choosing.

How to apply, step by step

The process starts in the US and finishes in Spain. Most delays come from apostilles, translations and appointment availability.

1. Choose your visa and find your consulate. Read the official page for your visa: the Telework (Digital Nomad) Visa page or the Non-Lucrative Visa page. Then check which consulate covers your state in the Spanish embassies and consulates directory.
2. Calculate your required income. Use the amounts on your consulate’s page, and add the family member amounts if you are bringing a spouse or children.
3. Buy a qualifying health policy. It must come from an insurer on the Spanish regulator’s registry of authorized insurers, with no deductibles, co-payments or limits. Travel insurance is not accepted.
4. Collect your documents. A passport valid for the whole stay with two blank pages and issued in the last 10 years, the visa application form, a passport photo, proof of income or funds, an FBI check, and for the NLV a medical certificate. The DNV also needs proof of your degree or experience and your remote-work relationship. The box above links every form the Washington consulate publishes.
5. Apostille and translate. The FBI check needs a Hague apostille from the US State Department and an official Spanish translation. Find a sworn translator in the Spanish ministry’s sworn translator finder.
6. Book your appointment and pay the fee. The Washington consulate takes applications by appointment at the BLS Spain Visa Application Center (book here). Its 2026 fee schedule lists $190 for US citizens for the digital nomad visa, and $140 for the non-lucrative visa plus a $13 residence permit fee. Fees are revised quarterly, so check before you pay.
7. Wait for the decision. The consulate says the legal decision period for the NLV is 3 months, extendable if it asks for an interview or more documents, and that it cannot speed up files or give status updates. For the DNV it has 10 days from forwarding the file, which can also be extended. Collect a DNV visa within 1 month of approval.
8. Travel to Spain within the visa window. The visa is valid for up to 1 year, and you must enter within that period.
9. Apply for your TIE within 1 month of arriving. The TIE is your resident card. The Washington consulate says it must be requested within a month of entry for the NLV. For the DNV, see the UGE-CE teleworker page.
10. Plan renewals early. The first TIE is valid for a year and renewable. For the DNV, the UGE-CE FAQ says an initial residence authorization can be requested when the visa has 60 days or fewer left. Check your own renewal window with the immigration office that handles your file.

A lawyer or gestor (administrative agent) is optional but common, especially for the NLV, where files are reviewed closely. Ask for a flat fee in writing.

Cost of living in Spain

A single person living comfortably in a smaller Spanish city can expect to spend about $1,810 a month, and a couple about $2,825. These are our own estimates, built from several published sources, in US dollars for a comfortable (not luxury) lifestyle. Real costs vary with location and habits.

Living in a major city such as Madrid or Barcelona raises rent, bringing the estimate to about $2,160 for a single person and $3,325 for a couple. Use our cost of living calculator to compare scenarios across all 12 countries.

Sources consulted: Wise, Expatistan and International Living cost-of-living pages, combined with our own calculations. Figures are estimates, subject to change, and exchange rates are approximate.

Healthcare

Medicare does not cover you in Spain. Your visa application requires private insurance, and what you do afterward depends on your residency status.

• Private insurance. Required for the visa unless you can prove Spanish Social Security coverage. We could not find an official price, so get quotes from insurers on the regulator’s authorized list.
• Public system access. Residents who work and contribute are generally covered. The Ministry of Health’s convenio especial is a paid option for people with no other access: 60 euros a month under 65 and 157 euros a month at 65 or older, with at least one year of effective residence in Spain and registration on your town’s municipal register. You apply through your region’s health service.
• Pre-existing conditions. Private insurers may apply exclusions, so read the policy terms and compare more than one insurer.
• Language. Public clinics operate in Spanish or the regional language, and English-speaking doctors are easier to find in big cities and expat areas.

Taxes for Americans in Spain

Moving to Spain does not end your US tax obligations, and you may owe Spanish tax as well. This section is general information, not tax advice, so speak to an adviser who handles US and Spanish taxes before you go.

On the US side

• You still file. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income and file a return wherever they live, according to the IRS.
• Extra time. Americans living overseas get an automatic 2-month extension, which moves the usual April 15 due date to June 15. Interest still runs on tax owed after April.
• Relief exists, but only if you file. The foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit can reduce what you owe, and you can claim them only by filing the right US return.
• Foreign account reporting. If your foreign accounts together exceeded $10,000 at any point in the year, you must file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) electronically by April 15, with an automatic extension to October 15, per the IRS FBAR page.

On the Spanish side

The points below are general and come from a non-government guide. The rules and rates are set by the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT), so check them there or with an adviser before relying on them.

• Tax residency. You are generally a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, have your main economic interests there, or your spouse and minor children are Spanish tax residents. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
• Rates. Residents pay progressive rates, roughly 19% on the first €12,450, rising through 24%, 30%, 37% and 45% to 47% above €300,000. Regions can adjust these, so the rate depends on where you live.
• Non-residents. Non-residents generally pay a flat 24% on Spanish-source income.
• The Beckham Law. A special regime offers a flat 24% rate on income up to €600,000 for the arrival year plus 5 years. It generally requires moving to Spain for work and an application within 6 months, and freelancers often cannot use it. Ask an adviser whether you qualify.
• Filing. Spain uses a January to December tax year, with returns generally filed between April and late June of the following year.
• Foreign asset reporting. Tax residents may have to report foreign assets above a threshold on a separate declaration, the Modelo 720. We could not confirm the threshold on the government page, so check it with the AEAT.
• Wealth tax. Spain taxes net worth above certain thresholds, with rules that vary by region. Get advice if your assets are substantial.
• Treaty and social security. See the IRS page on the US-Spain tax treaty and the Social Security Administration’s US-Spain agreement page, which explains how the agreement prevents paying Social Security taxes to both countries.

Spanish-side summary adapted from Wise: Spain expat taxes, a general guide and not professional advice. Rules and rates change, so confirm current figures with the AEAT.

Where to live

Both visas let you live anywhere in Spain, so choose by budget, climate and lifestyle.

• Madrid. The capital has the most jobs, culture and international services, with high rents.
• Barcelona. A coastal city with a large international community and the most expensive rents of the major cities.
• Valencia. A big city with beaches, good transit and costs below Madrid and Barcelona.
• Andalusia (Seville, Málaga, Granada). Warm weather and a lively culture, with prices that vary from affordable to resort-level.
• Smaller cities and the interior. Towns in regions such as Castile, Galicia and the north offer lower costs, with fewer English speakers and services.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most refusals and delays come from paperwork and timing, not from eligibility.

• Planning to work remotely on the Non-Lucrative Visa. It does not allow any work in Spain, including remote work.
• Buying travel insurance instead of a qualifying policy. The consulate rejects travel insurance and wants no deductibles, co-payments or limits.
• Using the wrong consulate. You must apply where you legally live, and each consulate has its own checklist.
• Skipping the apostille or sworn translation. Missing legalization is a leading cause of delays.
• Using a state background check. Only the FBI federal check is accepted.
• Letting documents go stale. The FBI check must be issued within 6 months of filing and the medical certificate within 90 days.
• Moving before you have the TIE plan. The consulate says to apply within 1 month of arriving.
• Spending too long outside Spain. Ask the immigration office how long you can be away without affecting your permit.
• Ignoring Spanish tax residency. Spending over 183 days can make you a tax resident with worldwide reporting.
• Assuming property buys residency. The golden visa closed in April 2025.

Permanent residency and citizenship

Residence in Spain builds toward long-term status. The rules can change, so confirm them with Spanish authorities when you approach each stage.

1. Year 1. The visa is valid up to a year, and the first TIE is valid for a year.
2. Renewals. Renewal length and conditions come from Spain’s immigration rules and your permit type, so confirm them with Spain’s immigration portal or the office handling your file.
3. Long-term residence. This generally follows an extended period of continuous legal residence. We could not confirm the exact period on a government page, so check the immigration portal.
4. Citizenship. The Ministry of Justice says residence must be legal, continuous and immediately before the application, with good civic conduct and integration, and that the required period depends on the case. The application fee is €104.05. It does not state the number of years on the pages we reached, so see the Ministry of Justice nationality page and its online application. Ask an immigration lawyer about language and civics tests and about dual citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work remotely on the Non-Lucrative Visa?

No. The NLV does not allow work in Spain, including remote work, so remote workers generally use the Digital Nomad Visa.

Can I apply from inside Spain?

The NLV is applied for at a consulate. The Digital Nomad Visa has a consulate route and an in-Spain route for people already legally in the country, which goes through the UGE-CE and is filed electronically with a digital certificate.

Does Medicare cover me in Spain?

No. Your visa requires private Spanish health insurance with no deductibles, co-payments or limits, unless you can prove Spanish Social Security coverage.

How long does the process take?

The Washington consulate gives a legal decision period of 3 months for the NLV, extendable, plus up to 3 more months if other authorities are consulted. Add time for appointments, apostilles and translations.

Can I bring my family?

Yes. Spouses and children can be included, and the income requirement rises for each family member.

Do I need to speak Spanish?

Not for the visa, but day-to-day life, paperwork and public healthcare are much easier with it.

Will I pay tax in both countries?

You will likely file in both. Credits and the totalization agreement reduce double taxation, but plan with a cross-border tax adviser before you move.

Sources and last updated

Last updated October 13, 2026. This guide draws on Spanish and US government pages. Visa rules, fees and thresholds change often and vary by consulate, so confirm every figure with the Spanish consulate that covers your state before you apply. Where this guide says something could not be confirmed or is unclear, consult and verify it with the immigration authorities before making any major decision, such as signing a lease, buying property, moving money or booking a move. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.

• Spanish Consulate in Washington: Telework (Digital Nomad) Visa
• Spanish Consulate in Washington: Non-Lucrative Residence Visa
• Spanish Consulate in Washington: NIE
• Ministry of Inclusion (UGE-CE): international teleworkers
• UGE-CE digital nomad FAQs (English)
• Ministry of Health: convenio especial
• Ministry of Justice: nationality by residence
• Spanish Tax Agency: Modelo 720
• Social Security Administration: US-Spain agreement
• IRS: Spain tax treaty documents
• IRS: U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad
• IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
• Wise: Spain expat taxes (non-government, used for the Spanish tax summary only)