If you are applying for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa this year and want a straight answer on the income threshold, here it is: €2,849 per month for a solo applicant. That figure is not fixed by the visa law itself, it moves every year because it is tied directly to Spain’s minimum wage. And in 2026, that wage went up.
Spain Digital Nomad Visa Income Requirement 2026: Why the Number Changed
The income requirement for the Digital Nomad Visa, officially the autorización de residencia para teletrabajo de carácter internacional, is set at 200% of Spain’s Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI).
The 2026 SMI was published in the BOE via Real Decreto 126/2026, of 18 February, setting the figure at €1,221 per month in 14 annual payments, a 3.1% increase on 2025.
Because the SMI is paid across 14 months but income is assessed monthly over 12, the correct calculation is €1,221 × 14 ÷ 12 = €1,424.50 monthly equivalent. At 200% of that figure, the minimum income threshold for a single applicant in 2026 is €2,849 per month. This is not a rounding or an estimate, it is the direct result of applying the statutory formula to the confirmed 2026 SMI.
What the Threshold Means for Each Applicant Type
This is where most guides create confusion, so the figures here are based on the confirmed 2026 SMI of €1,221/month.
- Single applicant: €2,849/month (approximately €34,000/year).
- First family member added: +€1,068/month.
- Each additional family member: +€356/month per person.
- Couple applying together: around €3,917/month (approximately €47,000/year).
- Couple with one child: approximately €4,274/month (approximately €51,000/year).
All of this income must come from the main applicant alone, family members do not need independent income to qualify as dependents. If you are applying with dependents, our guide on bringing your family on the Digital Nomad Visa covers who qualifies and what documents each family member needs.
Your Threshold by Household (2026)
Minimum monthly income of the main applicant, in euros
How the Threshold Has Risen Since 2023
Because it is tied to the minimum wage, the threshold goes up almost every year. A file prepared with last year’s figure can fall short.
Single-Applicant Threshold by Year
200% of the monthly minimum wage (SMI x 14 / 12)
Example
Emily, a US marketing manager, earns $3,300 per month. At an exchange rate of 1.15 that is about €2,870: just €21 above the line. A small move in the dollar would push her under, so we add savings statements as a buffer before filing.
Example
Lucas, a Brazilian developer, moves with his wife and their son. He needs €4,274 per month. His salary of €5,200 from a German company covers the whole family, and his wife does not need any income of her own.
How You Prove That Income
The threshold is one thing. Demonstrating it convincingly is another. The administration requires solid proof of income, alongside active contracts and documentation confirming the work can be performed remotely.
- For employees: payslips for the last three to six months, an employer letter confirming the remote arrangement and gross salary, and the employment contract.
- For freelancers and the self-employed: client contracts with a minimum three months of prior professional relationship, invoices showing consistent payment, and bank statements that match those figures.
- Spanish-client limit: no more than 20% of your total income can come from Spanish clients.
- Multiple contracts are viewed more favourably than dependence on a single client.
bunq
Useful for consolidating foreign-currency income into a single account with clean, exportable statements, exactly the kind of documentation coherence the file needs.
Learn MoreQonto
Built-in invoicing and accounting for self-employed applicants who need a consistent, well-documented pattern of client payments.
Learn MoreBankinter
A Spanish digital account, useful once you arrive and need to show local financial activity alongside your foreign income.
Learn MoreMigratioLex may earn a commission if you open an account through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Income proof is only one requirement. Start your Digital Nomad Visa application to see the full eligibility picture, documents and timeline.
Why This Process Is More Technical Than It Looks
- The calculation itself: a surprising number of applicants divide the annual SMI by 12 directly (€1,221/month) and double it (€2,442/month), which is wrong. The SMI is paid in 14 instalments, and applying the correct formula adds roughly €407 per month to the real threshold. Submitting a file built on the lower figure is a direct route to a requerimiento or a refusal.
- Currency exposure: if you are paid in USD, GBP, AUD, or CAD, exchange rate movements between the date you check the threshold and the date the administration reviews your file can push you below it.
- Document coherence: the income shown on your contracts, payslips, and bank statements must tell a consistent story, gaps or unexplained deposits are among the most common reasons for requests for additional documentation.
- The SMI changes every year, and it changed retroactively to 1 January 2026. Any file prepared using 2025 figures is already out of date.
Confirm Your Income Meets the 2026 Threshold
Currency, employment type, and dependents all change the real number you need to hit. A quick check can tell you exactly where you stand before you start gathering statements.
Check Your Eligibility in 2 Minutes →That €2,849 figure is only the starting point, the applicants who get this right are the ones who calculate it correctly, document it consistently, and confirm it against the current year’s SMI before they submit, not after a requerimiento forces them to.
Talk to a Lawyer Before You File
If you are ready to apply, or not sure yet whether you qualify, an initial consultation with MigratioLex gives you a clear, personalised answer. Our lawyers review your income structure, calculate the correct threshold for your household, and tell you exactly what documentation is needed to build a file that holds up to scrutiny. We respond within 24 hours, in English, French or Spanish.
Book Your Initial ConsultationThis article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Based on Real Decreto 126/2026 (2026 SMI) and Ley 28/2022 (Startups Law).
