Spain's Digital Nomad Visa Bar Rises to About €3,000 a Month in 2027

Spain's digital nomad visa is about to become harder to qualify for, even though nobody has touched the visa itself. On 5 November the Ministry of Labour put a draft royal decree out for public consultation that raises the national minimum wage (SMI) by 5.3% from 1 January 2027, to €1,286 gross a month, according to elDiario.es and Infobae. Because the visa's income test is pegged to that wage, the bar rises with it.

How the income test works

Spain's foreign ministry states that applicants must show at least 200% of the monthly minimum wage, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each additional one. The SMI is paid in 14 instalments, so the monthly test is worked out on the annual amount divided by 12. The draft sets the annual SMI at €18,004, up from €1,221 a month (14 payments) in 2026. Projected monthly minimums, as calculated by SpainGuru and checked against the decree figures:

• Single applicant: about €2,849 in 2026, about €3,001 in 2027.
• Couple: about €3,917, rising to about €4,126.
• Couple with one child: about €4,274, rising to about €4,501.
• Couple with two children: about €4,630, rising to about €4,876.

Not final yet

The decree still needs Council of Ministers approval and publication in the official state bulletin (BOE). elDiario.es reports the ministry is weighing approval at the 17 November cabinet meeting, ahead of the 29 November general election. Its expert committee had recommended 4.9% (€1,281); the unions CCOO and UGT asked for 7%; employers oppose any rise now. The final number could still move.

Same visa, new bar: when a threshold is a percentage, someone else's pay rise is your price rise.

If you are planning a move

• Timing: according to SpainGuru, applications filed before 1 January 2027 are assessed against the 2026 figure, while renewals use the minimum wage in force on the day you file.
• Margin: plan with headroom above €3,000 a month as a single applicant, not the bare minimum.
• The other rules are unchanged: remote work for employers outside Spain; self-employed applicants may earn no more than 20% from Spanish clients; a degree or three years of experience; health insurance and a clean criminal record, per the foreign ministry.
• Non-Lucrative Visa: it is tied to a different index (IPREM), so this decree does not change it, SpainGuru notes.

This is an educational summary, not legal or tax advice. Consulates set their own document lists and can change them; talk to a qualified immigration lawyer or adviser before you file.