The short answer

There is no single “Spain visa for Americans.” There are five realistic routes, and the right one depends on how you will earn money once you live here. If you will keep working remotely for a US employer or US clients, look at the Digital Nomad Visa. If you will live on savings, a pension or investments and not work at all, it is the Non-Lucrative Visa. If a Spanish company hires you, or your US employer moves you to its Spanish office, it is a work authorization or an intra-company transfer. Students staying more than 90 days need a student visa, and relatives can come with you or join you later through family routes.

Two things catch most Americans off guard. First, the visa that sounds easiest, the Non-Lucrative Visa, forbids all work, including remote work for a US company. Second, the Golden Visa through buying property no longer exists: Spain removed the investor visa on April 3, 2025. Everything below comes from Spanish consulates in the US, the Ministry of Inclusion and the official state gazette (BOE). Requirements change every year, so treat this as a map and let an immigration lawyer handle your actual application.

Which visa fits your situation

Your situation Visa to look at Can you work in Spain? Key money test (2026)
Remote job or clients outside Spain Digital Nomad Visa (international telework) Yes, remotely for companies outside Spain 200% of the minimum wage: EUR 2,442 a month
Living on savings, pension or investments Non-Lucrative Visa No, not even remotely 400% of IPREM per month (about USD 33,400 a year, per the Houston consulate)
Hired by a Spanish employer Residence and work authorization (employee) Yes, for that employer A job contract that meets Spanish rules
Your company transfers you to Spain Intra-company transfer or highly qualified professional Yes, within the group Set by the transfer and salary
University or study program over 90 days Student visa Limited, see below 100% of IPREM per month
Joining a relative who already lives here Family members or family reunification Depends on the route Depends on the route

The Digital Nomad Visa: for remote workers

Spain calls it the visa for international telework. It was created in December 2022 by Law 28/2022, which added it to Law 14/2013. It lets you live in Spain while working remotely for companies based outside Spain.

Who qualifies. According to the Spanish consulate in Houston:

  1. You hold a university or postgraduate degree, or you have at least three years of experience in your field.
  2. If you are an employee, you have worked for the company for at least three months, and the company has been operating for at least one year. Your employer must confirm in writing that you can work remotely from Spain.
  3. If you are self-employed, you have worked with non-Spanish clients for at least three months. Spanish clients can make up no more than 20% of your work. Employees cannot work for Spanish companies at all.
  4. You earn at least 200% of Spain’s monthly minimum wage. With the 2026 minimum wage of EUR 1,221, that is EUR 2,442 a month for you, plus EUR 916 for the first family member and EUR 305 for each additional one.

A family of four, for example, would need to show EUR 2,442 + 916 + 305 + 305 = EUR 3,968 a month.

The part people miss: Social Security. The Houston consulate asks for proof of Spanish Social Security coverage. For employees, its checklist lists the employer’s registration and the employee’s affiliation; self-employed applicants register in the Spanish self-employed scheme (RETA). This is where many remote workers stall, because their US employer does not want a Spanish payroll. Raise it with HR early.

Two ways to apply. From the US, you apply at the consulate for your state. The visa is valid for up to one year. Or, if you are already in Spain legally, including during your 90 visa-free days as an American, you can apply in Spain for the residence authorization directly. Under Law 14/2013 that authorization lasts up to three years and can be renewed for two years at a time.

Fee and timing. As of October 2026, the Houston consulate lists a fee of USD 190 for US citizens and a decision period of 10 days after submission, longer if they ask for an interview or more documents.

The Non-Lucrative Visa: for living on savings or passive income

This is the classic route for retirees and families taking a year or more off. You live in Spain without working.

The money test. The Ministry of Inclusion sets it at 400% of IPREM per month for you, plus 100% of IPREM per month for each family member. IPREM is a Spanish benchmark that changes by budget law. For 2026, the Houston consulate translates this to about USD 33,400 a year for the main applicant and about USD 8,330 for each family member. A couple would therefore need about USD 41,730 a year. You can show savings or passive income such as pensions, dividends or rent; check with your consulate how it wants bank statements presented.

The Non-Lucrative Visa does not allow any work in Spain, including remote work for a US employer. The New York consulate says it “does not allow teleworking,” and the San Francisco consulate asks for a notarized letter promising not to work, “not even online.” If you plan to keep your job, this is the wrong visa.

Where and how. You apply in person at the Spanish consulate that covers the US state where you live, usually by appointment through the consulate’s visa center (BLS). You cannot switch to this visa from inside Spain as a tourist. Plan for these documents, each with its own clock:

  1. FBI background check, issued within the last six months, with the federal apostille from the US Department of State and a sworn Spanish translation. State or local police checks are not accepted.
  2. A medical certificate dated no more than three months before you apply, translated into Spanish.
  3. Private health insurance from an insurer authorized in Spain, covering everything the public system covers, with no copays or deductibles. Travel insurance does not count.
  4. Proof of funds, the application form, photos and your passport.

Timing. The legal decision period is three months. The Miami consulate accepts applications up to three months before your planned trip. The visa itself is valid for 90 days at some consulates and 365 days at others, and once you arrive you must apply for your residence card (TIE) within one month. The initial authorization lasts one year.

Fee. As of October 2026, the Houston and Miami consulates list USD 140 for US citizens; Houston adds USD 13 for the residence permit. Check your own consulate’s fee page before you pay.

Work visas: hired by a Spanish employer or transferred by yours

If a Spanish company hires you. The employer, not you, starts the process. It files the residence and work authorization online in Spain. It must also show that the job can go to a foreign hire: either the role is on the official list of hard-to-fill occupations, or the employer proves it could not fill it locally. The Ministry of Inclusion lists the steps after that:

  1. The authorization is decided within three months. If there is no answer by then, treat it as refused.
  2. Once approved, you have one month to apply for the visa at your US consulate, which decides within one month.
  3. You collect the visa within one month and enter Spain within its three-month validity.
  4. Your employer registers you with Social Security within three months of entry, and you apply for your TIE within one month after that.

If your US employer moves you. Larger companies usually use the intra-company transfer or the highly qualified professional routes under Law 14/2013. These are processed by a dedicated unit for large companies (UGE). For a transfer, you need a degree or three years of experience, and at least three months with the group before the move. The legal deadline to decide is 20 days, and families can apply at the same time as the employee. Managers and specialists coming from outside the EU can stay up to three years under the EU transfer permit. If you are in HR planning one of these moves, our corporate relocation service runs the practical side alongside your immigration counsel.

Student visa: for semesters and longer

US students do not need a visa for study stays of up to 90 days. A semester in Barcelona is almost always longer, so you will need one.

The Los Angeles consulate gives a good picture of the rules. You apply between six months and two months before your program starts. You show 100% of IPREM per month in funds, health insurance (travel insurance is not accepted), an FBI check under six months old for long programs and a recent medical certificate. As of October 2026, the fee for US citizens is USD 160. If your program plus 45 days runs past 180 days, the consulate processes it as a long-stay visa, and you will need a TIE within one month of arrival.

Spain’s 2024 immigration regulation allows students on a long-stay study authorization to work up to 30 hours a week, as long as the job is compatible with their studies. Ask your university’s international office before you take a job.

Bringing your family

There are two different things here, and the words get mixed up.

Family members applying with you. On the Non-Lucrative and Digital Nomad routes, and on company transfers under Law 14/2013, your spouse or partner and your children can apply at the same time as you. You simply show the extra income per person described above. This is how most American families move.

Family reunification. This is for joining someone who is already a resident. According to the Ministry of Inclusion, the person in Spain must have lived here at least one year and hold permission to stay at least one more. They must show 150% of IPREM per month for a household of two, plus 50% for each additional person, suitable housing confirmed by a regional or city report, and health insurance. It covers spouses or partners, children under 18, and dependent parents over 65 in justified cases.

If your spouse is a Spanish or EU citizen, different rules apply; a lawyer will tell you which ones.

What about the Golden Visa?

It is gone. Organic Law 1/2025 removed the investor visa articles from Law 14/2013 with effect from April 3, 2025. Buying a home in Barcelona no longer gives you a residence route on its own. You can still buy property as an American, but you will need one of the visas above to live here.

Taxes: one question to ask before you choose

Your visa and your tax position are separate questions. The Spanish tax agency treats you as a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, or if your main economic interests are here. It also presumes residence if your spouse and minor children live in Spain. As a US citizen you keep filing in the US too. Talk to a tax advisor who knows both systems before you pick a visa.

What we see go wrong

  • Choosing the Non-Lucrative Visa and keeping the remote job. It is the most common mistake on the forums, and the consulates are explicit that it is not allowed.
  • Ordering the FBI check too early or too late. It must be under six months old when you apply, and the apostille and translation add weeks.
  • Using a state background check. Consulates only accept the FBI check with the federal apostille.
  • Buying travel insurance. Consulates want full health coverage from an insurer authorized in Spain, with no copays.
  • Applying at the wrong consulate. You apply where your US residence is, not where it is convenient. Each consulate publishes the states it covers.
  • Counting on the Golden Visa. The property route ended in April 2025.
  • Forgetting the steps after arrival. You will need a TIE within a month, and you will want your NIE and empadronamiento sorted soon after.

Next steps

Start with the money. Our cost of living guide helps you check that your income fits both the visa threshold and real life in Barcelona. Then gather the documents with the longest clocks: the FBI check, the apostilles and the insurance. If you have children, look at international schools early, because school calendars and visa timelines need to line up. For the application itself, work with an immigration lawyer. We introduce our clients to immigration lawyers in Barcelona and handle the practical side of the move.

Frequently asked questions

Can Americans move to Spain without a job?

Yes. The Non-Lucrative Visa is designed for people who will live in Spain on savings or passive income. You must show 400% of Spain's IPREM indicator per month for yourself (the Houston consulate lists about USD 33,400 a year for 2026), and you cannot work, not even remotely for a US employer.

Can I work remotely for my US company on the Non-Lucrative Visa?

No. Spanish consulates in the US state that this visa does not allow teleworking or online work. If you plan to keep working remotely, the Digital Nomad Visa (international telework visa) is the route built for that.

How much income do I need for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa in 2026?

200% of the Spanish minimum wage per month: EUR 2,442 for the main applicant in 2026, plus EUR 916 for the first family member and EUR 305 for each additional one, according to the Spanish consulate in Houston.

Can I apply for the Digital Nomad Visa from inside Spain?

Yes. Spanish law lets people who are in Spain legally, including Americans in their 90 visa-free days, apply directly for the telework residence authorization. It is granted for up to three years, while the consular visa lasts up to one year.

Can I still get a Golden Visa by buying property in Spain?

No. Organic Law 1/2025 removed the investor residence visa, including the real-estate route, with effect from April 3, 2025. Visas already granted keep their own rules; ask an immigration lawyer if you held one.

Do I need a visa to study in Barcelona for one semester?

Yes, for any study stay longer than 90 days. The Los Angeles consulate, for example, asks for applications between six and two months before your program starts.

Can my spouse and children come with me?

Usually yes. On the Non-Lucrative, Digital Nomad and company-transfer routes, family members can apply with you if you show the extra income per person. Family reunification, by contrast, is for joining someone who has already lived in Spain for at least a year.

Sources

  1. Consulate General of Spain in Houston: Telework Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) (checked October 11, 2026)
  2. Consulate General of Spain in Houston: Non-lucrative residence visa (checked October 11, 2026)
  3. Consulate General of Spain in Miami: Non-working residence visa (checked October 11, 2026)
  4. Consulate General of Spain in New York: Non-working residence visa (checked October 11, 2026)
  5. Consulate General of Spain in San Francisco: Non-lucrative residence visa (checked October 11, 2026)
  6. Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles: Study visa (checked October 11, 2026)
  7. Ministry of Inclusion, Sheet 6: Initial non-lucrative temporary residence authorization (checked October 11, 2026)
  8. Ministry of Inclusion, Sheet 12: Initial residence and work authorization for employees (checked October 11, 2026)
  9. Ministry of Inclusion, Sheet 8: Residence authorization for family reunification (checked October 11, 2026)
  10. BOE: Law 14/2013 (consolidated), international mobility, telework and intra-company transfers (checked October 11, 2026)
  11. BOE: Royal Decree 1155/2024, Immigration Regulation (checked October 11, 2026)
  12. Agencia Tributaria: Tax residence of individuals (checked October 11, 2026)

Rules and prices change. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.