Spain
Spanish digital nomad visa
The Spanish permit for international teleworkers is issued for 3 years and can be renewed for 2 years at a time; your family can come with you and work too.
News · Spain
Spanish statistics 2025: 18% fewer non-lucrative residence permits
On 6 July 2026 the Permanent Immigration Observatory (OPI) of the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration published its analysis of the residence documents issued to foreign nationals in 2025. The total number of documents issued rose, but the number of non-lucrative residence permits and of permits under Law 14/2013 fell.
Summary
In brief
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In 2025 a total of 1,577,842 residence documents were issued to foreign nationals in Spain, 7.8% (114,238) more than in 2024.
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Authorisations issued under the general immigration regime numbered 1,292,400, an annual increase of 10.3%.
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61,352 non-lucrative temporary residence permits were issued, a decrease of 18.0% in one year.
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Under Law 14/2013 and similar categories – which include the international teleworker, i.e. digital nomad, permit – 79,720 permits were issued, 12.2% fewer.
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Family reunification permits numbered 75,159, an increase of 28.8%.
Background
What happened
The OPI published its analysis "Flujo de documentos de residencia concedidos a personas extranjeras. Año 2025" on 6 July 2026. According to the report, 1,577,842 residence documents were issued to foreign nationals in 2025, 7.8% more than the previous year. 48% of the documents issued (753,996) were initial grants, the rest renewals. The three largest nationality groups – Ukrainian, Venezuelan and Moroccan – received 42% of the documents issued in 2025.
The 1,292,400 authorisations under the general immigration regime (régimen de extranjería) exceeded the 2024 level by 10.3%. The growth came from temporary residence permits (1,192,088, +12.3%), while long-term residence permits fell by 14.6%.
The categories moved in different directions. The number of non-lucrative temporary residence permits was 61,352, 18.0% fewer than in 2024. Permits issued under Law 14/2013 (the law on support for entrepreneurs) and similar categories – entrepreneurs, highly qualified professionals, researchers, intra-company transferees and international teleworkers – numbered 79,720, a decrease of 12.2%; the analysis gives no separate breakdown for digital nomad permits within this category. By contrast, family reunification permits rose by 28.8% to 75,159, and permits based on integration (arraigo) numbered 221,802 (–0.7%). The figures include both initial grants and renewals.
For you
What it means for you
- Falling numbers, unchanged rules: the 18% fall in non-lucrative residence permits is a statistical fact; the analysis does not address the reasons, and the programme's conditions have not changed.
- Digital nomad: the 12.2% decrease in permits under Law 14/2013 applies to the whole category; the separate number of digital nomad permits is not known.
- Applying: both permits can still be applied for under the conditions in force; the statistics are background for your decision, not a restriction.
- Information: when you request a quote, we will brief you in detail on the current conditions of the two Spanish programmes and the expected processing time.
Programmes
Related programmes
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- Spain
Spanish non-lucrative visa (NLV)
Non-lucrative residence is for people who want to live in Spain but not work there: retirees, investors, people living on passive income.
Sources
Sources
Last checked:
- Permanent Immigration Observatory (OPI): Flujo de documentos de residencia concedidos a personas extranjeras. Año 2025 – analysis note – 6 July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (OPI): Flujo de autorizaciones de residencia concedidas a extranjeros – statistics catalogue – 6 July 2026 (opens in a new tab)