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
Snap election in Spain: the reform of the Aliens Act will not be completed
On 5 October 2026 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap general election for 29 November 2026. According to Europa Press, the dissolution of the Cortes means the reform of the Aliens Act and the new Asylum Law, which the government had marked for urgent preparation in September, will not be adopted.
Summary
In brief
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Election day is 29 November 2026; according to reports, the royal decree of dissolution is published in the BOE on 6 October 2026.
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The two drafts – the amendment of Organic Law 4/2000 and the new Asylum Law – had not gone beyond first-round approval by the Council of Ministers.
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Both drafts would have aligned Spanish rules with the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
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According to reports, the already validated aliens decree-law remains in force.
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The current requirements for the digital nomad visa and non-lucrative residence do not change.
Background
What happened
At its meeting of 22 September 2026, the government authorised urgent administrative processing of the draft amendment of Organic Law 4/2000 and of the new Asylum Law. Both drafts were approved in first round on 25 August 2026 to transpose the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Pedro Sánchez announced the snap election on 5 October 2026. According to Europa Press, with the dissolution the government "will not see" the new Asylum Law and the reform of the Aliens Act, as these were draft bills ("anteproyectos") approved in first round by the Council of Ministers. According to Que.es on 6 October 2026, the already validated aliens decree-law, on the compulsory distribution of unaccompanied minors, remains in force as published in the BOE. The deadline for registering coalitions is 16 October.
There has been no announcement on whether the government formed after the election will continue preparing the drafts.
For you
What it means for you
- Rules in force: the digital nomad visa and non-lucrative residence remain governed by the current law and implementing regulation; the planned amendment will not take effect for now.
- Applications: applications filed now are decided under the current rules, so there is no need to delay filing because of the election.
- Uncertainty: the legislative timetable may restart after the election; we will report as soon as there is an official step.
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:
- Infobae / Europa Press: The government's social laws that lapse with the early election – 5 October 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab)
- Que.es: Social laws that lapse with the early election – 6 October 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab)
- Moncloa.com: Electoral calendar for 29 November – 5 October 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab)
- La Moncloa: Summary of the Council of Ministers meeting of 22 September 2026 (in Spanish) (opens in a new tab)