Head to head
Portugal D8 nomad visa vs Spain Digital nomad visa
Two remote-work routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.
Key differences
- MoneyPortugal D8 nomad visa asks for income of €3,680+ a month ≈ $4,110; Spain Digital nomad visa for income of €2,442+ a month ≈ $2,730.
- First stayThe first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal D8 nomad visa and 3 yrs on Spain Digital nomad visa.
- RenewalRenewable on both.
- Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence on both.
- CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence on both.
- FamilySpouse can work on both.
- WorkPortugal D8 nomad visa: remote only. Spain Digital nomad visa: limited.
- Government feesThe first government fee listed is €133 ≈ $150 for Portugal D8 nomad visa and €73.26 ≈ $82 for Spain Digital nomad visa; the table lists every fee.
- Tax residencePortugal: more than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year). Spain: more than 183 days (calendar year).
Side by side
Portugal D8 nomad visa | Spain Digital nomad visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | 1D8 nomad visa | 2Digital nomad visa |
| Type | 1D8 nomad visa Nomad / Remote work | 2Digital nomad visa Nomad / Remote work |
| Money needed | 1D8 nomad visa Needs income of €3,680+ a month ≈ $4,110 | 2Digital nomad visa Needs income of €2,442+ a month ≈ $2,730 |
| First stay | 1D8 nomad visa 2 yrs | 2Digital nomad visa 3 yrs |
| Renewal | 1D8 nomad visa Renewable DetailsValid two years from issue, then renewable in successive three-year periods while subsistence, housing and tax and social-security conditions are still met. File renewal at least 30 days before expiry. | 2Digital nomad visa Renewable DetailsThe visa lasts up to one year, the residence authorization up to three years, then renews in two-year periods while conditions are met. |
| Spouse can work | 1D8 nomad visa Can work | 2Digital nomad visa Can work |
| Work | 1D8 nomad visa Remote only DetailsRemote work for foreign employers or clients only; no local employment. | 2Digital nomad visa Limited DetailsRemote work for the foreign company only. Freelancers may take Spanish clients up to 20% of their professional activity. |
| Government fees | 1D8 nomad visa €133 ≈ $150 · €114 ≈ $130 · +1 more Details
| 2Digital nomad visa €73.26 ≈ $82 Details
|
| Permanent residence | 1D8 nomad visa After 5 years of residence DetailsPermanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese. | 2Digital nomad visa After 5 years of residence DetailsLong-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence; absences of up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total, or 18 for work) do not break continuity. |
| Citizenship | 1D8 nomad visa After 10 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence on any residence title or visa (7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU states), plus Portuguese language and culture, and means of subsistence. | 2Digital nomad visa After 10 years of residence DetailsNationality needs 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying (2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal), plus good conduct and integration. |
| Processing | 1D8 nomad visa Up to 60 days DetailsThe consulate must decide a residence visa within 60 days; after arrival AIMA must decide the residence permit within 90 days, extendable by 30 in exceptional cases. | 2Digital nomad visa 20 days DetailsApplicants already lawfully in Spain get a decision within 20 days; the consulate decides a visa within 10 working days. Boletín Oficial del EstadoLarge Companies and Strategic Groups Unit |
| Where to apply | 1D8 nomad visa From abroad DetailsApply for the remote-work residence visa at the Portuguese consulate for your place of residence, then book AIMA in Portugal for the permit. | 2Digital nomad visa Abroad or in-country DetailsRequest the telework visa at the Spanish consulate, or apply for the residence authorization from within Spain if you are there lawfully. Boletín Oficial del EstadoLarge Companies and Strategic Groups Unit |
| Employer needed | 1D8 nomad visa No | 2Digital nomad visa No |
| Tax residence test | 1D8 nomad visa More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year) | 2Digital nomad visa More than 183 days (calendar year) |
| Foreign-source income | 1D8 nomad visa Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income. | 2Digital nomad visa Beckham regime (6 years) DetailsForeign-source income outside the qualifying work and entrepreneurial income is not taxed in Spain under this regime. |
| Tax note | 1D8 nomad visa | 2Digital nomad visa |
| Official source | 1D8 nomad visa | 2Digital nomad visa |
| Checked against official sources | 1D8 nomad visa | 2Digital nomad visa First checked |
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Official sources
Portugal D8 nomad visa
- Residence authorization for remote professional activity outside Portugal (Art. 88(1) digital nomads) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners Law amendments: digital nomad and job-search visa requirements · Portuguese Government · checked 2026-10-10
- 2026 guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG) EUR920, Decreto-Lei 139/2025 · DGERT · checked 2026-10-10
- AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11
- National visa fees · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese visa portal · checked 2026-10-12
- AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei n.º 61/2025 of 22 October (amends Law 23/2007, Arts. 98-105) · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-10
- Residence visa documentation by purpose · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · checked 2026-10-12
- Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026 · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11
Spain Digital nomad visa
- Telework (digital nomad) visa · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain (Embassy in Washington consular section) · checked 2026-10-10
- FAQs: residence and work authorizations for international teleworkers · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Initial applications for international teleworkers: documentation and financial thresholds · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Ley 14/2013, support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation: consolidated text (Arts. 61-76, 74 bis-quinquies) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Royal decree setting the 2026 minimum wage (EUR1,221/month) · Boletin Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11