--- title: "Portugal D8 nomad visa vs Spain Digital nomad visa (2026)" url: https://settleanywhere.com/compare/portugal-d8-remote-work-residence-vs-spain-international-telework-visa/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- 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 - **Money** Portugal 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 stay** The first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal D8 nomad visa and 3 yrs on Spain Digital nomad visa. - **Renewal** Renewable on both. - **Permanent residence** After 5 years of residence on both. - **Citizenship** After 10 years of residence on both. - **Family** Spouse can work on both. - **Work** Portugal D8 nomad visa: remote only. Spain Digital nomad visa: limited. - **Government fees** The 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 residence** Portugal: 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](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/d8-remote-work-residence/) | Spain [Digital nomad visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/international-telework-visa/) | | --- | --- | --- | | **Country:** | *1* D8 nomad visa [Portugal](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/) | *2* Digital nomad visa [Spain](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/) | | **Type:** | *1* D8 nomad visa Nomad / Remote work | *2* Digital nomad visa Nomad / Remote work | | **Money needed:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **Needs income of €3,680+ a month ≈ $4,110** | *2* Digital nomad visa **Needs income of €2,442+ a month ≈ $2,730** | | **First stay:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **2 yrs** | *2* Digital nomad visa **3 yrs** | | **Renewal:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **Renewable** Details Valid 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. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) [AIMA](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-o-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-prestada-de-forma-remota-com-visto-de-residencia-para-o-exe) | *2* Digital nomad visa **Renewable** Details The visa lasts up to one year, the residence authorization up to three years, then renews in two-year periods while conditions are met. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074) | | **Spouse can work:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **Can work** | *2* Digital nomad visa **Can work** | | **Work:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **Remote only** Details Remote work for foreign employers or clients only; no local employment. | *2* Digital nomad visa **Limited** Details Remote work for the foreign company only. Freelancers may take Spanish clients up to 20% of their professional activity. | | **Government fees:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **€133 ≈ $150 · €114 ≈ $130 · +1 more** Details €133 ≈ $150 Application review fee for the residence permit; EUR 99.80 (≈ $110) when the application is filed digitally. €114 ≈ $130 Fee for granting or renewing the temporary residence permit; EUR 85.80 (≈ $96) when applied for digitally. €110 ≈ $120 National visa processing fee. | *2* Digital nomad visa **€73.26 ≈ $82** Details €73.26 ≈ $82 Fee for the initial application, payable for the holder and for each family member before filing. | | **Permanent residence:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **After 5 years of residence** Details Permanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Digital nomad visa **After 5 years of residence** Details Long-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. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) | | **Citizenship:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **After 10 years of residence** Details Naturalisation 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. [Diário da República / Assembleia da República](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2026/05/09500/0000200020.pdf) | *2* Digital nomad visa **After 10 years of residence** Details Nationality 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. [Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) | | **Processing:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **Up to 60 days** Details The 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. [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Digital nomad visa **20 days** Details Applicants already lawfully in Spain get a decision within 20 days; the consulate decides a visa within 10 working days. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074) [Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit](https://inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/digital-nomad-faqs-english) | | **Where to apply:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **From abroad** Details Apply for the remote-work residence visa at the Portuguese consulate for your place of residence, then book AIMA in Portugal for the permit. [AIMA](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-o-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-prestada-de-forma-remota-com-visto-de-residencia-para-o-exe) [Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) | *2* Digital nomad visa **Abroad or in-country** Details Request the telework visa at the Spanish consulate, or apply for the residence authorization from within Spain if you are there lawfully. [Boletín Oficial del Estado](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074) [Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit](https://inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/digital-nomad-faqs-english) | | **Employer needed:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **No** | *2* Digital nomad visa **No** | | **Tax residence test:** | *1* D8 nomad visa **More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year)** | *2* Digital nomad visa **More than 183 days (calendar year)** | | **Foreign-source income:** | *1* D8 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. | *2* Digital nomad visa **Beckham regime (6 years)** Details Foreign-source income outside the qualifying work and entrepreneurial income is not taxed in Spain under this regime. | | **Tax note:** | *1* D8 nomad visa | *2* Digital nomad visa [24% tax · Special regime for workers, entrepreneurs and teleworkers relocated to Spain](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/tax/) | | **Official source:** | *1* D8 nomad visa [AIMA](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-o-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-prestada-de-forma-remota-com-visto-de-residencia-para-o-exe) | *2* Digital nomad visa [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/en/ServiciosAlCiudadano/Paginas/Servicios-consulares.aspx?scca=Visados&scs=Visados+Nacionales+-+Visado+de+residencia+para+teletrabajo) | | **Checked against official sources:** | *1* D8 nomad visa 12 Oct 2026 · [Rule changed 18 May 2026](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/2026-05-18-portugal-c53a9d/) | *2* Digital nomad visa First checked 11 Oct 2026 | ≈ 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 1. [Residence authorization for remote professional activity outside Portugal (Art. 88(1) digital nomads)](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/trabalhar/autorizacao-de-residencia-para-o-exercicio-de-atividade-profissional-prestada-de-forma-remota-com-visto-de-residencia-para-o-exe) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Foreigners Law amendments: digital nomad and job-search visa requirements](https://portugal.gov.pt/gc23/comunicacao/noticias/alteracoes-a-lei-dos-estrangeiros-simplifica-procedimentos) · Portuguese Government · checked 2026-10-10 3. [2026 guaranteed minimum monthly wage (RMMG) EUR920, Decreto-Lei 139/2025](https://www.dgert.gov.pt/retribuicao-minima-mensal-garantida-para-2026) · DGERT · checked 2026-10-10 4. [AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026)](https://aima.gov.pt/documents/tabela-de-taxas-e-demais-encargos-a-cobrar-pelos-procedimentos-administrativos.pdf) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11 5. [National visa fees](https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/pt/vistos-nacionais/informacao-geral/emolumentos) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portuguese visa portal · checked 2026-10-12 6. [AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal](https://aima.gov.pt/pt/viver/reagrupamento-familiar-com-familiar-em-territorio-nacional-art-98-o-n-o-2) · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10 7. [Lei n.º 61/2025 of 22 October (amends Law 23/2007, Arts. 98-105)](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2025/10/20400/0000900017.pdf) · Diário da República · checked 2026-10-10 8. [Residence visa documentation by purpose](https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/pt/vistos-nacionais/documentacao-instrutoria/residencia) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (vistos.mne.gov.pt) · checked 2026-10-12 9. [Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026](https://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=920&tabela=leis) · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10 10. [Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81)](https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2026/05/09500/0000200020.pdf) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11 ### Spain Digital nomad visa 1. [Telework (digital nomad) visa](https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/washington/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Telework-visa.aspx) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain (Embassy in Washington consular section) · checked 2026-10-10 2. [FAQs: residence and work authorizations for international teleworkers](https://inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/digital-nomad-faqs-english) · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Initial applications for international teleworkers: documentation and financial thresholds](https://inclusion.gob.es/documents/d/unidadgrandesempresas/informacion-documentacion-pagina-web-titular-v2) · Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) · checked 2026-10-10 4. [Ley 14/2013, support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation: consolidated text (Arts. 61-76, 74 bis-quinquies)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2013-10074) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10 5. [Royal decree setting the 2026 minimum wage (EUR1,221/month)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2026-3815) · Boletin Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10 6. [Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2024-24099) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10 7. [Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1889-4763) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11 ## More head-to-heads