Before applying for a telework visa, it is necessary to obtain a N.I.E. (Número de Identidad de Extranjero / Foreigner Identity Number). Please check the procedure and the necessary documentation in the following link: Foreigner Identity Number (N.I.E.)
This visa is intended for nationals of third countries who travel to Spain to carry out a remote work or professional activity for companies located outside the national territory, through the exclusive use of computer, telematics and telecommunication media and systems.
This visa does not apply to citizens of the European Union or to those to whom European Union law applies.
In the case of exercise of a labor activity, the holders of a telework authorization of international character will only be able to work for companies located outside the national territory.
In the case of exercise of a professional activity, the holders of a telework authorization of international character will be allowed to work for a company located in Spain, as long as the percentage of the above-mentioned work does not exceed 20% of the total of his/her professional activity.
Qualified professionals may apply for a visa or telework authorization if they accredit being graduates or postgraduates from universities of recognized prestige, professional training and business schools of recognized prestige, or a minimum of 3 years of professional experience.
The following family members of the worker may also obtain a family visa:
- The spouse or unmarried partner.
- Children and adult children who are financially dependent on the worker and who have not created a family unit of their own.
- Relatives in the ascending line under the worker's care.
FOREIGNERS WHO ARE LEGALLY IN SPAIN CAN APPLY FOR A TELEWORK RESIDENCE PERMIT DIRECTLY IN SPAIN, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A PRIOR TELEWORK VISA. THE RESIDENCE PERMIT CAN BE VALID FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE YEARS. IN CONTRAST, THE VISA HAS A MAXIMUM VALIDITY OF 1 YEAR.
- Foreigners who are legally in Spain means, among others:
- Foreigner that are legally in Spain without the need of a visa (for example US citizens can stay in Spain without a visa for 90 days in a period of 180 days).
- Foreigners that are legally in Spain with a visa (it can be any type of visa, e.g. tourist visa) during the period of the validity of the visa.
- These foreigners can apply for the authorization of Residence to the UGECE (“Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos”, del “Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones” de España – “Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit”, “Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration” of Spain). Please find more information on their web page.
Please note that, if you do not have (as a non-resident foreigner) an electronic certificate or CLAVE, you can interact and carry out all types of procedures with the Spanish administration through an authorized legal representative in Spain who will use a valid electronic certificate.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (ORIGINAL & COPY) FOR THE TELEWORK VISA APPLICATION
1.- One Application form (![]()
National Visa Application form): Each applicant must complete and sign a national visa application, filling out every section. It can be filled out electronically or handwritten in capital letters. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents or a duly accredited representative must sign the application.
Please do not forget to fill out numbers 17 (your address, email and telephone number), 21 (intended date of entry), 23 (address in Spain), 24 -25 (NIE) and 27 (complete information about the employer or company) on the application form.
2.- One photograph: Glued or clipped (not stapled) onto visa application form. Photo specifications: Passport-size, color photograph, recent (taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance), printed on matte/glossy paper, taken against a white, light, clear, uniform background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the applicant’s full oval of the face.
Photos with a dark background or with objects or people that can be seen behind your head will not be accepted. Photographs of babies must not show any part of the adult holding them.
3.- Valid, unexpired passport: Original and photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must be valid for at least the requested time of stay and must contain at least two free pages for visas. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
If the passport does not meet the requirements, it must be renewed before applying for the visa.
4.- Proof of legal residence in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens must also submit proof of legal residence in the United States: A photocopy of the valid U.S. long term Visa or a notarized copy of the U.S. Resident Card (Green card; please do not submit the original document).
B1/B2 visa holders do not qualify to apply for a visa at this Consular Office. They must apply for a visa in their country of residence or country of origin.
5.- Proof of residence or study in the consular district. The applicant must be a legal resident or be enrolled in in-person studies in a center within our consular jurisdiction (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).
Residence must be proved by one of the following, valid documents: Photocopy of U.S. Driver’s license, State ID, University Student ID. Please do not submit the original document.
If you do not have a U.S. Driver's license or State ID it is possible to prove residence in our consular district by other documents, e.g. a copy of a lease agreement or utility bill.
6.- Foreign Identification Number (N.I.E.): Certificate of Assignment of N.I.E.
7.- Certificate of the state Division of Corporations (similar institution to the Mercantile Registry in Spain) showing the date of Constitution of the company and the type of activity performed. This certificate must prove real and continuous activity for at least 1 year of the company or group of companies with which the worker maintains a labor or professional relationship.
This document must be apostilled and submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
8.- Company certificate, reflecting:
- If the worker is employed: Seniority of the worker in the company (at least 3 months), the worker’s income, and explicit permission from the company for the worker to carry out his/her job remotely from Spain.
- If the worker is self-employed: Length of the contractual relationship, as well as the terms and conditions under which the worker will exercise the professional activity remotely.
This document must be submitted in Spanish or accompanied by a translation to Spanish.
9.- Financial means: Documents proving sufficient own financial means, or accrediting a regular source of income for the teleworker and, where applicable, for the family members accompanying them.
The minimum required amount is equivalent to 200% of Spain's Minimum Interprofessional Salary (in 2024, aprox. $2.500) (SMI in 2023: 1.088 €).
For accompanying family members, an additional 75% of the SMI (in 2024, aprox. $950) is required for the second family member and an additional 25% of the SMI (in 2024, aprox. $315) must be added for each additional member counting from the third member of the family.
These amounts can be accredited, among others, with a contract, certificate of the company, etc.
10.- Criminal background check certificate: Applicants of legal age (18 years and older) must submit the original and photocopy (not notarized) of their criminal background check certificate(s) issued by the country or countries of residence for the past 2 years.
- The criminal background check must be issued by the U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). We do not accept State or Local Police Background Check.
- The background check must be issued within the 6 months preceding the submission of the visa application.
- The background check must be authenticated with The Hague Apostille. We do not accept background checks without the Hague Apostille.
- The Apostille must certify the signature on the Criminal Background check, not any other signatures. We do not accept apostilles that certify the signature of a notary that stamps a seal on the criminal background check.
- The criminal background check will not be accepted if it has been altered or damaged in any way, including damage caused by removing staples.
- The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish by a sworn/certified translator (the translation does not need an Apostille and the Apostille does not need a translation).
If the applicant has spent more than 6 months (more than 180 days) during the last 2 years in another country (outside the USA or Spain), an additional criminal background check from every country of residence must be provided. The criminal background checks must be authenticated with the Hague Apostille, unless it is issued by an EU member state. The criminal background check issued by an EU authority does not need to be apostilled to be accepted. If the country in which the applicant has lived in the past 2 years does not subscribe to The Hague Convention of 1961, the background check must by authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and then by the Consulate of Spain in said country. The background check must be accompanied by an official translation into Spanish (if the original is not written in Spanish).
Please submit the original and photocopy of all the documents: Background check, Apostille and official translation.
10.- ![]()
Responsible Declaration (original and a photocopy) of the absence of criminal records in the countries where you have resided during the previous 5 years.
11.- Health insurance: Proof of having public or private health insurance arranged with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain.
The insurance entity must be registered in the list of insurance and reinsurance entities of the General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
The insurance must cover all risks insured by Spain's public health system for the entire duration of the authorization.
The health insurance must not have a deficiency, copayment, or coverage limit, that is, it must cover all of the medical, hospital and out-of-hospital expenses, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation assistance that are carried out in health centers as well as urgent health transport. Travel insurance is not accepted.
- If an international Social Security agreement is applied, that allows teleworkers insured in another State to carry out their activity in Spain, instead of health insurance, a certificate of right to coverage will be presented issued by the competent institution of the State in whose Security system Social is assured.
The bilateral agreement between Spain and the US on Social Security applies to retirement, survival and disability benefits. The bilateral agreement between Spain and the US on Social Security does not apply to other risks insured by Spain's public health system, as health or medical care.
- It is not necessary to present a health insurance certificate if coverage by the Spanish public Social Security system is proven.
12.- Proof of coverage in the Social Security system. This can be:
a) Certificate of Coverage issued by the US Social Security, indicating that the worker meets the conditions of the US – Spain Agreement on Social Security (in case of coverage by international standard of coordination of Social Security Systems, as the US–Spain Agreement, regarding retirement, survivors and disability insurance). In this case, the applicant must add proof that other risks insured by Spain's public health system are covered by a public or private health insurance (see point 11);
OR
b) Proof of registration (or having requested registration) in the Spanish Social Security System.
+ Responsible declaration of the company (or of the self-employed worker) where the commitment appears, prior to the start of work or professional activity, to comply with the obligations of the Spanish Social Security System.
The Proof of registration can be:
- Registration of the company in the Spanish Social Security System, or;
- Registration of the teleworker as a Self-Employed worker (RETA: Régimen de Trabajadores Autónomos de la Seguridad Social española) in the Spanish Social Security System.
Please note that, if you do not have (as a non-resident foreigner) an electronic certificate or CLAVE, you will not be able to make the electronic registration request or obtain the aforementioned proof. In this case, you can obtain it through an authorized legal representative in Spain who will use a valid electronic certificate to interact and carry out all types of procedures with the Spanish administration.
The responsible declaration must be submitted in Spanish (or with an official translation into Spanish) together with the proof of registration in the Spanish Social Security System.
13.- Copy of the degree or documentation that proves a professional experience of at least 3 years.
Original and a copy of the graduate or postgraduate degree from a university or business school of recognized prestige. Alternatively, documents that prove a minimum of 3 years' professional experience in functions similar to those of the position to be held as an international teleworker. The experience must be comparable to the required qualification and relevant to the performance of the remote work.
To practice a regulated profession, the approval of the qualification necessary for its practice must be accredited.
If there are doubts about the equivalence of a vocational training degree in the Spanish educational system, accreditation of the validation of the degree before the competent educational authority may be required.
A visa for teleworking cannot be granted when the conditions of the application coincide with those of the Visa for Intra-Company transfer.
14.- Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the visa application is submitted through a representative, a copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and of the power of attorney or document accrediting representation must be submitted. The originals must be shown when submitting the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
15.- Payment of the visa fee: In cash or via money order. Different rates are applied due to reciprocity. In 2024:
- U.S. citizens: $190
- Citizens of Australia: $3.044
- Citizens of Bangladesh: $99
- Citizens of Canada: $1.599
- Citizens of Ethiopia: $508
- Citizens of Mauritania: $263
- Citizens of the UK: $917
- All other nationalities: $88
Visa fees are revised quarterly according to current exchange rates and can be subject to changes.
16.- Self-addressed and Pre-Paid US “Express-Mail" envelope from USPS to have your passport returned by mail. We do NOT accept any other type of courier or messenger service (NO FEDEX OR UPS). Tracking of mailed items is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
Required documents for family members
For each family member accompanying the worker, the following must be submitted:
- All the required documents specified in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 15, and 17. Where applicable, those specified in 10, 11 also. In the case of minors, the visa application must be signed by one of their parents or by a duly accredited representative.
- Documents proving family relationship with the worker: Birth or marriage certificates issued by the civil registry, certificate of registration as an unmarried couple.
- In case of an unregistered couple with a stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple: notarized declaration stating that you are an unregistered unmarried couple with an stable emotional relationship equivalent to a registered couple, and any other document proving the unregistered partnership with the applicant for at least 1 year, for evaluation.
- In the case of adult children (18 y.o. and older): Documents proving their financial dependence and civil status. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
- In the case of relatives in the ascending line, documents that prove they are under the worker's care. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
Foreign official documents must be apostilled or legalized and must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
Please submit the original and a copy of all the documents proving family relationship.
When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.
PROCEDURE
This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district (Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina).
- Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor. They may also be submitted through a duly accredited representative.
- Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person at the Consular Office by appointment only.
Once you have all the required documents you must scan and email them to cog.washington.vis@maec.es. If there is not enough space to include all the attached documents, you can send them in different, numbered emails. Please do not send emails if you do not have all the required documents yet. When we receive all the required documents, we will answer your mail and schedule an appointment to come in person to the Consular Section of the Embassy to submit the application. Please write the email subject as follows: “APPOINTMENT REQUEST. TELEWORK VISA. Given Name FAMILY NAME. Email Number”
- Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of the dossier through the following link: https://sutramiteconsular.maec.es/Home.aspx
- Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
- Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is 10 days as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended when an interview or additional documents are requested.
- Collecting the visa:
- If the applicant wants to have the passport returned by mail: Please submit a USPS Self-addressed and Pre-Paid Priority Mail Express envelope.
- If the applicant prefers to collect the visa in person: The visa can be collected in person by the applicant or by their representative within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favorable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
- Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
- Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
- Validity period of the visa: The visa is valid for a maximum of 1 year, unless the work period is shorter, in which case the visa will have the same validity as this period.
The telework visa is sufficient title to reside and work remotely in Spain during its period of validity, so it is not necessary for the worker to obtain the Foreigner Identity Card. However, the worker may request this card at the Immigration Office or at the corresponding Police Station.