From 2026 the minimum wage in Spain is €1,221 a month. The income threshold for the digital nomad visa has risen from €2,763 to €2,849. The key point of this news is not the figure itself but the date: the threshold applies from 1 January, although the decree was only published on 19 February.
What has changed
The interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) has risen from €1,184 to €1,221 a month on a 14-payment basis — up by €37 a month. In annual terms that is €17,094 gross, or €40.70 a day when paid by the day.
Legal basis: Real Decreto 126/2026 of 18 February, published in the BOE on 19 February, in force from 20 February.
The income requirement for the digital nomad visa is 200% of the SMI, and it is calculated from the annual amount spread over 12 months: €17,094 ÷ 12 = €1,424.50. Hence €2,849 a month for a single applicant instead of the previous €2,763.
The thresholds for applicants with families, an analysis of a common calculation mistake and an income calculator are in our complete guide to the digital nomad visa.
The decree applies retroactively, from 1 January
The final provision of the decree says it plainly: it “takes effect for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2026”. Published on 19 February, it applies to the whole year.
This is the main practical consequence. Someone who applied in January against the €2,763 threshold formally falls under the new minimum wage: the amount applicable for 2026 is €1,221, not €1,184. Their file may receive a request for further information asking them to prove €2,849.
If your income was close to the old threshold and your application is still being processed, it makes sense to prepare documents for the new amount in advance rather than waiting for a letter from the authority. Statements covering a longer period that includes months with bonuses usually resolve the issue without rebuilding the whole pack.
Who else is affected
Those applying now. Certificates and contracts gathered for last year’s threshold may not pass: the check is formal — either income is above the threshold or it is not.
Those renewing a residence permit. On renewal, income is checked again against the threshold in force on the date of application, not the one that applied when the permit was first granted.
One caveat from the decree itself: it has a transitional provision under which the new amount does not apply automatically where the SMI serves as a benchmark in the rules of autonomous communities and municipalities or in private contracts. So a regional benefit or a rental agreement linked to the minimum wage may stay at the old figure. This exception does not extend to immigration requirements — they are set by national law.
Summary
- SMI: €1,184 → €1,221 a month on 14 payments, €17,094 a year.
- Digital nomad visa threshold: €2,763 → €2,849 for a single applicant.
- The decree was published on 19 February but applies from 1 January 2026.
- Applications submitted in January against the old threshold may receive a request for further information.
Not sure whether you meet the new threshold and which documents prove it? Describe your situation. We will review it free of charge and tell you plainly if these grounds do not suit you.
The income threshold in a real case: a solo application — why, with sequential applications, income is already calculated for the whole family.
