Spain digital nomad visa for Nigerians in 2026: requirements, the Lagos consulate, fees and legalisation

Nigerians can get the Spain digital nomad visa on the same terms as other non-EU citizens: remote work for a company or clients outside Spain, income of at least €2,849 a month and a degree or three years of experience. All Spanish visas for ordinary Nigerian passports are issued by the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos, the national visa fee is 137,700 naira from 1 October 2026, and because Nigeria does not use the apostille, every document must be legalised twice.

Below: the requirements in 2026, how to apply in Lagos or from Spain, the transit visa, how legalisation works and what it costs, the police certificate, social security, the tax treaty, and citizenship. General rules for all residence permits are in our guide to Spanish residence permits.

1. Spain digital nomad visa: requirements for Nigerians

The digital nomad permit (teletrabajo de carácter internacional, Law 14/2013) lets you live in Spain and work remotely for companies located outside Spain. It fits Nigerians employed by a foreign company or working as freelancers and consultants for clients abroad.

• Who qualifies: employees of a company outside Spain that has operated for at least a year, with at least three months of working relationship; freelancers with contracts with foreign clients, where Spanish clients may account for no more than 20% of the work.
• Qualification: a university degree or vocational qualification, or at least three years of professional experience in the field.
• Income: at least €2,849 a month for the applicant (200% of the Spanish minimum wage), plus €1,068 for the first family member and €356 for each additional one. With income in naira or dollars, keep a margin for exchange-rate swings.
• Family: a spouse or registered partner and children can apply together with you, or join later — see a digital nomad’s family in Spain.
• Health insurance with full cover and no co-payments, and a clean criminal record.
• Duration: applied for from Spain, the permit is issued for up to three years at once and then renewed for two years. Applied for at the consulate, you first receive a one-year visa, then a residence permit in Spain.

Applying in Lagos

• Only Lagos issues visas. The Consulate General of Spain in Lagos handles all visas for ordinary passports; the Embassy in Abuja deals only with diplomatic and service passports and does not legalise documents.
• Appointments. Book through BLS International (nigeria.blsspainvisa.com), which has a National Visa Appointment section; the consulate’s pages also mention lodging national visas at the consulate itself on weekday mornings, so confirm the place when booking. Only people legally resident in Nigeria can apply in Lagos.
• Fees. From 1 October 2026 the national visa costs 137,700 naira; there is no reciprocity fee on visas for Nigerians.
• Decision. The legal deadline is 10 days; the visa is valid for one year, and in Spain you then apply for a residence permit. For the digital nomad visa the consulate asks for a police certificate covering two years plus a sworn declaration for the last five.

Official information: Consulate General of Spain in Lagos — digital nomad visa.

Applying from inside Spain

Nigerians need a Schengen visa to enter Spain and an airport transit visa for connections in Schengen airports, unless they already hold a Spanish D visa or a residence permit of a Schengen country, the US, Canada or Japan. Once in Spain legally on a Schengen visa, you can apply online for the digital nomad permit. The UGE (Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit) decides within 20 working days, and if it does not reply in time the application counts as approved. This route gives a three-year permit straight away. It means planning the trip around the Schengen visa’s validity.

2. Startup visa: for founders of an innovative business

The startup visa (residence for entrepreneurs, Law 14/2013) is for founders who move to Spain to develop an innovative business with growth potential. The key document is a favourable report from ENISA, the state innovation agency, on the business plan. The permit is first granted by the UGE and is then collected as a visa at the consulate, or the whole procedure is done from Spain. It runs for up to three years and is renewed for two if the business really operates — after approval the company must be set up and registered with Social Security, see startup visa renewal.

3. Non-lucrative permit: living on capital without working

The non-lucrative permit is for those who live on savings, rental or investment income and do not plan to work in Spain, including remotely.

• Funds: at least €2,400 a month for the applicant and €600 for each family member, for the whole period of the permit.
• Where: only at the Spanish consulate for your place of residence — it cannot be applied for from Spain. The residence permit fee is form 790 code 052.
• Restrictions: no work; private health insurance; to renew, you need to spend most of the year in Spain.

For people with significant capital, Spain no longer has a golden visa: the investor residence was abolished on 3 April 2025 — see residence after the golden visa.

Documents from Nigeria: legalisation instead of an apostille

• No apostille. Nigeria is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so each document is legalised twice: first by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, then by the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos (appointment by email, cog.lagos.leg@maec.es).
• Time and cost. Legalisation usually takes two weeks; documents the consulate verifies with the issuer — degrees, birth and marriage certificates — take about two months and carry a 150,000 naira verification fee. The consulate’s reciprocity charge for Nigerians is on legalisation: 61,200 naira per page.
• Police certificate. It is legalised only in person and must state the reason for the inquiry (the Spanish visa). Order it early: it is the document with the most steps.
• Translations. Documents in English need a sworn Spanish translation (traducción jurada) for a residence application in Spain.
• Degree. For the digital nomad permit a foreign degree does not have to be homologated; for regulated professions in Spain, see degree homologation in Spain.

Social security: no agreement with Spain

Spain has no social security agreement with Nigeria. A digital nomad cannot stay in the Nigerian system: an employee must be registered in Spanish Social Security by the foreign employer, and a freelancer registers as autónomo. Without registration the permit can be terminated for the whole family — see residence permit cancellation in Spain.

Taxes when moving from Nigeria

• Nigerian residence. Nigeria’s tax laws were rewritten from 2026. Before moving, check with a Nigerian tax adviser whether a home or family ties you keep in Nigeria could keep you resident there.
• The treaty. Spain and Nigeria have had a double taxation agreement since 5 June 2015 (text). It covers Spanish wealth tax as well as income tax. Tax at source is capped at 10% on dividends, 7.5% on interest and 3.75% on royalties, and double taxation is relieved by credit.
• Spanish tax residence. You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain or your main economic interests are here; a resident declares worldwide income — see Spanish tax residency.
• Beckham Law. Employees moving for work, including employed digital nomads, may opt for a flat 24% rate on employment income up to €600,000 and exclude most foreign income for six years — see the Beckham Law. Freelancers registered as autónomos cannot.
• Wealth. Residents with large assets may owe wealth tax and the solidarity tax on large fortunes, depending on the region — see wealth tax and capital income in Spain. Accounts, securities and property abroad above €50,000 per block are reported on form 720.
• Source of funds. Spanish banks check where large transfers come from. Before moving capital, gather statements, sale contracts and tax returns that show its origin.

Citizenship: ten years in Spain

Spanish citizenship by residence takes ten years for Nigerian citizens (Civil Code, Article 22.1), and the applicant declares the renunciation of their previous nationality (Article 23 b). Under section 28 of the Nigerian Constitution, automatic loss of Nigerian citizenship applies to citizens other than by birth; a Nigerian by birth should check their position with a Nigerian lawyer. Note that a new Spaniard who uses only the former nationality for three years can lose Spanish citizenship (Article 25) — see Spanish citizenship.

Community, cities and driving

• Community. 32,223 Nigerian citizens lived in Spain on 1 January 2025 (INE annual census), most of them in Madrid (6,479), Barcelona (4,516), Valencia (1,950) and the Balearic Islands (1,825). Compare the best cities to live in Spain and Madrid.
• Driving licence. Nigeria is not on the DGT list of countries whose licences can be exchanged. A Nigerian licence can be used for six months after you become resident; then you need to pass the Spanish tests — see driving licences in Spain.
• First steps after arrival: the TIE card within a month of arriving on a visa, a bank account and health insurance.

If your income comes from several countries, you plan to move capital or the family has different statuses, it is worth choosing the route and the order of steps in a consultation before booking the appointment.

Similar guides to the Spain digital nomad visa: for Indians, Filipinos, Chinese citizens, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Mexicans, Ghanaians, Moroccans, Egyptians, Bangladeshi citizens; and from Saudi Arabia, from Qatar, from Singapore.

Frequently asked questions

Can Nigerians get the Spain digital nomad visa?

Yes. Nigerians who work remotely for a company outside Spain or serve foreign clients can apply at the Consulate General of Spain in Lagos or online from Spain while staying there legally. They need income of at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage and a degree or three years of experience.

How much is the Spain visa fee in Nigeria?

From 1 October 2026 the national visa costs 137,700 naira at the Consulate General in Lagos. Legalising documents costs 61,200 naira per page, plus 150,000 naira for documents that are verified.

Where do Nigerians apply for a Spanish visa?

In Lagos: the Consulate General of Spain issues all visas for ordinary passports, with appointments through BLS International. The Embassy in Abuja does not handle ordinary visas.

Do Nigerian documents need an apostille for Spain?

No — Nigeria does not use the apostille. Documents are legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja and then by the Spanish Consulate General in Lagos.

Do Nigerians need a transit visa for Spain?

Yes, for a connection in a Schengen airport, unless they hold a Spanish D visa or a residence permit of a Schengen country, the US, Canada or Japan.

Does Nigeria have a social security agreement with Spain?

No. A digital nomad from Nigeria must be registered in Spanish Social Security, by the foreign employer or as autónomo.

Is there a double taxation agreement between Spain and Nigeria?

Yes, in force since 5 June 2015. It covers income tax and Spanish wealth tax and caps tax at source at 10% on dividends and 7.5% on interest.

Sources

• Consulate General of Spain in Lagos — digital nomad visa
• BLS International Nigeria
• Law 14/2013 (digital nomads, entrepreneurs)
• Immigration Regulation RD 1155/2024
• Spanish Civil Code, Articles 22–24 (nationality)
• HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
• Spanish Social Security — bilateral agreements
• Spain–Nigeria double taxation agreement
• DGT — countries with licence exchange agreements
• INE — population by nationality, 1 January 2025