Spain digital nomad visa from Singapore in 2026: for Singaporeans and expats on an Employment Pass

Singapore citizens and expats living in Singapore on an Employment Pass or another pass can get the Spain digital nomad visa: 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. Singaporeans enter Spain without a visa and can apply from inside Spain for a three-year permit; at the Embassy of Spain in Singapore the visa costs 116.50 Singapore dollars, applications go through BLS, and the decision takes 10 days.

Below: the requirements in 2026, applying from Spain or at the embassy, what expats on a pass need, the apostille and the Certificate of Clearance, CPF and social security, tax clearance on leaving (IR21), and the citizenship question. General rules for all residence permits are in our guide to Spanish residence permits.

1. Spain digital nomad visa: requirements for applicants from Singapore

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 Singaporeans and expats employed by a company outside Spain — including a Singapore company with regional roles — and freelancers serving foreign clients.

• 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 pay in Singapore 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 from inside Spain: simplest for Singaporeans

Singapore citizens can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. While in Spain legally on this stay, they 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. The EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet running; Singapore will be among the countries that need it.

Applying at the Embassy in Singapore

• One office. The Embassy of Spain in Singapore is the only Spanish consular office in the country; files are lodged at BLS International (International Plaza, Anson Road).
• Expats on a pass. The embassy accepts applicants legally resident in Singapore, so expats on an Employment Pass or another pass can apply there; the embassy does not list which passes qualify or a minimum validity, so ask before booking.
• Fees. The embassy lists 116.50 Singapore dollars for the visa (PayNow or cash), 14.30 for the NIE and a 25.60 BLS service charge; the BLS site shows a different visa amount for national visas, so check before the appointment.
• Decision. The legal deadline is 10 days; the visa is valid for one year, and in Spain you then apply for a residence permit.

Official information: Embassy of Spain in Singapore — digital nomad visa.

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 Singapore: apostille and Certificate of Clearance

• Apostille. Singapore has applied the Apostille Convention since 16 September 2021. Public documents are apostilled by the Singapore Academy of Law (S$10.70 per government document); private documents go through a notary first. The embassy accepts apostilled documents without further legalisation.
• Certificate of Clearance. The Singapore Police Force issues it to citizens, permanent residents and foreigners aged 16 or over who have lived, worked or studied in Singapore for at least six consecutive months. It is digital and takes 7–14 days; you need a document showing why it is required. Expats also need certificates from the countries where they lived before. SPF Certificate of Clearance
• 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 and CPF

Spain has no social security agreement with Singapore. A digital nomad is registered in Spanish Social Security — an employee by the foreign employer, a freelancer as autónomo. CPF is only for citizens and permanent residents, and a citizen moving to Spain keeps the CPF account: full withdrawal is tied to giving up Singapore citizenship or PR, so plan your retirement savings in both systems. Without registration the permit can be terminated for the whole family — see residence permit cancellation in Spain.

Taxes: leaving Singapore and arriving in Spain

• IR21 for expats. When a foreign employee leaves Singapore, the employer must file tax clearance (form IR21) at least a month before departure and withhold payments until IRAS replies; citizens do not need IR21.
• The change in rules. Singapore does not tax foreign income received in Singapore by individuals, and generally not gains on shares and property; Spain taxes a resident’s worldwide income and gains. Review your portfolio and timing before you become Spanish tax resident.
• The treaty. Spain and Singapore have had a double taxation agreement since 2 February 2012 (BOE-A-2012-404). Tax at source is capped at 0% or 5% on dividends and 5% on interest and royalties; pensions are taxed in the country of residence. It does not cover Spanish wealth tax. Singapore is not on Spain’s list of non-cooperative jurisdictions.
• 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, and Singapore does not allow dual nationality

Spanish citizenship by residence takes ten years (Civil Code, Article 22.1), and the applicant declares the renunciation of their previous nationality (Article 23 b). Under Article 134 of the Constitution of Singapore, the government may deprive of citizenship a person who, as an adult, voluntarily acquired another nationality. For a Singaporean, a Spanish passport therefore means choosing one; many stay on long-term residence, available after five years — see Spanish citizenship.

Community, cities and driving

• Community. The INE does not publish a separate figure for Singapore citizens — they are counted under «rest of Asia». Most newcomers with remote income choose Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or the Costa del Sol: compare the best cities to live in Spain, Madrid and Valencia.
• Driving licence. Singapore is not on the DGT list of countries whose licences can be exchanged. A Singapore 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, Nigerians, Ghanaians, Moroccans, Egyptians, Bangladeshi citizens, Iranians; and from Saudi Arabia, from Qatar.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for the Spain digital nomad visa from Singapore?

Yes, as a Singapore citizen or as an expat legally resident on a pass. You need income of at least 200% of the Spanish minimum wage and a degree or three years of experience; files are lodged at BLS for the Embassy of Spain in Singapore.

Do Singaporeans need a visa for Spain?

Not to enter: Singapore citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. To live in Spain they need a residence permit, which remote workers can request from inside Spain.

Can expats on an Employment Pass apply in Singapore?

Yes. The embassy accepts applicants legally resident in Singapore. Check with the embassy which passes and what remaining validity it accepts before booking.

How much does the Spanish digital nomad visa cost in Singapore?

The embassy lists 116.50 Singapore dollars for the visa, 14.30 for the NIE and a 25.60 BLS service charge.

How do I get a police certificate in Singapore?

Apply for the Certificate of Clearance from the Singapore Police Force; foreigners qualify after six consecutive months in Singapore. It is digital and takes 7–14 days.

What happens to my CPF if I move to Spain?

A citizen keeps the CPF account; full withdrawal is tied to giving up Singapore citizenship or permanent residence. Spain and Singapore have no social security agreement.

Can a Singaporean keep Singapore citizenship and become Spanish?

No. Singapore may deprive of citizenship an adult who voluntarily acquires another nationality, and Spain asks applicants to renounce their previous one.

Sources

• Embassy of Spain in Singapore — digital nomad visa
• 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–Singapore double taxation agreement (BOE)
• Singapore Police Force — Certificate of Clearance
• DGT — countries with licence exchange agreements