American Digital Nomads Are Booming. Here Is the Legal Route to Live in Spain

Young Americans are leaving the US to work remotely from cheaper countries, and many do it on tourist stays that cannot last. Spain offers a legal alternative: a residence permit for people who work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain, open to non-EU/EEA nationals, including US citizens.

What Fortune reported

On 21 September 2026, Fortune published a story by Mia Osmonbekov about Gen Z and Millennials who feel priced out of homeownership and are choosing a nomadic life instead. A few points from the piece:

• It cites an estimate from the consulting firm MBO Partners of about 18.5 million American digital nomads, up from 7.3 million in 2019, and says Gen Z and Millennials make up about 75% of them.
• It cites the same firm for the finding that only 11% keep the lifestyle going for more than five years.
• It profiles a couple who spent two years in 13 countries and say they "rely on tourist visas", which means tracking how long they can stay in each country.
• It notes the downsides: loneliness, US taxes that are hard to figure out from abroad, and visa limits.

These are Fortune's figures and its sources' figures, not ours, and we haven't independently checked them. The article does not mention Spain or any specific visa programme. The rest of this post is our own context for readers who are thinking about Spain.

Why tourist stays are a dead end

A tourist stay is meant for a short visit. It doesn't give you the right to live in a country, sign a lease with confidence or build up time towards long-term residence. Nomads who hop between countries also have to keep track of every border and day count, and be ready for questions from border officers, which is exactly the stress the Fortune couple describes.

Residence works differently. It gives you a legal base, and in Spain the time you spend as a resident counts towards permanent residence.

Spain's route for remote workers

Spain created its remote-work residence in the startups law, Ley 28/2022 (see the amendments to Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies). In short:

• Who it is for. Non-EU/EEA nationals who work remotely for companies located outside Spain. Employees may only work for companies outside Spain. Self-employed professionals may also work for a company in Spain, as long as that is no more than 20% of their total professional activity.
• Experience. You need a qualifying degree or vocational qualification, or at least three years of professional experience.
• Track record with the company. You need a working or commercial relationship of at least three months before you apply. The company or group must also have been genuinely active for at least a year.
• Duration. The visa route issues a visa valid for up to one year. The residence authorisation lasts up to three years and can be renewed in two-year periods. The law's preamble says permanent residence is possible after five years.

Our full visa guide covers the requirements in detail, including income thresholds, which depend on the minimum wage and change from year to year. For the filing steps, see our residency step-by-step guide and the 790-038 fee guide.

What about US taxes?

Moving to Spain doesn't end US tax obligations. According to the IRS, US citizens and resident aliens abroad are generally subject to tax on worldwide income and can claim benefits such as the foreign earned income exclusion only by filing a US return. Spanish tax residency brings its own rules, which we cover in Tax Insights for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa and, for the special regime, in the Beckham regime for autónomos.

This is general information, not tax advice. Talk to a qualified adviser who knows both US and Spanish rules before you decide how to structure your income.

Is it cheaper? Be careful with the numbers

The Fortune article quotes a company that sells eSIMs saying nomads can reach a "50% savings rate" abroad. That is a marketing estimate from a business that benefits from nomad travel. Your own result depends on your city, your housing and your taxes. Work it out from real rent and real quotes, not a headline.

Questions to ask before you choose

• How long do you want to stay? If it's a few months, a tourist stay may be enough. If you want a home base for years, residence is the better fit.
• Who pays you? The route is built around work for companies and clients outside Spain, so check your contracts, invoices and the share of any Spanish income early.
• How long have you worked with your employer or clients? The three-month minimum is easy to miss if you've just changed jobs.
• Who is coming with you? Family members can usually be included, which changes the income you need to show.
• Are your documents ready? Criminal record certificates, apostilles and sworn translations take time, and some expire. Our apostille guide explains the order to do things in.

How Nomadoro helps

Nomadoro prepares your Spain digital nomad application with AI, has a human expert verify every document, and files it with Spain's UGE. Nomadoro is not a law firm, we can't promise an approval, and the decision is always made by the Spanish authorities. If you want to see whether your situation fits, check the plans and pricing or get in touch.