🇩🇪 Digital Nomad Visa Spain for Germans – What You Need (and Don’t Need)
If you’re a German citizen working remotely and dreaming of Mediterranean life, you’re in luck. As an EU national, you do not need a visa to live and work in Spain. But that doesn’t mean the digital nomad visa (DNV) isn’t worth considering — especially for tax planning and legal clarity.
Here’s what you need to know.
🧭 Do Germans Need a Visa to Work Remotely in Spain?
No. Germans can:
✅ Enter, live, and work in Spain without a visa
✅ Stay as long as they like
✅ Register as residents under EU free movement rights
However, there are important reasons some Germans still choose to apply for the DNV or structure their relocation legally, especially if they:
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Want to opt into Spain’s flat tax regime
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Need to bring non-EU family members
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Require a clear residency status for clients, banks, or contracts
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Plan to reduce German tax liability
📌 What Is Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa?
The Digital Nomad Visa allows non-EU citizens to live in Spain while working remotely. But it also creates a residence category that some EU citizens opt into voluntarily — mainly for tax or bureaucratic advantages.
🧮 Why Germans Are Still Interested: The Tax Advantage
Spain’s Beckham Law offers tax relief to new residents, including:
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Flat 24% income tax on Spanish-source income up to €600,000/year
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Exemption from foreign income taxation (for most remote freelancers)
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Valid for up to 6 years
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Allows clear non-domicile structure (non-Habitual Residency)
To access this, you must register under a qualifying residence status — and many Germans use the DNV route or similar residency filings to do so.
📂 What You Need to Register as an EU Citizen in Spain
If you don’t want or need the DNV, you’ll still need to register as an EU resident in Spain within 90 days.
Required documents:
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Valid German passport or ID card
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Proof of remote income or savings
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Private or public health insurance
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Address in Spain (rental contract or empadronamiento)
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Completed EX18 form (EU citizen registration)
You’ll receive the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la UE (green residency certificate).
📎 Optional: Get an NIE (tax ID) and empadronamiento to unlock full services.
🛡️ When the Digital Nomad Visa Is Better for Germans
Some Germans choose to apply for the DNV anyway when they:
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Want a clear, codified remote worker status for Spanish contracts, banks, or tax
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Need to bring a non-EU spouse, partner, or children
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Seek to access the Beckham Law with stronger protection
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Prefer to separate their German and Spanish tax liabilities
📍 Best Cities in Spain for German Digital Nomads
| City | Why Germans Choose It |
|---|---|
| Palma (Mallorca) | German-speaking services, relaxed island life |
| Barcelona | Bilingual, cosmopolitan, cultural |
| Valencia | Warm, affordable, growing expat base |
| Málaga | Sun year-round, tech hub, German schools |
| Canary Islands | Low-tax region, ideal for remote work |
👨👩👧👦 Bringing Family as a German Citizen
As an EU national, you can bring your:
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Spouse or registered partner (even if non-EU)
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Children under 21
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Dependent parents or relatives
📌 If your partner or child is non-EU, you’ll need to complete family reunification paperwork.
⚖️ How Borderless Lawyers Helps German Citizens
We assist German clients by:
✅ Handling NIE, empadronamiento & tax registration
✅ Advising on Spain vs Germany tax residency
✅ Beckham Law access strategies
✅ EU registration filings
✅ Legal documentation for non-EU partners or family
📞 Book a free consultation today — and structure your move to Spain the right way.
✈️ Final Thoughts
You don’t need a visa to move from Germany to Spain — but if you want clarity, tax benefits, or to bring non-EU family, then structured legal residency (through DNV or EU registration) is essential.
👉 Let Borderless Lawyers help you live and work legally and smartly in Spain.