Digital nomad residence permit for freelancers: contracts and documents

Freelancer on DNV: What's in the law and in UGE documents

The word "freelancer" is not included in the law. Article 74 bis Ley 14/2013 distinguishes between two cases: work (you are an employee) and professional (you are self-employed). For the second, the law allows for employment in a company in Spain if it does not have more than 20% of the total professional activity. [1]III. Qualifications are the same as those of all: university, vocational college or business school diplomas or experience from three years [1].

UGE specifies: self-employed persons may obtain a permit if they prove a commercial relationship with a foreign company for at least three months [2]The law adds: the company (or group) must have been engaged in a real and continuous activity for at least a year, and the contract must describe the conditions under which you work remotely. [1]For the overall picture, see para. DNV condition; here we are taking the freelancing route.

Which documents confirm you're a freelancer on DNV?

If there are more than one customer, the law speaks of a relationship with "one or more" companies over the past three months. [1]As UGE considers this time limit for several clients, no public documents are stated, so do not count on summation without checking. Documents in another language are translated by jury, foreign official documents with apostille or legalization [3].

Contracts and Accounts: How to Build a Single History

UGE checks the relationship between the files and not the files. The account number from your register should be in the contract or order, but the corresponding bank statement. The certificate should be in your name, certified by the bank, and the account transactions separated from the rest of the bank. [3]If the project lasts longer than three months, show the period of work and the basis for the periodic payments.

Don't replace the real story with a fresh contract with a date in the past. The law requires a relationship that has existed for the last three months, and it's checked for payments. [1][3]The professional portfolio explains what you're doing, but it doesn't replace the contract, the bills, and the certificate.

The name of the platform in the public documents UGE is not mentioned, we have no official position. The logbook suggests that the amount in the certificate should be the same as the invoices and the contract, and the name of the payer should not hide the true customer. This is our reading, not the agency's position.

Owner of his company, IP and self-employment

The company's ownership does not automatically free-lancer, but UGE describes this case separately. For the autónomo societario (owner of a business through a company), who owns or controls it alone, the relationship is confirmed by the proven 100% ownership and actual activity of the company for over a year. [3]Additional need: confirmation of ownership or control, the company ’s latest declaration of profit tax, investment in capital goods and the company ’s social security authority ’s history [3]. Instead of invoices and certificates, they can accept a personal tax return for the previous year, and the letter of the company in this case must contain the remaining conditions [3].

Whether Russian IPs or self-employment are suitable as a basis, we consider in a separate article: Russian IP for DNVIf your pattern is unusual, you better bring it to the pre-supplier.

Spanish clients and rule 20%

Spanish companies are only allowed to work in the professional model and only in the fulfilment of two conditions: the relationship with the company under which you have been authorized is maintained and the proportion of Spanish work is no more than 20% of all professional activity. [1][2]The method of calculating shares (for proceeds, hours or orders) is not known by law or UGE as: as a rule 20 %If you are not sure that your structure will stand this rule, compare the DNV to the usual permission to work independently: DNV or cuenta propia for freelancer.

Arrangements for preparation of steps

1. Check the model. You work under a commercial contract, not an employment contract; counterparties outside Spain; their age and reality are confirmed by the register.
2. Count three months. Contracts and accounts must cover the last three months before delivery and payments must be visible in the statement.
3. Prepare the letter from the customer. Position, functions, remote work reservation, euro payment, working conditions [3].
4. Deal with the qualifications. Diploma or experience from three years; for regulated professions, you need a homologation or a notary statement that you will not be involved in it in Spain [3].
5. Prepare the alta at RETA. Tax and social registrations are made after approval and before starting work from Spain: autónomo registration by step.
6. Give it to me. From country of residence through a visa in consulate, from Spain through UGE [1]You can't apply for a permit from abroad, just a visa. [2]I'm 73.26 on-line before delivery. [2].

Upon approval: RETA, contributions and verification of conditions

For self-employed people, one: RETA: It is not possible to replace it with an international social security agreement, as is sometimes allowed for employees. [2]If you do not get on the alta immediately after obtaining permission and this is later discovered, the permit will be terminated under additional provision 7 Ley 14/2013, and both the applicant and his family lose their right to reside and work [2]. A quick way to issue an alta without an electronic certificate: the PAE paragraph, which launches registration in tax and social insurance through CIRCE [2].

The conditions under which you have been authorized must be maintained for the entire period. Any change that affects them (e.g. loss of principal customer or change of work model) must be reported to the UGE within 30 days. [1]. Contributions are considered according to the income system, taxes and residency are analyzed by article Digital Nomad Taxes.

Typical Freelancer Errors

• Confirms net income. UGE estimates gross amounts before taxes and contributions [3].
• Sending a general discharge without a mark. Payments in accounts should be separated from other transactions [3].
• They bring a contract of employment instead of a commercial contract. The confirmation of a labour relationship is not suitable for a professional model and vice versa [3].
• They were working "in test mode" on no lucrativa. This permit does not allow work, so it cannot be invoked [2].
• They put the alta in RETA "for later". It's a condition of authorization, not a formality. [2][3].
• Spanish clients are considered to be "into the eye". Make a record of customers, contracts and periods in advance.

When Individual Review Is Needed

You need a break if you have one big customer and many small ones, if you own a company you work with, if the scheme goes through a platform or a middleman, if there are Spanish companies among the customers, or if you want to go on another basis.

What can we help you with?

The NEXO team in Barcelona is checking your situation with DNV, helping to build contracts, bills and a letter from the customer, preparing an alta plan in RETA, and accompanying the delivery and response to the requerimiento. SignIII. Format of work: Digital Nomad serviceGeneral procedure for self-loading: Residence permit in Barcelona and the route DNV.

Frequent issues

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The source is viewed on 02.10.2026 · NEXO · Drafting Draft · Sources do not replace individual legal advice.