Remote work

Do you need a diploma for DNV: diploma or three years of experience

DNV is not compulsory: the law requires either a diploma in higher education, a vocational college or a business school, or at least three years of professional experience (art. 74 bis Ley 14/2013).

Information material, not individual legal opinion: Prepared using IE; checked by a subject matter specialist before publication has not yet been completed; conditions apply to a particular situation and may change.
Short
  • Diploma or three years of experience. Qualifications are confirmed by a grado or postgrado degree, FP (vocational education), business school degree or experience for at least three years [1].
  • The law calls universities and business schools "reconocido prestigio", which is a recognized record. [1].
  • The diploma must be linked to the job, experience must be in similar functions, experience must be confirmed by vida labour history and company profiles. [2].
  • For a regulated profession, you need a degree homologation in Spain or a notary statement that you won't practice it here. [2].
  • Foreign public documents are submitted with apostille or legalization, documents are not translated into Spanish by a juror [2].

Do you need a DNV degree?

No, not necessarily. Article 74 bis Ley 14/2013 states the condition through "or": the applicant must be a graduate or holder of a postgrado university, vocational education (formación profesional) or business schools or have a professional experience of at least three years. [1]The Spanish Consulate in Moscow also formulates: a copy of the diploma or documents confirming the experience of at least three years. [3].

If the diploma is not a subject, the law allows for experience; if the diploma is related to the job, the experience is not required; which of the two proofs is weaker in the documents, decides before the certificate is submitted: the diploma has apostille and translation, the experience of the company's certificate of dates and functions.

What's the DNV certificate?

The law calls universities, vocational education and business schools "de reconocido prestigio", with recognized reputation [1]There are no definitions of this language in the law, no list of institutions found in the UGE directory or on the consulate page. [2]Whether a particular school or online programme is appropriate depends on the case, and this cannot be confirmed in advance.

The Consulate of Moscow adds two clarifications: experience must be comparable to the qualifications required for the remote work for which the permit is issued, and if there is doubt that the diploma is equivalent to Spanish, it may require recognition (convalidación) in Spanish educational authorities. [4]If there is no diploma or three years of experience, the condition of article 74 bis has not been met and DNV has not been obtained.

How can you prove experience instead of a diploma?

There is enough experience for at least three years in functions similar to the position you apply for. [2]. The UGE lists two confirmation options.

DocumentWhat it should have in it
Vida laboral or equivalent from your country + company statementsStart and end dates, sufficient description of functions, confirmation of real activities through valid registration in the country system; information should be consistent with company statements [2]
Certificado de profesionalidad of originIssued by the competent authority [2]

If your country does not have such a certificate or has received it for too long, UGE accepts the letters from companies, which must specify the specific functions and tasks that must be performed by a person with a level 1 or 2 degree in Spanish MECES. [2]What is considered to be "the equivalent of vida laboral" for Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine is not listed in the document.

What about regulated profession?

If the profession in Spain is regulated, UGE requests one of two things: a degree in homologation for Spanish or a notary declaración responsable, that you will not be involved in this profession in Spain. [2]Which option is appropriate for you, it's up to you before you deliver.

Do you need apostille and a diploma?

UGE writes a general rule: public documents of foreign authorities are filed with legal or apostille, and documents are not translated into Castilian by a merchant jurado, a juror appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs [2]I. Summary allowed for translation [2]The consulate in Moscow requires the translation into Spanish of all foreign documents [3]Whether the apostille is required for your university degree, the manual does not explicitly say: check the type of document and the country of issue. apostille and legalization for SpainIII. The remaining conditions of status are collected in Review of Digital Nomad in Spain and in DNV route sheetIn comparison, the Portuguese visa list does not include a D8 certificate, as is the case in the article. DNV or D8 in Portugal.

Frequent issues

Can you get a DNV without a diploma?
Yes, if you have at least three years of professional experience in similar functions, experience confirms vida laboral or equivalent from your country and company statements with dates of work and descriptions of functions (article 74 bis Ley 14/2013). If there is no diploma or experience, the condition is not met. [1][2]
Is higher education compulsory for DNV?
No, the law allows for a university, vocational education (FP) or business school diploma, and at three years of experience, a diploma is not necessary at all; universities and business schools should be "de reconocido prestigio": there is no list of such institutions in the sources, so it is better to check the cases in advance. [1][4]
Should you be in a specialty?
UGE requests a copy of the title of the post. If a diploma in another profile is more reliable, it is more likely to confirm three years of experience in similar functions. The extent to which the agency estimates the relationship of the diploma to the post, the sources do not say, so it is better to discuss this before the application. [2]
Do you need a DNV degree homologation?
Only regulated occupations: then you need a diploma in Spanish or a notary statement that you will not be involved in this profession in Spain, and you do not need a homologation for the rest of the profession, which professions in Spain are regulated, checked by profession and place of work. [2][4]
Is the online course or platform certificate appropriate instead of a diploma?
The UGE law and handbook do not list such documents, and universities and schools should be "de reconocido prestigio." We have not found an official list, so we cannot rely on the platform certificate as the only basis. More reliance on three years of experience, supported by company statements. [1][2]

Based on source

  1. BOE · Ley 14/2013, articles 74 bis - 74 ter .
  2. Ministry of Inclusion · UGE: documents for initial applications
  3. Spanish Consulate in Moscow · Visado de teletrabajo de carácter international ♪
  4. Spanish Consulate in Moscow · Visado de residencia para teletrabajo (nómada digital): documents and procedure ·

Sources are viewed on 02.10.2026. Consolidated texts and departmental reference pages are informative: legal application takes into account official publications, changes and specific circumstances. Material has not been personally checked by counsel.

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