Over the past year, we've seen a growing wave of uncertainty and concern among business owners applying for Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (DNV). Many entrepreneurs have found themselves asked by the UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas, the Spanish government department responsible for the DNV residency) to provide extra documentation - often with very little advance notice and, even more challenging, just 10 working days to gather everything. This lack of consistency in what’s requested has created real challenges. Some clients have had to scramble for paperwork, legalizations, and translations well beyond what was originally expected. For example, one client ended up spending nearly €1000 on sworn translations for company documents, while another was asked for more documentation not once, but three separate times, causing extreme stress and frustration.
With these issues in mind, this post aims to break down what’s changed, clarify today’s requirements, and help company owners prepare for a smoother application process moving forward.
Why Things Have Changed: Focus on Real Business Activity and Correct Registration
The latest updates aim to keep the Digital Nomad Visa program strong by ensuring it’s only available to people who can genuinely support themselves and won’t be a burden on Spain. Early on, some applicants managed to set up shell companies, move some money around, and secure residency—even if their business barely operated. This didn’t exactly give the UGE much confidence that these businesses could sustain applicants for the full three-year residency.
To tackle this, authorities are now focusing on real, ongoing business activity. This can be demonstrated with a certificate of good standing – ideally less than six months old – to show the company has been active for over a year, or with company or personal tax returns.
At the same time, there’s a new focus on making sure company owners are registered correctly from the start. For UK business owners, the preferred route has often been applying as an employee with an A1 certificate, allowing them to continue paying UK national insurance (usually less expensive than Spanish social security) and avoid the ongoing quarterly filings required of Spanish autónomos. However, according to Spanish law, those with a controlling share in their business—or sometimes even less than 50%—must actually register as self-employed and pay into the Spanish system.
For most company owners, it's still easier to apply as an independent contractor to their own company, as there are fewer documents to translate and apostille. However, for those with companies in jurisdictions like the UK—where company ownership information is public—or if your personal name matches your company’s name, your options for how to apply are much more limited.
What Are The Requirements To Apply As A Company Owner?
According to the latest instructions on the UGE website, you'll need to show the following documents:
- Proof of Ownership of the company
- Latest Corporate Tax Return
- Proof of Investment in Means of Production
- Social Security Report Showing Employees
- Company Certificate of Good Standing (preferable) or Incorporation to prove that the business has existed for a year.
Documents Only Required In Some Circumstances:
- Proof that the company has paid you for the 3 months right before the application (since you're the owner, this doesn't really add much).
- B2B (business-to-business) contracts which your company has with third parties (not always required).
- Personal tax returns or proof of savings (though, depending on the strength of your other documents, these can sometimes help support your application).
Tips to Make Your Application Shine
Want to boost your odds? Here are a few smart moves to set yourself up for success:
Plan Ahead
The better your business looks on paper, the stronger your DNV application will be. It might be worth asking your accountant to speed up the company’s tax return if it’s been a good year, or making a big investment in production tools so you can include it.
Work With the Right Experts
Choose Move To Spain Guide for truly specialized support. Our team has deep expertise in UK, US, and other foreign business structures. This broader experience means we can handle even the most complex company setups and ensure your application is watertight. Having expert support can help you navigate the requirements smoothly and spot potential issues before they arise.
Think About Adjusting the Ownership Structure or Removing the Company Entirely
If you don’t own the majority of the business, you’re not expected to provide confidential documents like the company’s tax return, which can make the application process easier. And if you’re a contractor working with other companies through your own LLC or LTD, you might want to think about invoicing them directly as a sole proprietor instead of going through your company—it’s a simple way to streamline the application.
Wrapping Up
The latest updates might initially seem overwhelming for business owners, but we see them as a positive step forward. With clearer requirements in place, applicants can now plan ahead and avoid the last-minute rush to gather documents. By stopping business owners from applying as employees, the UGE is actually doing them a favor. It could save them from expensive and stressful investigations or legal troubles later on caused by improper setups.
Ready to make Spain your new home? Book a consultation with Move To Spain Guide today and let our international business experts help you navigate every step of the process. If you’ve ever thought about turning those dreams of remote work abroad into reality, now might be the perfect time.
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