Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Has anyone in the US gotten the Spain Digital Nomad visa? I’m so confused about the social security requirement – please help! Is it something I can obtain on my own or does my employer have to write something?
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →When I went to the consulate someone who worked there said my employer would have to pay into the Spanish social security system – is this true? How does that work?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”Yes, your employer would have registered with the Spanish Social Security system and paid taxes. The vast majority of US applicants that have been approved are independent contractors”
”The social security requirement for the DNV was not well thought out by the Spanish government. Most Americans are not able to get it and most employers do not want to pay into the Spanish social security system. For those reasons, I would say that the vast majority of applicants are independent contractors (1099)”
”As an employee of a US company, it is not possible to get the Certificate required as the US Social Security does not issue it. The only option as a US employee is for your company to register in Spain with the Spanish Social Security system. That is tricky to do”
”All of the other comments are right. I was approved but as an independent contractor”
”Just got the visa but it was such a pain in the ass. The ss part was one of the easier parts”
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, the social security requirement for the Spain Digital Nomad visa is a major hurdle for most US applicants. The only way to get the required certificate is for a US employer to register with the Spanish Social Security system and pay taxes. However, this is a complex and time-consuming process, so most US applicants who are approved for the DNV visa are independent contractors”
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