Last Updated on May 21, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
Anyone know if on a Spain Non Lucrative Visa you can work OUTSIDE of Spain (American here wanting to a little work IN the USA). Edit: Thanks everyone for your comments! Now I’m wondering why anyone might care if it’s a DNV or a NLV for a person who may work outside Spain.
Any thoughts on that? It seems there is a tax advantage for DN’s. (“Despite being residents, DNs are charged the non-residents tax (IRNR – Impuesto sobre la Renta de No Residentes) at 24 percent, instead of the more progressive personal income tax (IRPF – Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas), which can reach up to 45 percent for higher earners.) and high earners is not defined.
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These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“There is nothing wrong with working outside of Spain. Just be sure to file a tax return. And know that upon renewal you’ll need to show proof that you have the funds to continue to support yourself even without that work.”
“As long as you aren’t in Spain while doing so, you may.”
“For the NLV you can’t earn income even if outside of Spain. You can have income but it must be passive income where your involvement is not direct.”
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Explore Cities →“You’re correct, you cannot work in any capacity, in any country, or remotely with an NLV. Passive income is fine at any time.”
“Absolutely yes, you can. What you can’t do is rely on such income when demonstrating your financial status when applying for the NLV. Or carry any of the work out while within Spain.”
“Legally, no. Some people do, and get away with it successfully.”
“As far as I know Non Lucrative means you are on a non-working, not making money unless it’s investments, if not it has to be a different type of visa.”
“It might be worth looking into changing your NLV to a Digital Nomad Visa.”
Conclusion
The issue of whether one can work outside Spain while holding a Spain Non Lucrative Visa (NLV) has generated varied opinions. Some community members insist that all work, including remote work for a non-Spanish company, is prohibited under the NLV.
In contrast, others suggest that working outside of Spain is permissible, provided that the visa holder does not rely on this income to meet the financial requirements for renewal of their Spain Non Lucrative Visa.
There is a consensus that one should not work while physically present in Spain on an NLV and that tax obligations will arise if residing in Spain for more than 183 days a year.
Ultimately, the advice tends toward caution and suggests that those wanting to work may be better served by applying for a Digital Nomad Visa, which is designed for such circumstances.
Related articles
Is it possible to work remotely on a non lucrative Spain visa in Spain in 2023?
How do people with a non lucrative Spain visa manage to work on the side without getting caught?
Related reading: For the legal angle on whether the NLV permits any form of remote work from Spain, see the 2012 Spanish Supreme Court ruling on NLV remote work.
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