Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
“I’m the sole director and employee of my own Ltd company in the UK. Is it okay to apply for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa as autonomo in Spain even though I am currently an employee in UK?”
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“It is, although it’s usually much more tax effective to remain as an employee in the UK, as there’s no tax-free allowance here. If you want to stay employed by the UK company you’ll need to apply for an A1 form on the gov.uk website, usually takes about 3 months to arrive.
Otherwise, you’ll need to sign a declaration in your Spain Digital Nomad Visa application saying you will register autonomously within (I think) 2 months of being granted it.”
Conclusion
The response from a Spainguru group member suggest that while it is possible for a sole director and employee of a UK Ltd company to apply as an autonomo in Spain, there are significant tax considerations to keep in mind.
Staying employed by the UK company might be more advantageous due to the tax implications.
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Explore Cities →Additionally, proper documentation such as the A1 form is required to confirm social security coverage by the UK.
This setup allows for flexibility but requires careful planning regarding tax and employment status in both countries.
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