Last Updated on April 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
“Regarding the Spain Digital Nomad Visa: I was advised to request a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) from the SSA.
I just got off the phone with the SSA, and they confirmed that they are unable to issue a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) unless the request is initiated by an employer as part of a formal relocation process.
In other words, the SSA will only process CoC requests when the employer is actively managing the visa process and relocating the employee to Spain.
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Specifically, remote or telework arrangements do not qualify unless explicitly requested by the employer.”
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Spain Digital Nomad Visa group members:
“I knew that was going to happen. They have always processed when the company has requested it!”
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“Yeap. In an act of amazing government cooperation and efficiency, although not good for people wanting to get these types of visas.
The Spanish government reached out to the US and requested this cause they thought people were abusing the process.
The issue was that moving to Spain cause you want to is not a relocation for purposes of NOT paying Spanish social security. The social security agreement was meant for relocation to a Spanish branch of a US company or vice versa.
Sucks for many, but this time the law is in their side. I am not saying this is your situation or giving any criticism just commenting on what I have found out.”
“Who advised you to get a CoC? I have not been advised to get one for application purposes.
So in order for someone to get the DNV, they will need their employer to initiate the request.
Without the employer initiating it, they can not get it, and therefore will not be eligible for the DNV?”
“Correct, there would have to be a different path unless the employer is requesting it.”
Conclusion
According to Spainguru’s Facebook group members, obtaining a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) for the Spain Digital Nomad Visa is not possible unless the request is initiated by an employer as part of a formal relocation.
Remote work or freelance arrangements do not qualify unless explicitly managed by the employer. The SSA has confirmed they are receiving many such requests and are in discussions with Spanish authorities due to the confusion.
For self-employed or consulting applicants, an alternative approach may be necessary, as employer sponsorship is crucial for the CoC route.
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