Which Partner Should Be the Main Applicant for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa? (2026)

The main applicant for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa should be the partner who meets the route requirements most cleanly on their own. Under Article 74 bis.2 of Law 14/2013, that person needs a university degree or at least 3 years of relevant professional experience. Under Article 74 ter, they need a remote employment or professional relationship of at least 3 months with a company that has at least 1 year of real activity. Their income also has to cover the whole household: in 2026 that means €2,849 per month for one person and €3,917 per month for a couple.

The dependant partner does not need a degree, professional experience or an income of their own. That is exactly why the choice matters. Whoever you name as main applicant carries the degree test, the route documents and the income test for both of you.

Key Takeaways

• The main applicant must hold a degree or prove at least 3 years of relevant professional experience (Article 74 bis.2, Law 14/2013). The dependant does not.
• Only the main applicant's income is tested. The two partners' incomes are not added together.
• A couple needs €3,917 per month in 2026, based on the 2026 minimum wage set by Royal Decree 126/2026.
• When one partner owns the company and the other is on its payroll, the employee is often the cleaner main applicant, but the UGE looks at who actually controls the company.
• Once admitted, the dependant can work for Spanish employers or clients without the 20% limit that applies to the main applicant.
• Choose the main applicant by eligibility, never by tax treatment.

In this guide:

• What the main applicant has to prove
• How the household income test works
• Choosing by degree or professional experience
• Company owner and employee spouse
• UK limited company couples
• Freelancer and company-owner couples
• What the dependant can do once admitted
• Unmarried partners
• When two independent applications make more sense
• Why the choice must be about eligibility, not tax

What the Main Applicant Has to Prove (and What the Dependant Doesn't)

The Digital Nomad Visa is built around one person: the international teleworker. Spanish law calls this the residence authorization for international telework, and the main applicant is the person who holds it in their own right.

The main applicant has to show four things. First, a university degree, a vocational or business school qualification, or at least 3 years of relevant professional experience. Second, a remote employment contract or professional relationship with a company located outside Spain that has existed for at least the last 3 months. Third, a company or group with at least 1 year of real and continuous activity. Fourth, enough income for everyone included in the application.

The dependant, usually a spouse or partner, joins as a family member under Article 62 of Law 14/2013. They prove the relationship, a clean criminal record and their identity. They do not prove a degree, work experience, a remote job or income.

So the question is not "who earns more?" or "who owns the company?". The question is: which of you, on your own, passes every test of the route?

How the Household Income Test Works With One Main Applicant

The income threshold is based on Spain's minimum interprofessional wage (SMI). Royal Decree 126/2026 sets the 2026 SMI at €1,221 per month in 14 payments, which is €1,424.50 per month when prorated over 12 months.

The main applicant needs 200% of that figure. The first family member adds 75%, and each further family member adds 25%.

The common mistake is to add both partners' salaries together. With one main applicant and one dependant, the UGE tests the main applicant's income against the household figure. A partner earning €2,000 and a partner earning €2,500 do not add up to €4,500 for this purpose. Neither of them reaches €3,917 alone.

If the main applicant falls short, documented savings can cover the difference for the length of the permit. Our guide on combining different income types explains what counts toward one applicant's income.

Choosing the Main Applicant by Degree or Professional Experience

The degree-or-experience test only applies to the main applicant. That makes it the first filter for many couples.

If one partner has a university degree and the other does not, the degree holder is usually the simpler main applicant, provided their income also covers the household. The degree should be relevant to the remote work they do.

A partner without a degree can still lead the application if they can prove 3 years of relevant experience. That proof has to be official, such as Social Security contribution records, government employment certificates or tax filings. Reference letters and contracts help as supporting evidence, but they are not enough on their own. Our guides on qualifying without a degree and on apostilling proof of experience cover the documents in detail.

For company owners, years of managing their own company since incorporation can help show experience, as long as the company's activity relates to their professional profile.

Company Owner and Employee Spouse: Which One Should Lead?

This is the most frequent mixed profile we see: one partner owns the company, and the other is on its payroll.

In many of these cases, the employee spouse is the cleaner main applicant. The employee route needs a contract, payslips for at least 3 months, an employer letter allowing remote work and proof that the company has no entity in Spain. The business owner route adds proof of effective control, company revenues and operational activity. Our guide on how the UGE decides between the employee and business owner route explains those differences.

There is a caveat. When the employer is your partner's company, the UGE may look closely at whether the employment is genuine. It may also check whether the employee spouse holds shares or takes decisions in the company. A spouse with a significant stake can look more like a co-owner than an employee.

Every file is different, and our lawyers review the structure before you decide. You can request a free case evaluation and we will tell you which of you is the stronger main applicant.

UK Limited Company Couples: The Recurring Pattern

Many UK couples share the same structure: one partner owns a UK limited company, and the other is on its payroll or holds a minority stake.

Take an invented example. Daniel owns 100% of a UK consultancy and pays himself mostly in dividends. His wife Emma has been on the company's payroll for four years and holds a degree. Emma is the natural main applicant, as long as her salary alone covers €3,917 per month and her role is real and remote. Daniel joins as her dependant.

If the owner is the stronger candidate, the business owner route remains open. Our guide for UK limited company directors explains how salary and dividends are assessed.

The dependant partner's documents are standard UK paperwork. Married partners need the marriage certificate, legalised with a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) apostille and translated by a sworn translator. Unmarried partners need cohabitation evidence instead. Adult family members also need an ACRO police certificate, apostilled and issued within the last 6 months. Our police certificate guide explains which one to request.

Beyond these documents, there is no different UK rule for choosing the main applicant.

Freelancer and Company-Owner Couples

Latin American couples often combine freelance contracts with a company. The logic is the same. The main applicant is the partner whose own contracts, invoices or salary cover the household threshold and whose profile passes the degree-or-experience test.

When one partner has two solid freelance contracts and the other is building a client base, the first partner usually leads. When two partners co-own a company, for example 51/49, the UGE looks at effective control and at the income each person actually receives. If the controlling partner has no degree, their experience has to be documented with official records.

What the Dependant Can Do Once Admitted

The dependant receives an authorization linked to the main applicant's and valid for the same period. They can work as an employee for a Spanish company, register as self-employed (autónomo) or start a business in Spain.

The 20% limit on work for Spanish companies comes from Article 74 bis.1 of Law 14/2013. It applies only to the holder of the international telework authorization, the main applicant. A dependant invoicing Spanish clients is not bound by it.

The dependant's status still depends on the main applicant. If the main applicant's permit is not renewed or is revoked, the dependant's authorization is affected too. Our family guide covers who else can join you.

Unmarried Partners: Proving the Relationship

You do not need to be married. The UGE accepts a marriage certificate, a registration as a de facto couple (pareja de hecho) in a public registry, or proof of a stable relationship with at least 1 year of continuous cohabitation, unless you have a child together.

Cohabitation is usually shown with at least two documents, such as a joint lease, a property deed in both names or a shared bank account. Our guide for couples explains each option and the regional registries.

If your partner is Spanish or an EU citizen, a different family residence route may fit better. See our comparison of family residence and the Digital Nomad Visa.

When Two Independent Applications Make More Sense

If each partner meets every requirement alone, including €2,849 per month, you can file two separate applications. Each of you then holds a permit that does not depend on the other.

This costs more and needs a full document set for each person. With Hoply, two independent applications cost €2,390 in service fees, compared with €1,795 for a main applicant plus one dependant. It is usually worth it when one partner's income is unstable, or when you want each permit to stand alone at renewal.

Choose by Eligibility, Not by Tax Treatment

The route you choose also has tax effects. Our guide to the employee and business owner routes explains, for example, that the business owner route closes the Digital Nomad Visa gateway to the Beckham Law.

Treat that as something to discuss with a tax adviser, not as a reason to name one partner over the other. The UGE assesses the file of whoever you name. A main applicant chosen for tax reasons who fits the route less well puts the whole household's application at risk.

Get Your Main Applicant Decision Right Before You File

Choosing the main applicant decides which degree, which job, which income and which documents the UGE will assess for your whole household. Getting it wrong can mean a requerimiento, delays or a refusal. Changing it later usually means starting a new application.

Hoply's immigration lawyers review both partners' profiles, recommend who should lead, and prepare and file the application, backed by our approved-or-refunded guarantee. Book your free case evaluation and we will tell you which of you should apply as main applicant.