Spain Digital Nomad Visa from Florida

The Florida tax comparison

Like Texas, Florida’s lack of state income tax means moving to Spain results in a somewhat higher income tax burden for most earners.  However, the gap is smaller than it appears for two reasons:

1. U.S. citizens abroad still file federal returns and may use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) to exclude up to $132,900 (2026) of earned income.  Combined with the U.S.-Spain tax treaty and Spanish foreign tax credits, the actual U.S. federal tax owed on income already taxed in Spain may be zero or minimal for many earners.
2. Spain’s social security system provides healthcare, unemployment protection, and pension contributions: benefits that Florida-based workers currently pay for privately.  The RETA or employee SS in Spain replaces insurance costs you bear independently in the U.S.

Estimate your tax

Beckham Law Tax Calculator

Compare what you’d keep under Spain’s 24% flat expat rate vs. the standard progressive rates.

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Why Florida-based remote workers apply

Florida has one of the highest rates of DNV applications per capita among U.S. states, particularly from Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale.  The reasons are practical:

• Miami’s cost of living has surged since 2020.  A 1BR in Brickell or Coconut Grove now costs $2,800–⁠$4,000/month.  A comparable apartment in Madrid or Seville costs €1,200–⁠€1,800/month
• Miami’s Latin-American cultural connection makes the Spain transition familiar: Spanish language, similar food culture, existing social networks
• Direct MIA → MAD flights make Spain accessible.  Many Florida-based clients of Spanish origin or descent feel at home in Spain quickly
• Spain’s healthcare quality: after establishing residency and contributing to Social Security, you access one of the world’s top-ranked public healthcare systems
• Climate: Spain’s Mediterranean climate is warmer than Florida in winter and, particularly in southern cities, feels familiar in summer

Your consulate: Miami

Florida residents, the panhandle included, apply through the Spanish Consulate General in Miami, located in Coral Gables.  The Miami office is bilingual, experienced with DNV applications, and has relatively accessible appointment windows, typically 4–⁠8 weeks.  Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands residents also use the Miami consulate.

Florida-specific application notes

• Income minimum: The solo DNV threshold is ~€2,849/month (~$3,100).  Florida’s median remote worker income in tech and professional services typically exceeds this.  Use the income eligibility checker to confirm your household situation
• Health insurance: W‑2 employees on the Certificate of Coverage route need Spanish health insurance from a Spain-authorized insurer.  If you are self-employed and will register in RETA, the Ministry does not require it.  Several international insurers (Cigna Global, AXA Spain, Sanitas, Asisa) serve Florida-based applicants directly
• FBI background check: about three weeks with a channeler and an apostille expeditor, valid six months from issue, time it to your filing date. Full guide →
• Florida residency termination: Florida does not tax income, so there is no residency termination issue from a tax standpoint.  You simply establish domicile in Spain.  Straightforward compared to California or New York

The in-Spain route for Floridians

MIA → MAD is one of the most frequent transatlantic routes, with daily direct flights on Iberia, American, and Air Europa.  Florida applicants are well-positioned for the in-Spain application route: fly to Madrid as a tourist, file directly with the UGE for the 3-year TIE permit, and skip the year-one consulate renewal entirely.  It is the route I recommend for most Florida applicants. See the full comparison →

Apostilles from Florida: what goes to the state office

Three documents in a Digital Nomad Visa file can send you to the Florida apostille office: a notarised true copy of your university degree (apostilled where the notary is commissioned), birth and marriage certificates issued in Florida for a family file, and a certificate of incorporation or good standing if your own company is registered here.  The FBI check and the SSA Certificate of Coverage are federal and go to the U.S. Department of State instead; a state apostille on either is wasted.