Why it matters

The Digital Nomad Visa requires proof of an ongoing employment relationship with a company outside Spain. For a 1099 contractor, that proof is a Service Agreement. For a W-2 employee, it is the Company Letter — and the UGE reads it carefully.

A letter that is too vague ("we support John's desire to relocate") will generate a requerimiento. A letter that says too much ("John will perform all his work in Spain permanently") raises questions about whether the arrangement qualifies under the visa's terms. The language has to land in a specific zone: remote work explicitly authorized, employment relationship clear, company outside Spain identified.

I draft every Company Letter in my cases to my specification, based on what I know the UGE accepts. HR reviews and signs — they don't write it from scratch.

What the letter must include

  • Employee's full name and position
  • Date of hire and current employment status (full-time, permanent)
  • Gross annual or monthly salary in USD (matching proof of income documents)
  • Explicit authorization to work remotely from Spain
  • Confirmation that the company is incorporated and operates outside Spain
  • Signatory's name, title, and signature on company letterhead
  • Date within 30 days of filing

PEO cases: who writes the letter?

If your employer uses a PEO, the question of who signs the Company Letter is more nuanced. The UGE needs to see the legal employment relationship — which is with the PEO — but also understand the nature of the actual work — which is with the client company. I typically draft two letters in PEO cases:

  1. A letter from the PEO confirming the legal employment relationship, salary, and benefits
  2. A letter from the client company confirming the remote work authorization and the nature of the role

Together, they give the UGE a complete picture without ambiguity about either relationship.

How it works

  • 1 · I draft the letter. Based on the information you provide about your role, salary, and employer structure.
  • 2 · You send it to HR. With a short explanation of what the visa is and what they need to do — I provide this note for you.
  • 3 · HR reviews and signs. Most sign within a few days. Legal review occasionally adds a week.
  • 4 · Sworn translation. The signed letter goes to a sworn translator for official Spanish translation.
  • 5 · Into the file. Filed with the DNV application, timed so it is dated within 30 days of submission.

Common mistakes

  • Letting HR write it without guidance. HR teams that have never done this write letters that are too vague, too corporate, or missing key elements. A letter they draft themselves almost always needs revision.
  • Getting a letter that's too old. A letter dated 3 months before filing looks stale. I time the letter request so it is signed close to the filing date.
  • No sworn translation. The UGE processes everything in Spanish. An English letter without translation is automatically a requerimiento.
  • Wrong signatory in PEO cases. For PEO arrangements, the client company manager signing the letter is not enough — the PEO's HR or payroll team must also be involved.

Someone with authority to bind the company — typically an HR director, VP of People, or C-level executive. A direct manager can sign if they have the authority. The UGE does not require a specific title, but the signatory should plausibly be able to authorize international remote work arrangements.

Not always, but it strengthens the file. For PEO cases or complex structures, I recommend notarization. For straightforward W-2 cases with a clear employer relationship, a signed letter on company letterhead is usually sufficient.

Generally no. The Company Letter is a private document, not a public document, so the apostille mechanism does not apply. What it needs is a sworn translation into Spanish.

This is rare but it happens. Companies sometimes refuse because of HR policy, legal caution, or simply not knowing what the letter is for. I provide a template and a plain-language explanation HR teams can share with their legal counsel. In most cases, once they understand the letter does not create obligations for the company, cooperation follows.

Yes — this is the most efficient approach. I draft the letter to my specification and you send it to HR for review and signature. This avoids the back-and-forth of HR trying to write something they've never written before.

The UGE expects a current letter. I recommend dating it within 30 days of your planned filing date. An old letter from 6 months ago, even if substantively correct, may trigger a requerimiento asking for confirmation of the current relationship.