Why it matters

The Digital Nomad Visa requires proof of an active professional relationship with clients or employers outside Spain, with at least three months of continuous engagement. For W-2 employees, a Company Letter establishes this. For freelancers and 1099 contractors, the Service Agreement serves the same function: it shows the UGE that you have a real, documented, ongoing client relationship generating the income you claim.

Without a Service Agreement, the UGE has only invoices and bank statements to work from — which can be sufficient but is harder to present as proof of an "ongoing professional activity" as the law describes it. A signed contract makes the relationship explicit and formal.

What it must include

  • Your name and the client's company name and address (outside Spain)
  • Description of the services you provide
  • Compensation: hourly rate, monthly retainer, or project fee
  • Duration or indication that the agreement is ongoing
  • Signatures from both parties
  • Date of the agreement (should predate your application by at least 3 months)

How it works in the file

  • 1 · Gather existing contracts. Most established freelancers have signed agreements with major clients. Collect the most current version.
  • 2 · If no contract exists, formalize the relationship. Ask your client to sign a simple letter of engagement or a brief service agreement. I provide a template that satisfies the UGE's requirements without creating unnecessary legal obligations for either party.
  • 3 · Pair with recent invoices. The agreement establishes the relationship; the invoices prove it is active. Both are needed.
  • 4 · Sworn translation. The agreement and key invoices need official sworn translation into Spanish.
  • 5 · Cross-reference with income documents. The rate in the agreement should match the amounts in your invoices and bank statements. Inconsistencies generate questions.

The three-month requirement

Spain requires at least three months of continuous professional relationship before you apply. The Service Agreement's start date matters — an agreement signed last month, even if the actual relationship is older, raises questions about whether the three-month threshold is met. If you have a long-standing client but no formal contract, the contract start date should reflect when the working relationship actually began, supported by invoices or correspondence predating the contract.

Common mistakes

  • Applying before the three-month mark. If you signed your main client contract two months ago, wait. The fix is simple: keep working and file at the three-month point.
  • Using a contract with a Spanish client as primary proof. If more than 20% of your income comes from Spanish companies, the visa is not approvable as it stands. Service Agreements with Spanish clients can appear in the file but should not represent the majority of your income documentation.
  • No translation. An English-language contract submitted without a sworn translation will trigger a requerimiento.
  • Outdated or expired contracts. An agreement that expired six months ago does not prove a current relationship. Renew or update it before filing.

No — you need it with your main client or clients that represent the majority of your income. If you have one primary client that accounts for 80% of your income, that is the key relationship to document. If your income is spread across many smaller clients, I assess which combination best demonstrates a stable ongoing relationship.

Project-based freelancers without ongoing contracts face a harder documentation challenge. Recent invoices, email records showing repeated engagement, and a pattern of work over 12+ months can supplement or replace a formal service agreement. This is a case I would want to assess individually before advising you on the documentation strategy.

Generally no — a signed agreement on letterhead or with identifying information is sufficient. Notarization adds credibility but is rarely required for the visa file.

No. Service Agreements are private contracts, not public documents, so the apostille mechanism does not apply. What it needs is a sworn translation into Spanish.

A verbal agreement is not documentable in any way the UGE will accept. If you have a long-term client relationship without a written contract, the best path is to formalize it before you apply — even a simple written letter of engagement from the client is better than nothing.

An email exchange confirming the scope, rate, and ongoing nature of the relationship can support the file but is weaker than a formal signed agreement. I use email records as supporting evidence, not primary documentation.