What the employer letter must prove
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa law (Ley 28/2022) requires the applicant to demonstrate that their work is performed remotely and for entities that are not based in Spain. The employer letter must confirm three things — and any letter that omits one of them risks rejection:
- The employment relationship is ongoing and genuine — your role, your start date, and your current status
- The work is authorized to be performed remotely — the arrangement allows full remote work from any location, including Spain
- The employer has no Spanish entity — the company does not operate, have subsidiaries, or pay taxes in Spain in a way that would classify your work as Spanish-source
For PEO employees (Justworks, TriNet, Rippling, Gusto, etc.): the letter must come from your co-employer (the PEO), not just your client company. Both letters are sometimes requested. See the Justworks guide for specifics.
Template 1: Salaried employee (W-2)
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RE: Confirmation of Remote Employment — Spain Digital Nomad Visa Application
To whom it may concern:
This letter is issued to confirm the remote employment status of [Employee Full Name], a resident of [City, State, Country], for the purpose of supporting their application for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa under Ley 28/2022 (Ley de Startups).
[Employee Full Name] has been employed by [Company Name] since [Start Date] in the role of [Job Title / Position]. Their current employment status is full-time, permanent.
We hereby confirm that:
- The nature of [Employee Name]'s position allows all duties and responsibilities to be performed fully remotely, without the requirement to be physically present at any company location. This remote work authorization is ongoing and not subject to a specific end date.
- [Employee Name] is authorized to perform their work duties from Spain, and we are aware of and support their application for legal residency in Spain for this purpose.
- [Company Name] is incorporated in the United States of America [or: specify country] and does not operate any subsidiary, branch, office, or permanent establishment in Spain. The company does not have any commercial presence or registered operations in Spain.
- [Employee Name]'s annual gross salary is [€X / $X], paid [monthly / biweekly] via [bank transfer / payroll system]. This salary has been stable for the past [X] months and is expected to continue at or above this level.
This letter is issued in good faith to support [Employee Name]'s visa application and is accurate to the best of our knowledge. We confirm that the information provided is truthful and complete.
Please contact our HR department at [HR email / phone] if you require any additional information or verification.
Sincerely,
___________________________
[Authorized Signatory Full Name]
[Title — e.g., Vice President, Human Resources / Director of People Operations]
[Company Name]
[Email]
[Direct Phone]
[Date]
Notes for W-2 employees
- The letter should be on official company letterhead — logo, address, and contact information visible at the top
- Have it signed by someone with authority: HR Director, VP People, General Counsel, or a C-suite executive. A direct manager's signature alone is sometimes questioned
- Include your salary in the letter — it should match your pay stubs. If your salary is in USD, include the EUR equivalent using a recent exchange rate (note the conversion date)
- Provide the original signed letter and a sworn Spanish translation at your consulate appointment or with your UGE filing
- If your employer has subsidiaries or parent companies with Spanish operations, have a Spanish immigration attorney review the nexus question before submitting
Template 2: Freelancer / Independent contractor
Freelancers and 1099 contractors do not have an employer to write a letter — instead, you provide a client statement confirming the ongoing working relationship and the remote, foreign-source nature of the work. You need this from at least your primary client; multiple client letters strengthen the case.
RE: Confirmation of Independent Contractor Relationship — Spain Digital Nomad Visa Application
To whom it may concern:
This letter is provided to confirm our working relationship with [Contractor Full Name], an independent contractor and resident of [City, State, Country], in connection with their application for Spain's Digital Nomad Visa under Ley 28/2022 (Ley de Startups).
[Contractor Name] has provided [describe services — e.g., software development / design / consulting / marketing] services to [Company Name] on a contract basis since [Start Date]. Our working relationship is ongoing and active.
We hereby confirm that:
- All work performed by [Contractor Name] for [Company Name] is performed remotely. We do not require their physical presence at any company location to fulfill the contractual obligations, and we have no objection to them performing their work from Spain.
- [Company Name] is incorporated in the United States of America [or: specify country] and has no legal entity, branch, subsidiary, or registered operations in Spain. All payments are made from U.S. [or: relevant country] banking accounts to [Contractor Name]'s U.S. [or relevant country] account.
- During the past [3–12] months, [Contractor Name] has invoiced and received payment from [Company Name] averaging approximately [€X / $X] per month. We anticipate this level of engagement to continue for the foreseeable future.
- The nature of our working relationship is that of independent contractor — [Contractor Name] is not an employee of [Company Name] and maintains full control over their schedule, tools, and methods of work.
This letter is provided in good faith to support [Contractor Name]'s visa application and is accurate to the best of our knowledge.
For verification or additional documentation, please contact [Name] at [email / phone].
Sincerely,
___________________________
[Authorized Signatory Full Name]
[Title — e.g., Founder / CEO / Procurement Manager]
[Company Name]
[Email]
[Direct Phone]
[Date]
Notes for freelancers and contractors
- Get a letter from each active client if possible — multiple letters demonstrate income stability and reduce the risk that one client relationship looks insufficient on its own
- Supplement with: signed copies of your contracts, invoices from the last 3–6 months, and bank statements showing payment deposits
- If a client is reluctant to write a letter, a signed copy of your Master Services Agreement (MSA) or Statement of Work (SOW), combined with your invoices and bank records, can sometimes substitute — confirm with the consulate or your attorney first
- Your prior year U.S. tax return (Schedule C) is strong income evidence; bring it as a supplement
- If you have multiple clients and no single one represents more than 50% of your income, show the combined income and explain it in your cover letter
Common rejection reasons — and how to avoid them
The letter says "remote work possible" instead of "fully remote"
Reviewers want to see explicit language that remote work from Spain is authorized. Vague language about flexibility is insufficient.
No mention of Spain specifically
The letter should state explicitly that the employee is authorized to work from Spain — not just "remotely from any location."
No confirmation that the employer has no Spanish operations
This clause is essential. If the employer has Spanish operations and it's not addressed, the UGE may treat the income as Spanish-source.
Salary not stated, or stated in USD with no EUR conversion
The UGE compares your income to the SMI threshold in euros. Include the salary in the letter with the EUR equivalent.
Signed by a peer or direct manager, not HR/legal
The signatory should have authority to bind the company on employment matters. HR Director, General Counsel, or C-suite is safest.
Not on official letterhead
Print on company letterhead with the company logo, legal name, and address clearly visible. A plain email converted to PDF is not adequate.