How much income you need to show

Minimum at the time of application or renewal, art. 62.1. The total is calculated for the term of the permit requested, art. 62.2: the first card is for one year (art. 61.4), the renewed one for two (art. 64.7).

Salary from a current employer does not qualify: the permit does not allow work.

The percentages come not from the Act but from the UGE document "Solicitudes iniciales para teletrabajadores", citing art. 62.3.f of Law 14/2013. Gross amounts, before tax and contributions. A shortfall can be covered by savings for the whole term of the permit, shown by a bank certificate.

The SMI is set in 14 payments and UGE applies the percentage to the annual figure: 200% is 34,188 € a year, that is 2,849 € a month, not 2,442 €.

The percentages come not from the Act but from the Directorate-General for Migration criteria for applying Law 14/2013, criterion 1.3: 100% of IPREM for the applicant and 50% of IPREM per family member. The consular sheet for entrepreneur visas repeats the same figure (updated January 2025). The funds must be the applicant's own or a regular source of income. Highly qualified professionals, ICT and researchers have no own-means requirement: their sufficiency is shown by the contract salary. The SMI-based formula (200%, 75%, 25%) belongs to the digital nomad status but does appear in UGE requests: if an amount is named in a request, answer in its wording.

There are two ways to evidence this and they do not mix. Savings: a bank certificate in the applicant's name showing the balance and its availability, plus the account history, since the consulate may ask where the money came from and for the account movements over the past year. Regular income: the source itself (a contract, dividends, rent) and the receipts under it. A bank loan is accepted but must be evidenced by a contract signed by the parties stating the full amount. Guarantors and third-party declarations of support do not count: the funds must be the applicant's own. UGE practice is stricter than the consular wording: in our own cases a balance certificate for the applicant's personal account was accepted, while a company account and receipts from counterparties were not, even where the applicant was the sole owner of the business.

The sponsor shows the income: 150% of IPREM for a unit of the sponsor and the first relative, plus 50% for each further one. For minors art. 67 allows a reduction (cases of art. 66.1.c and d) at the immigration office's discretion, and the same article sets the reduced threshold through the IMV: 110% of the annual amount for a family of two, plus 10% for each further minor.

If accommodation is prepaid for the whole stay, no maintenance amount is required, art. 35.h.1. The ministry sheet (hoja 1) applies the same to family members. Tuition does not count towards these amounts.

Since 7 August 2026 doctoral study is processed not as education but as a residence permit for research under art. 72.2.b of Law 14/2013, through the UGE: criterion DGGM 2/2026 recognised doctoral study as research activity. The UGE filing instructions state a minimum of 50% of the SMI on an annual basis, rising to 100% of the SMI where dependent family members apply. The instructions give no further figure for family, so the calculator does not multiply it by the number of members.

The application is filed by the doctoral student or by the university. The programme must appear in the RUCT register at Doctor level and the tuition fee must be paid by the filing date. The 790 038 fee under item 7 is EUR 23.76.

A 24-month permit without the right to work. With accommodation prepaid, the applicant threshold is 50% of IPREM and the family amounts are waived: so says the ministry sheet updated in September 2025.