David Shipp and his wife Nadine always enjoyed the laid-back lifestyle, the food and the weather when they spent a holiday at their villa in Murcia in south-eastern Spain.<\/p>\n
Now, they are considering living it for real when Madrid brings a new digital nomad visa into force possibly later this year.<\/p>\n
The visa will give Britons and other non-EU citizens the chance to work under the Spanish sun at a lower cost of living than the UK and with tax breaks thrown in as an extra sweetener.<\/p>\n
The visas will be offered to people who work remotely for businesses outside Spain and for those who derive a maximum of 20 per cent of their income from Spanish firms.<\/p>\n
Law firms that specialise in dealing with the visa said they have received thousands of enquiries from Britons. <\/p>\n
Mr Shipp, 51, from Cambridgeshire, who is managing director of a company distributing polished concrete products, can work from anywhere using his laptop and telephone.<\/p>\n
I have been keeping an eye on the digital nomad visa. Our intention to move would be in around two years. We are monitoring things now because I still have a daughter at university, he toldi from his home in Britain.<\/p>\n
When we go away to Spain for long periods I am still working. This visa (would be) ideal really.<\/p>\n
Mr Shipp said he had always admired the Spanish way of life. He bought a holiday home with his wife about a year ago in San Javier in Murcia, a region popular with Britons. <\/p>\n
It is something that my wife and I have been speaking about for many years. We used savings to buy the house (in Spain), he said.<\/p>\n
(We like) the laid-back attitude (of Spaniards), the weather, the food, all the clichs. It is just a great country. <\/p>\n
Maria Luisa Castro, of CostaLuz Lawyers which specialises in dealing with the digital nomad visa, said there had been huge interest from Britons.<\/p>\n
There have been hundreds of potential nomads waiting for the visa to be approved, she told i.<\/p>\n
I would say that we have between 1,000 and 1,200 prospective applicants in our files.<\/p>\n
British diplomats echoed this feeling, telling the i that there was considerable interest in Spains nomad visa.<\/p>\n
Spains prime minister Pedro Snchez promised last month that the Start Up law, which includes the visa, would be passed before the end of the current legislature next year.<\/p>\n
The visa will initially be valid for one year but can be renewed for up to five years, depending on the applicants situation. Close relatives, such as a spouse or children, will be eligible to join the applicant.<\/p>\n
To qualify, the person must come from outside the European Economic Area and be able to demonstrate that they have been working for at least a year for a company outside Spain.<\/p>\n
They must also have a contract of employment or, if freelance, they must be able to show that they have been working for companies outside Spain for more than a year.<\/p>\n
Applicants must show they will earn enough to be self-sufficient and that they have a permanent address in Spain. It is likely, but not certain yet, that they will have to undergo a criminal record check.<\/p>\n
For the first four years that they are living in Spain, they will be taxed at 15 per cent, rather than the standard 25 per cent base rate in Spain.<\/p>\n
The Start Up law, which still has to overcome some final hurdles before coming into force, aims to boost the digital economy and attract foreign talent to Spain.<\/p>\n
It is also hoped it will smooth foreign entrepreneurs path through the notorious Spanish bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
At present, it takes an average of between 20 and 30 days to set up a company in Spain compared to one day in the UK.<\/p>\n
Apart from its lifestyle and weather, Spain is well connected to the internet, a crucial factor for people who may be hoping to make the beach their office.<\/p>\n
Internet speed is among the fastest in Europe at 148Mbps, almost double the UK speed of 75Mbps.<\/p>\n
One disadvantage is that in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, rents have risen sharply in recent years. <\/p>\n
Spain hopes good Wi-Fi even in country villages may attract nomads who want a taste of real Spain thus offsetting a growing political problem of rural depopulation. <\/p>\n
When the nomad visa becomes a reality in Spain, it will make it the 15th country in Europe to bring in such a scheme.<\/p>\n
Across the border in Portugal, nomads can apply for the D7 visa which requires a monthly income of 700 (600). <\/p>\n
In Croatia, applicants must earn at least 2,300 per month while in Estonia the minimum figure is 3,500 (3,000) and in Iceland 7,100 (6,140).<\/p>\n
Greece brought in a nomad visa in 2021 and sets the minimum monthly income at 3,500. It is not known what the figure will be in Spain.<\/p>\n
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Read this article: <\/p>\n
New Brexit visa which lets British expats wfh in Spain set to be launched this year - iNews<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" David Shipp and his wife Nadine always enjoyed the laid-back lifestyle, the food and the weather when they spent a holiday at their villa in Murcia in south-eastern Spain. Now, they are considering living it for real when Madrid brings a new digital nomad visa into force possibly later this year. The visa will give Britons and other non-EU citizens the chance to work under the Spanish sun at a lower cost of living than the UK and with tax breaks thrown in as an extra sweetener. Continue reading