Digital Nomad Visa Refused? What to Check Next
What you do next depends on the route you used:
- A consulate visa: a consular refusal must be reasoned and must state the remedy, where to file and the deadline.
- A residence authorisation through the UGE: the decision is reasoned, and the law provides a recurso de alzada, an administrative appeal to the higher authority, against it.
The letter may contain a deadline, so obtain advice promptly.
The route matters
| Consulate visa | UGE residence authorisation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | The consulate | The Directorate-General for Migration, through the UGE |
| Remedy | As stated in the refusal notice | Recurso de alzada, under the law; the notice should give the details |
| Where you are | Abroad | In Spain, with your stay extended while the application was pending |
If you applied through the UGE from Spain, check how the refusal affects your current stay, and get advice before you travel or let anything lapse.
The DNV requirements most often in question
- The working relationship: at least three months with the employer or clients, the employer's permission to work remotely, and a company active for at least a year.
- Spanish clients: for self-employed applicants, work for Spanish companies above 20% of their activity.
- Qualifications or experience: a qualifying degree, or evidence of three years in similar roles. For a regulated profession, recognition or a notarised declaration.
- Income: the UGE's share-of-minimum-wage thresholds, shown by payslips or invoices matched to a bank certificate.
- Social Security and health cover: the registration commitment or home-system certificate, and health cover that the UGE accepts. It excludes travel and reimbursement-only policies, and policies with copayments or waiting periods.
Challenge or corrected new application?
DNV refusals tend to turn on documents that can be strengthened: the company letter, the length of the working relationship, the company's trading history, or the match between invoices and the bank certificate. Where those were already in order and the decision looks wrong, a challenge may be worth considering. Where one of them was thin, a corrected application, through the same route or the other one, is often the practical answer. Get advice on your own case before you choose. Do not assume you can reapply immediately; have the refusal reason reviewed first.
Help after a DNV refusal
My Spanish DNV says it drafts and submits appeals as well as preparing reapplications, and Platinum Legal Spain has a dedicated service for refused DNV applications. The providers describe different arrangements following a refusal. Check the engagement terms before paying.
My Spanish DNV
Help after a DNV rejection.
- Your rejection letter assessed
- An appeal drafted and filed, or a new application
Opens provider website. No details shared.
Platinum Legal Spain
Help after a DNV refusal.
- The refusal reviewed and the cause identified
- An appeal or a stronger new application
Opens provider website. No details shared.
We don't pass your details to either service. Choosing one opens its website in a new tab, where you start a separate enquiry.
If health cover was the issue
On the DNV, health cover depends on your Social Security position. If you register in Spain, the UGE doesn't need insurance evidence; otherwise it excludes travel and reimbursement-only policies, and policies with copayments or waiting periods. Where a private policy is needed for a new application, we check it against your application before you submit. Already insured with us? Tell us about the refusal, and we'll go through the options under your policy. See our DNV health insurance guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the deadline?
For a consulate visa, the refusal notice has to state the remedy, the body and the deadline. For a UGE decision, check the notice for the details of the administrative appeal and its time limit.
Can I switch to the other route after a refusal?
Possibly, but the reason for the refusal usually follows you. Have it reviewed before choosing a route. See UGE or consulate.
Does a refusal affect my family's applications?
Family applications filed at the same time are decided at the same time as yours. Ask your service how to handle the household file.