Everything costs money. What matters is whether you're paying smartly. Get a complete breakdown of government fees, document costs, health insurance, and what My Spanish Visa includes—so you can make an informed decision.
The Spain Digital Nomad Visa isn't free, but it's affordable. Here's how the costs break down across government, documents, insurance, and professional guidance. Understanding the full financial picture helps you decide whether to apply through a consulate or via UGE electronic filing.
DIY Total (excluding health insurance): Approximately €1,500–€2,500 if you handle everything yourself. With My Spanish Visa + 3 months insurance: €3,300–€3,600 (health insurance varies by age/provider).
The visa itself has a processing fee charged by the Spanish consulate. This varies depending on your nationality and eligibility, and which consulate processes your application.
The Spanish consulate charges a visa processing fee. EU/EEA nationals may pay less; some nationalities pay more. This is non-refundable even if your application is rejected.
If your consulate supports UGE electronic filing, you can submit online with no additional shipping or processing costs. If not, you must print and post documents, which adds €15–€40 for courier fees.
The consulate fee is your only government cost. There is no renewal fee, residency fee, or annual charge once you receive your DNV. The visa is valid for 1 year and is renewable.
The bulk of your DIY costs come from preparing required documents: apostilles, certified translations, background checks, and medical certificates.
| Document | Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille per Document | £15–£50 (UK) $15–$50 (US) |
Required on all official documents (passport, police certificate, income documents, etc.). Apostille is a government stamp. |
| Certified/Sworn Translation | €30–€80 per document | Spain requires certified translations of documents not originally in Spanish or English. Professional translators charge per page. |
| Criminal Record Certificate | Free–€50 | Cost varies by country. UK: Free to ~£15 (official request). US: Free to ~$20 per state. |
| Medical Certificate | €50–€150 | A doctor's certification confirming no communicable diseases. Some consulates accept this; others require full medical exams. |
| Employment/Income Documents | Free–€100 | Bank statements, contracts, or letters from your employer. Most are free to obtain; apostille and translation add cost. |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED | €200–€400 | Assuming 3–5 documents requiring apostilles and 2–3 requiring translations. |
Hidden Cost: Wrong Format = Rejection. Apostilles must be official government stamps in English. Translations must be certified by a professional translator with official credentials. DIY mistakes here are costly: you either redo documents (more fees) or risk outright rejection.
You must have comprehensive health insurance with no copayment before applying. It's a legal requirement and a genuine protection for you as well.
€80–€120/month for comprehensive coverage with no copayment. Younger applicants qualify for lower rates.
Annual cost: €960–€1,440
€150–€200/month for comprehensive coverage. Rates increase with age and may vary by pre-existing conditions.
Annual cost: €1,800–€2,400
We've partnered with trusted providers who understand DNV requirements and offer competitive rates for My Spanish Visa clients:
Specialist expat health insurance. Covers Spain, EU, and worldwide. Transparent pricing, no hidden exclusions.
Visit 247 Expat →
Spain-focused coverage with English support. Familiar with local healthcare system and DNV requirements.
Visit Spanish HI →
Must Be No-Copayment: The policy must cover the full cost of healthcare with zero copayment. This is a legal requirement, not optional. Budget insurance with copayments will be rejected.
We're completely transparent about what we charge and why. You're not paying for a visa—you're paying for expert guidance, document coordination, and peace of mind.
Split into 3 payments: €500 + €500 + €899
Split into 2 payments: €400 + €599
Payments are split and charged automatically at key application stages via our secure client portal (dashboard.platinumlegalspain.com):
Charged when you book your onboarding call. You'll complete an eligibility form, discuss your situation, and receive your full document checklist.
Charged when you've submitted initial documents for review. We review everything, request changes if needed, and coordinate apostilles/translations.
Charged when your complete application is ready to file. We handle UGE electronic submission or prepare your consulate pack for posting.
No Hidden Fees. These are the only charges. There are no additional costs for translations, apostilles, or consulate fees—those are your responsibility or already included in our service.
With My Spanish Visa, we handle the complex parts. You handle the simple parts. Here's the exact breakdown:
| Task | You Do It (DIY) | My Spanish Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility Check | Research requirements, assess yourself | Expert review, written assessment |
| Document Research | Search consulate website, forums, Reddit | Provide official checklist + guidance per consulate |
| Obtain Documents | Request from government, employer, bank (you) | You obtain; we guide on what's needed |
| Apostilles | Find local apostille office, pay per document, mail | Coordinate with specialists, verify correct format |
| Translations | Find translator, verify credentials, pay €30–€80 each | Recommend certified translators, review translations |
| Application Form Completion | Fill UGE form or consulate form yourself | Provide pre-filled templates, review before submission |
| UGE Electronic Filing | Create account, navigate interface, submit online | Submit on your behalf via UGE |
| Consulate Pack (if needed) | Print, organize, obtain cover letter, post to consulate | Prepare complete pack, organize, arrange courier |
| Application Tracking | Call/email consulate yourself, wait for updates | Track status, proactively communicate with consulate |
| Post-Approval Support | Figure out next steps alone (NIE, bank, etc.) | 30-day post-arrival support for NIE registration |
A direct cost comparison to help you decide: Is the €1,899 service fee worth it?
| Cost Category | DIY Estimate | With My Spanish Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Government/Consulate Fee | €80–€200 | €80–€200 |
| Apostilles (3–5 docs) | €80–€250 | €80–€250 |
| Translations (2–3 docs) | €60–€240 | €60–€240 |
| Background Certificate | €0–€50 | €0–€50 |
| Medical Certificate | €50–€150 | €50–€150 |
| Document Mistakes/Redo Cost | €100–€500 (risk) | €0 (prevented) |
| My Spanish Visa Service Fee | €0 | €1,899 |
| TOTAL (Excl. Insurance) | €1,460–€2,790 | €2,319–€3,239 |
The Real Cost of DIY: The lowest DIY cost assumes zero mistakes and zero redo costs. In reality, most self-applicants spend €100–€500 more fixing errors, retranslating documents, or resubmitting apostilles in the wrong format. Factor in the time cost (20+ hours of research and coordination) and potential rejection risk (€2,000+ visa cost restart).
Wrong document format = automatic rejection. We ensure every document meets consulate specifications the first time. A rejection costs you your visa fee + extra time + stress.
You don't have to hunt down apostille offices, find translators, or call your consulate 5 times. We do it. Your time is worth something.
We handle the complex parts: UGE filing, consulate communication, document verification. You focus on your life.
After approval, you still need to register for your NIE number, get a Spanish bank account, and set up healthcare. We help with the first 30 days.
Specific cost questions answered below. If you don't see yours, reach out.
The total cost varies depending on your nationality, location, and whether you use My Spanish Visa:
DIY Route (Self-Application):
With My Spanish Visa:
Add health insurance (€80–€200/month) on top. Most applicants budget €3,300–€3,600 total for the first 3 months with MSV including insurance.
No hidden fees. We are completely transparent about pricing. Here's what's included in your €1,899 service fee:
You pay separately for government fees, apostilles, translations, medical exams, and health insurance—those are separate line items, not hidden in our fee. Payments are split across three stages (€500 + €500 + €899) and billed at the client portal.
You get a complete managed application process:
Essentially, we handle everything except the tasks you legally must do yourself (like signing your own documents or obtaining your own background check).
Yes, absolutely. You can apply DIY and save the €1,899 service fee. Many applicants do. However, the Digital Nomad Visa has strict document requirements and the Spanish consulate is particular about format.
Common DIY mistakes that lead to rejection:
Cost of mistakes: Rejection means starting over (€80–€200 new consulate fee, more time, weeks of delay). Redo costs: €100–€500+. Most people who make mistakes end up spending nearly as much fixing them as they would have paying for MSV upfront.
The DIY route saves money only if you get it right the first time. Most don't.
Health insurance costs depend on your age and provider:
You must purchase a no-copayment policy—this is a legal requirement for the DNV. Budget policies with copayments will be rejected by the consulate.
Recommended providers:
Both offer discounted rates for My Spanish Visa clients. Get a quote from each and compare.
The cheapest option: DIY application without My Spanish Visa, minimum cost insurance, and zero mistakes.
Realistic cheapest total: €1,460–€2,790 (documents + consulate) + €960 (1 year insurance) = ~€2,420–€3,750.
Why most people don't stay cheap:
With My Spanish Visa (€1,899 service): €3,359–€4,689 (documents + service) + €960 (insurance) = ~€4,319–€5,649.
The MSV option costs more upfront but eliminates rejection risk, saves dozens of hours, and includes post-arrival support. For most people, the peace of mind and higher success rate make it the better value.
Total costs for a single-person DNV application from the UK/US typically include: consulate fee (~€60-80), ACRO/FBI criminal record check (~£75-100), FCDO/State Dept apostille (~£40-50 per document), sworn translations (~£60-120 per document), medical certificate (~£80-150), health insurance (€80-200/month ongoing), plus optional specialist fees (£500-2,500). Total upfront: approximately £600-2,000 excluding insurance.
No. The consulate application fee is non-refundable regardless of outcome. Health insurance purchased for the application may be refundable within the cooling-off period if cancelled — check the insurer's cancellation policy.
The Beckham Law provides a flat 24% tax rate on Spanish-source income up to €600,000, versus standard progressive rates up to 47%. For a remote worker earning €60,000/year, this could save €10,000-15,000+ annually compared to standard Spanish tax rates. The savings increase significantly with higher income.
Yes. Key ongoing costs include: health insurance (mandatory, €80-200+/month depending on age), autónomo social security contributions if self-employed (~€230-290/month minimum), Spanish income tax filings, and renewal fees (approximately €15-20 every 2 years after the initial period).
Whether you go DIY or with My Spanish Visa, the first step is the same: confirm your eligibility. Book a free 20-minute eligibility check with our team.
Continue learning about the Digital Nomad Visa with these other resources.