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The short answer
A renewal shows you still meet the conditions you were first granted on: remote work for clients or an employer outside Spain, income of at least 200% of Spain's minimum wage, no more than 20% of work for Spanish clients if self-employed, social security and health cover, and tax compliance in Spain. With Nigerian clients, the evidence that carries most weight is current contracts, invoices matched to bank credits, and your Spanish tax filings.
Spain's international telework permit (the "digital nomad" permit) is processed for people already in Spain by the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE). If your work comes from Nigerian clients, renewal is mostly a matter of proving that what was true at the start is still true. This guide sets out what the conditions are, as published by Spain, and how to evidence them with Nigerian income. It is information, not immigration advice; the UGE's own page is the authority on current forms, fees and permit length.
The conditions you are measured against
The Spanish Consulate General in New York publishes the conditions for the telework visa, which match those for the residence permit. In summary:
- Who qualifies: non-EU nationals working remotely using technology for an employer or clients outside Spain.
- Income: at least 200% of the Spanish minimum interprofessional wage (SMI) a month, plus 75% of SMI for the first family member and 25% for each further one. The consulate page does not state the euro amount; check the current SMI before you prepare figures.
- Qualifications: a degree, vocational or business school qualification, or three years' experience.
- Self-employed: contracts with clients of at least three months, and work for Spanish clients may not exceed 20% of total professional activity.
- Employees: three months' seniority, written authorisation to work remotely, and an employer incorporated at least a year.
- Health cover: insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain (listed by the DGSFP).
- Criminal records: certificates for the past five years from countries lived in for six months or more, apostilled or legalised and translated, for the initial application.
Evidence that works with Nigerian clients
Contracts
Bring current contracts showing at least three months' duration, with the client's full legal name, address and, for companies, the CAC registration number. Short or open-ended engagements by email are weaker; ask clients for a signed letter or framework agreement. If a contract is in English, ask the UGE whether a Spanish translation is needed; we did not find a published rule.
Income
Show income in euros, matched to bank credits. For each client payment keep the invoice, the bank credit and, if a Nigerian company withheld tax, the WHT receipt that explains why the credit is lower than the invoice. If you were paid in dollars or naira, show the conversion. Twelve months of steady credits are easier to read than a few large ones.
Spanish tax filings
As a self-employed resident you should have been filing Modelo 130 quarterly and an annual IRPF return. The AEAT instructions set the quarterly windows at 1 to 20 April, July and October and 1 to 30 January. Missing filings are a common reason a file looks weak. See filing Modelo 130 with Nigerian income.
Social security and health cover
Bring proof of your Spanish autónomo registration and contributions, or, if you are an employee, how your social security is covered. Keep the private health policy in force with no gap.
Checklist before you apply
- Read the UGE page for the current form, fee and the window in which renewal must be filed.
- Update client contracts so each one runs at least three months beyond the application date.
- Prepare a one-page income summary in euros by month, with invoices and bank credits behind it.
- Confirm Spanish clients stay under 20% of your activity.
- Collect Modelo 130 and IRPF receipts, autónomo contribution records and the insurance certificate.
- Check your passport validity; renewing a Nigerian passport takes time (see passport renewal in Madrid).
Common weak points in renewal files
- Income that only meets the threshold in some months: if your Nigerian clients pay irregularly, show a twelve-month average and the contracts behind it.
- Payments from someone other than the client: if a client pays through a director's personal account or a third-party platform, add a letter from the client confirming the arrangement.
- Naira payments with no conversion trail: show what each naira payment was worth in euros and when it was converted.
- A rising share of Spanish clients: the 20% limit applies to self-employed applicants, so track it through the year.
If a Nigerian client stopped paying
A gap in income from one client does not mean the end of the permit, but it changes your figures. Replace the client with another outside Spain if you can, and keep evidence of the new contract. Dealing with the unpaid client is covered in chasing a late-paying Nigerian client.
Where Pryme fits
Clear records help a renewal. A Pryme Business Account keeps each client's payment in the currency it arrived in, and you can generate verifiable statements and receipts with VerifyDoc.ai that a reviewer can check are unaltered. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can I renew the digital nomad permit if all my clients are Nigerian?
The conditions require work for clients or an employer outside Spain, so Nigerian clients qualify. You must still meet the income, cover and tax conditions.
How much income do I need?
At least 200% of the Spanish SMI a month, plus 75% for the first family member and 25% for each further one, per the Spanish consulate page. Check the current SMI in euros.
Do Nigerian contracts need translating?
We found no published rule. Ask the UGE before you file.
Does Nigerian withholding tax reduce my income for the permit?
Show gross invoices with the WHT receipts, so the reviewer can see why the bank credit is lower.
Sources
- Consulado General de España en Nueva York: visado de teletrabajo de carácter internacional · accessed Oct 2026
- Agencia Tributaria: Modelo 130, instrucciones (updated 11 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.