Hola!

One night in February, as I was looping my squid-ink spaghetti through a fork, Alex from across the table asked, “Would you not like to live elsewhere?” I flatly answered, “no.” I saw neither the need nor the attraction of packing my life in a suitcase, immersing myself into a mountain of paperwork (which I think nobody ever does willingly) when I can be perfectly contented with the occasional travels and the difference between holiday and relocation is clearly distinguished.

The year was 2020, and the dinner ensemble I was in was composed of experienced digital nomads, all software engineers, all working remotely. Covid hasn’t happened — that comes one month after — and the majority of the world still operates in the traditional office set-up. The concept of remote work was baffling to say the least, how will companies mitigate security risk for starters? How will employees find work-life balance when work is at home?

And yet, the pandemic rapidly demanded a new world order, and we all learned to adjust. Suddenly, the digital nomads looked pioneers and visionaries of innovation, not mere rebels occupying every coffee table close to sockets. The world coped; co-working areas transformed from niche to necessary and home deliveries of ergonomic chairs spiked through the roof. And even post-pandemic, many CEOs across industries adopted a hybrid model that enables employees to stay home 1-2 times a week.

The opportunities also widened. There are now more jobs that allow fully remote work, from virtual assistants to IT professionals. Digital nomad visas (DNVs) became not only available but extendable, and are now legitimate pathways to immigration. Depending on the source, there are 40-60 countries offering DNVs globally. In Europe, there are 12 member states that offer DNVs, according to the IOM, the migration arm of the United Nations.

My flat, quick-to-dismiss answer of “no” expired fast. I married one of the software engineers from that dinner assembly (not Alex) and whether he saw it as a challenge to overturn my conviction or he was married first to the adventurous decadence of exploring the world is best left as mystery. Ironically, we became the busiest travelers from that group since then. We lived in two countries prior to moving to Spain — 1.5 years in the Philippines (as citizen and in his case, ACR card holder) and 2 years in the US (under H-1B and H4 visas).

We entered Spain in August 2025 and received DNV approval in September. The approval enables us to live in Spain for 3 years, renewable up to a maximum of five years. Afterwards, one can apply for permanent residency, so long as compliance to certain conditions are met.

The nitty gritty of Spain’s DNV is the next topic.

I always knew that Europe is the endgame, and to say I am thrilled to be here is putting it mildly. Spain is impressive; I believe it is the main address to have it all — beauty, access to art, nearly effortless exposure to various architecture, gastronomy and discourse. And in my honest assessment of Madrid where we presently live, the cultural energy is unbeatable. Life in Spain is the focal point of this blog, and to the extent that the reader finds it helpful, I shall try to make it as informative as possible.

With that, bienvenidos, and hola!