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🇵🇭 Philippine passport holder Applied inside Spain via UGE, not through a consulateDid everything DIY, legally and intentionallyFulfilled missing requirements remotely, without flying back home No EU spouse nor dependents, no company relocation, no shortcutsHad 10 Schengen days remaining
100% online application. No need to set foot in Croatia or home country to start & wait for the decisionApproval in under a monthNo translations or apostilles needed, less bureaucratic.No foreign income tax Residency card issued after arrival
Legal EU presenceTime to think strategically & test the EU watersProof that I could navigate EU immigration on my own1 yr residency and can leave anytime
If you’re interest about this visa, join the Croatia’s Digital Nomad Playbook waitlist.
Fast-track citizenship2 years for Filipinos (vs 10 for most others)System integrationPublic healthcare, Legal protections, Long-term stabilityEU market accessOnce you’re integrated in Spain, Europe and its 28 countries opens up+ the US is suddenly much closer, legally and strategicallyOptionalityI wasn’t just securing residencyI was unlocking the entire European Union 🇪🇺Nomad Life end of eraI want to do greater things, and that requires less movement.
Got Declaration of EntryGranted NIE on the spot (a favour from the officers)New DNV requirement implemented by Dec 2025: self-employment proofI quickly created one online!
Abie's Spain DNV journey
What to expect by Do-it-Yourself
My profile & background
If that sounds like you, this playbook will benefit you the most!
Again, we do this DIY so we save at least 1500 euro that we could put into rent :))
My Story
🇭🇷 My First Step: Croatia ( click to expand more )
Before Spain, there was Croatia. I previously held a Croatian Digital Nomad Visa.
You are free to skip this. It was my personal choice to try Croatia first before Spain.
Why Croatia first?
Croatia gave me:
To be honest, I wasn’t completely sold on Spain on my first visit. I felt like exploring more of the EU before I commit.
Im glad I did. I would not know Croatia and the Balkans the way I know now and appreciate its people.
So I was thinking, if I wanted a taste of EU without too much paperwork, taxes & bureaucracy, Croatia seems like a good amount of trial of the European life.. and so I did.
I am sharing this just in case you want to test the EU waters first just like me.
🇪🇸 Why I moved to Spain
After 8 months of exploring the Schengen and Balkan region, I was ready to commit to EU.
I wanted to finally get rooted..
..and if I am spending time anyway, I might as well pick a country that will benefit me long-term.
In this case, a citizenship.
For my circumstance, Spain was the top pick.
My reasons
And yes..
This was the fastest “upgrade” I could make without marrying anyone.
(not that I don’t want to marry at all)
🗓️ My DNV Timeline
Date
What
Nov 13
Arrived in Málaga, Spain (from Croatia)
Nov 14
Paid for my NIE, and submitted the forms required, official NIE issued.
Nov 20
Digital Certificate issued, appointment to verify is required.
Nov 24
Submitted my DNV application to the UGE
Dec 19
Requerimiento received (additional requirement)
Dec 20
Submitted DTI Certification
Jan 8
Approved: 3-year residency 🎉
Feb 3
Scheduled TIE fingerprinting (Tom Huellas) in Madrid (San Felipe) without Padron!
Feb 20
TIE ready for pickup!
There are no rows in this table
No lawyer.
No fixer.
Just documents, timing, and clarity.
Now, if that sounds like you could take. Let’s proceed:
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