How to Get Residency in Spain

How to get the Spanish residency

But, how to do it? If you are considering moving to Spain, in this guide you will find everything you MUST know. What are the residence permit options for non-EU citizens in Spain? And if you are from the EU? How to get residency in Spain and what are the requirements?

Trying to answer these questions may sound intimidating, especially because there are plenty of alternatives and the process + requirements differs according to the one you choose. But after reading this guide all your doubts will be over. We will help you find which residence permit suits you (and your family) best, so that you can fully understand all the steps to follow.

• We will carefully analyze your situation and determine which is residence permit is right for you
• We will guide you step-by-step into all the legal procedures required to get your permit in Spain
• We will help you get all the documents and send them to the relevant authority for you. All you’ll have to do is sign, we’ll handle the rest!

Let’s say that you do not want to work in Spain. You would like to retire in Spain, or you want to travel around Spain and Europe for a year, or you would like to immerse yourself in a new culture without embarking on any economic activity. Then, the retirement or non-lucrative visa will be the best option for you. Its requirements are really straightforward:

• You need private health insurance.
• It is also required to demonstrate the possession of sufficient economic funds. The legal requirement is €28,800 but depending on your consulate that amount can increase (and you can even see that a rental contract is required).

There are two options to obtain this permit: apply from your country of origin, or directly from Spain but just if you are moving from another residency or from a student visa (as you can’t get an NLV as a tourist).

This is for sure one of the most sought permits in Spain, and at our offices we weekly receive clients from all countries who wish to obtain their non-lucrative visa as it offers a straightforward application and great advantages.

This is a great option, as you can apply for it both from your country of origin and from Spain. Plus, thanks to being the holder of this residency, you will pay fewer taxes, (just a flat 24% on your income), as you will be able to benefit from the Beckham Law.

But this permit has many other advantages, like the ability to include your family members in the application, the possibility of receiving a resolution in less than 20 days (fast-track application), or the fact that it is a residence for 3 years (renewable for 2 until you obtain permanent residency).

When it comes to the main requirements, there needs to have already been an existing contract with the foreign company/client three months prior to the application, and this company must have already been operating for at least 1 year. For personal requirements, the individual must demonstrate sufficient economic funds through an annual salary of €31,752 for the main applicant. They must also prove that they have 3-years worth of work-related experience, or graduated from a reputable academic institution.

Many of the residency permit application procedures can be tedious, long processes requiring a lot of documents and requirements. But in order to avoid this situation, the Investor Visa or Golden Visa may be the perfect solution. You just need to invest €500,000 in Spanish real estate and you will easily get your residency. The investor permit may be one of the easiest ways to start living in Spain, as it offers a fast-track application in just 20 labor days, it can be applied directly from Spain as a tourist, and allows you to include your relatives.

Furthermore, you will just need to visit Spain once per year in order to renew your golden visa, fact that will help you avoid becoming a tax resident in the country.

If you just want to create a regular company, a work permit as a self-employed individual will be the best alternative, as the entrepreneur visa requires that your business idea is completely new and does not exist in the market already.

Bear in mind that one of the most important requirements for this permit is developing a business plan, in which you must specify how you will obtain financing, how your operations will work, a marketing plan, and how you will create employment for the Spanish economy. Our business lawyers will assist you in all steps to set up your business in Spain and with your tax optimization.

Its application process is also beneficial, as you can apply directly from Spain as a tourist within the first 60 days of your stay.

Besides, the student residence permit becomes many times the perfect gateway to enter Spain and stay for the long-run. That is because after completing your studies you can easily transition into a work permit, eliminating the complex work visa requirements.

If you are unable to find a job during your studies you can apply for the residency called “búsqueda de empleo”. This job search permit allows foreign students in Spain to extend their stay for up to two years to look for a job or start their own company. The student must have finished their studies at the time of application, and can apply for this permit 60 days before their student authorization expires or 90 days after.

Obtaining a regular work permit in Spain can become a quite complex task, and that is why we always suggest to aim for any of its alternatives. Depending on your situation, professional profile and the job offer you have, there are different types of work visas you can apply for. Each has its own requirements and the application differs:

• The regular work permit must be applied for from your country of origin. Just a few job positions will be valid for this type of work permit (those under the shortage occupation list), which makes it really completed to be obtained. Your employer from Spain will be the one to request the residence permit for you, while you are in your country of origin (as it CANNOT be applied directly from Spain).
• If you have a job offer as a highly qualified worker, the procedure to get the residence permit can start while in Spain. This visa is granted to those who get an offer as managers or any other technical position, and who earn over €50,000 per year.
• The Intra-Corporate Transfer Visa applies to multinational company employees who need to relocate to the Spanish headquarters to continue working or to take any type of training.
• Similar to the skilled professional visa you also have the EU blue card, which allows you to work in the whole European Union area.

Relatives, civil partners, and in-laws of Non-EU citizens residing in Spain can apply for family reunification, under the condition that the said foreigner living in Spain has been in the country for at least one year (with a valid permit). This residency card allows the applicant to live and work in the country.

When applying, the individual should show adequate housing conditions in Spain, and, as always, sufficient economic means. In the case of family reunification, the Spanish or European citizen needs to show that they can support their arriving relatives (i.e. the applicant). There are four main ways to do this. They can show that they are employed by a company, that they are a registered self-employed worker, that they are an enrolled student declaring financial support, or that they have at least 150% of IPREM.

Arraigo Social

If you have been living in Spain for 3 consecutive years, and have a valid employment contract or can demonstrate suffice to economic means, you can apply for arraigo social. This job offer must pay at least the minimum salary in Spain, and be of a minimum of 30 hours per week (but there is no minimum contract duration required).

Besides, you will need to obtain a favorable integration report. This is done through an interview with the town council of the relevant locality, showing a link with Spain (knowledge of culture and language), and learning about your background. In case you have relatives in Spain, there is no need to get this report. You will also need to speak a certain level of Spanish, and possibly the language of the autonomous community you are applying in (like Catalan in Catalonia).

Family Arraigo

If you can prove a direct family link (e.g. parents to child, a spouse, children, legal guardians and even caretakers of a Spanish citizen with a disability) to a Spanish citizen, residency via family arraigo can be requested regardless of time spent in Spain or economic means. This type of arraigo is granted for 5 years and does not require any minimum time in the country prior to its application.

Labor Arraigo

If you are currently in an irregular situation, but have been living in Spain for two consecutive years, and have been legally working under cuenta ajena or cuenta propia (i.e. for a company or as a freelancer), you can apply for labor arraigo.

For cuenta ajena, you should have been working 30 hours a week for a duration of six months, and 15 hours a week for a duration of one year. For cuenta propia, the individual should have been economically active for six months out of the two years in Spain.

Studies Arraigo

The studies arraigo is for you if you have been living in Spain for at least two years, and wish to begin specific studies or qualification training for employment.  This job should be listed in the National Catalog of Professional Qualifications in the field of labor administration.

Keep in mind that the course needs to be 100% face-to-face and not part-time. You can study for 12 months (extendable up till a total of 18 months), but cannot work while studying. Nevertheless, once you finish your studies you will be able to move to a work permit.

You can find the list of valid centers and training in the following links:

State Registry of Non-University Teaching Centers

SEPE search engine

How Balcells Group’s clients got their Spain residence permit successfully (and how you can, too)

Everything You Need to Know About Spanish Residency (Frequently Asked Questions)