Moving to Spain: Visas and Residence Options for Foreigners

Spain draws retirees, remote workers, families and job seekers from all over the world, and the legal route into the country depends far more on passport and plans than on the destination town. This guide is for people weighing a move to Spain. It sorts the main residence options by who they suit, from EU registration to the non-lucrative and digital nomad visas and the work routes, then covers the first months after arrival and what usually goes wrong. It describes the general rules, not the conditions of any single case, which a lawyer confirms at the time of applying.

The first question: EU citizen or not

Citizens of the European Union, the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland have a right to move to Spain under free movement rules. They need no visa; they register once they settle. Everyone else, including British citizens since Brexit, needs a residence permit or a visa that leads to one, and most of those visas are applied for at a Spanish consulate before travelling. Britons who already lived in Spain before the end of the Brexit transition keep their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement and hold a special residence card.

Non-EU family members of an EU citizen follow the EU path too: they receive a residence card for family members of a Union citizen rather than a visa of their own.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: registration

An EU citizen who stays beyond a short visit registers in the central register of foreigners and receives the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión, sometimes called the green certificate. The request is made on form EX-18 at the immigration office or a police station that deals with foreigners. The office asks what the person lives on: a job contract, registration as self-employed, studies, or enough money together with health cover. Lawyers who handle the EU citizen registration certificate know which proof each office accepts, which varies more than people expect.

Living without working: the non-lucrative visa

The visado de residencia no lucrativa, known in English as the non-lucrative visa, is the classic route for retirees and others who can live on pensions, savings, rents or investments. It does not allow work in Spain. The applicant shows means above a level tied to a Spanish reference index, the IPREM, with more for each family member, and comprehensive private health insurance from an insurer that operates in Spain. The application goes to the Spanish consulate for the place where the applicant lives, and the first permit is renewed later from inside Spain.

People who plan to keep working for clients or an employer abroad usually look at the digital nomad route instead, because consulates read the no-work condition strictly.

Working remotely: the digital nomad visa

Spain created a residence permit for international teleworking with its Startups Law (Ley 28/2022). The digital nomad visa suits employees of foreign companies and freelancers whose clients are mainly outside Spain. Applicants usually show a university degree or professional experience, a working relationship that has lasted for some time, income above a set level, and that they are covered by social security either in their home country or in Spain. Unlike most visas, it can be requested from a consulate abroad or, for someone already in Spain legally, from within the country. New residents with high incomes sometimes combine it with the special tax regime for people moving to Spain, see Beckham Law.

Working for a Spanish employer or for yourself

Several routes cover work in Spain, each with its own conditions:

• Employment. A work visa with a job offer starts with the employer, who asks for the authorisation in Spain; in many jobs the employer has to show that the post cannot be filled locally, unless it appears on the official list of hard-to-fill occupations.
• Highly qualified staff. Graduates with a qualifying salary can use the EU Blue Card, which also makes a later move to another EU country easier.
• Self-employment. Freelancers and small business owners can apply for a self-employed visa, built around a business plan, the qualifications for the activity and the money to start it.
• Students. A student who finishes a course in Spain can, under conditions, switch to a work permit; see convert a student visa to a work visa.

Family, investors and other routes

A foreigner who already lives legally in Spain can bring a spouse, children and, in some cases, parents through family reunification. Spanish law also has routes for people already in the country, known as arraigo (roots), which rest on time spent in Spain, family ties, training or work.

For investors, the residence route for buying property or making large investments, the Golden Visa, closed to new applications in April 2025. Buying a home can still serve as proof of accommodation for another visa, but it no longer leads to residence by itself. A full list of the immigration services on this site is under immigration in Spain.

After arriving: TIE, padrón, tax and renewals

Arrival starts a short chain of formalities. A typical order for a non-EU resident is:

1. Registration at the town hall of the place of residence, the empadronamiento, which gives a certificate of address that many offices ask for.
2. A police appointment to give fingerprints for the residence card, the TIE, within the period set after entry; lawyers for the TIE card application often book it before the client lands.
3. A Social Security number, and either registration with the public health system or the private insurance the permit requires.
4. A Spanish bank account, and a new address for the banks and tax authorities at home.
5. A note of the renewal date, since a renewal filed in time keeps the right to stay while the office decides.

Documents that most consulates and offices ask for, in one form or another, are:

• a valid passport with copies of every page;
• a criminal record certificate from each country of recent residence, with an apostille and sworn translation;
• a medical certificate for the visas that require it;
• proof of means or of the job, contract or business;
• health insurance where the permit requires private cover;
• the official application form and the paid government fee.

Tax residence follows real life: a person who spends more than half the calendar year in Spain, or whose main interests are there, is usually a Spanish tax resident and files a yearly personal income tax return on worldwide income. Residents with sizeable assets abroad also file an information return, see foreign assets declaration (Modelo 720). Over time, residence leads to long-term status and, later, to a Spanish citizenship application.

A refusal is not always the end. Most decisions can be challenged within a short period, first with the office and then in court, and lawyers handling visa refusal appeals start by reading the reasons given. For the whole move in one place, from finding a home to school places, there is relocation and settling-in support, offered by lawyers in cities such as Valencia and Granada.

Questions and answers

Can I move to Spain without a job?

Yes, if you can live on your own means. EU citizens register with proof of funds and health cover; others usually apply for the non-lucrative visa, which accepts pensions, savings and investment income but does not allow work in Spain.

Can I work remotely on a non-lucrative visa in Spain?

Consulates generally treat any work, including remote work for foreign clients, as outside the purpose of this visa. Remote workers normally apply for the digital nomad visa, which is designed for that situation.

Is the Spanish Golden Visa still available?

No. Spain stopped accepting new Golden Visa applications in April 2025. Holders of a permit granted before that date can ask a lawyer how renewals of their own permit are handled.

Do EU citizens need a visa to live in Spain?

No. They move freely and register as residents, receiving the EU registration certificate with their NIE. Their non-EU spouse or children apply for a family member residence card.

Can I apply for the Spanish digital nomad visa from inside Spain?

Yes. Someone who is in Spain legally, for example as a visitor, can ask for the residence authorisation for teleworking without returning home. Others apply at the consulate for their place of residence.

How does someone become a Spanish tax resident?

Usually when they spend more than half the calendar year in Spain, or when their main business or economic interests are based there. A spouse and minor children living in Spain can also point to residence. Double tax treaties settle cases with two countries involved.