Global Mobility

This residence permit is designed for senior executives, specialised employees and professionals hired by Spanish entities or multinational groups operating in Spain.

It typically applies where the role requires advanced qualifications, technical expertise or managerial responsibility. The regime allows companies to incorporate key personnel into their Spanish operations under an expedited framework, often outside the standard immigration channels.

Beyond eligibility criteria, the structure of the employment contract, salary thresholds and corporate positioning of the sponsoring entity require careful review to ensure compliance and long-term stability.

Intra-company transfer permits facilitate the relocation of employees within multinational groups, allowing personnel to move from a foreign entity to a Spanish branch, subsidiary or group company.

This route is particularly relevant for senior management, specialists and project-based assignments. It requires a clear corporate link between the sending and receiving entities and alignment with Spanish labour and social security obligations.

The legal structure of the group, duration of assignment and tax implications must be assessed to prevent unintended permanent establishment risks or compliance inconsistencies.

The Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers and certain self-employed professionals to reside in Spain while maintaining professional activity for foreign companies or international clients.

Although operationally flexible, this regime requires careful evaluation of income thresholds, contractual arrangements and potential tax residency implications.

When properly structured, it offers mobility without requiring local employment integration, but it must be aligned with the applicant’s broader fiscal and corporate situation.

This residence route is available for individuals developing innovative or economically relevant business projects in Spain.

Approval depends not only on the applicant’s profile, but on the viability, scalability and strategic value of the proposed project. Business plans are subject to assessment by competent authorities.

The structure of the company, shareholder composition and capital positioning should be coordinated in advance to ensure regulatory alignment and long-term operational coherence.

This permit applies to individuals intending to carry out professional or commercial activity in Spain on a self-employed basis.

Eligibility requires demonstration of business viability, professional qualifications and sufficient economic resources.

Given its interaction with Spanish tax residency, social security contributions and local regulatory frameworks, careful structuring is essential prior to application.

This route applies to financially independent individuals wishing to reside in Spain without carrying out professional activity.

Applicants must demonstrate stable financial resources, private healthcare coverage and a clean documentation profile.

It is often chosen by families prioritising lifestyle, schooling or long-term presence in Spain.

Spain’s well-known real estate Golden Visa programme is no longer available for new applications.

Where investment forms part of the client’s strategy, alternative residence routes can be structured depending on the individual profile, timeline and broader mobility planning.

Student residence applies to individuals enrolling in recognised academic programmes or specialised training institutions in Spain.

Spain combines internationally recognised universities and business schools with a lifestyle and cost structure attractive to many families.

Institutions such as IE or IESE are globally ranked business schools, while specialised education exists in fields such as hospitality management, aviation training, gastronomy and medicine.

For many families, student residence also provides a structured entry point to establish presence and future career opportunities in Spain.

Graduates who have completed recognised higher education studies in Spain may apply for a job-seeker permit allowing them to remain in the country to secure employment or develop a professional project.

Unlike a student stay, this authorisation is classified as residence and therefore contributes differently when calculating eligibility for long-term residence.

It is important to note that this pathway applies specifically to degrees obtained within Spain.

Under the framework introduced by RD 1155/2024, family members of Spanish citizens may obtain residence under a specific category distinct from previous regimes.

This includes spouses, registered partners, stable partners where sufficiently evidenced, children and certain dependent ascendants.

Residence is typically granted for five years and includes full authorisation to work.

Where the sponsor is a citizen of another EU or EEA Member State exercising free movement rights in Spain, residence may be granted under the EU free movement framework.

This route allows qualifying family members to obtain residence aligned with the EU citizen’s registration status and includes the right to work without additional authorisation.

Where the sponsor is a non-EU national already residing legally in Spain, family reunification may be pursued under the general immigration regime.

This requires demonstration of financial resources, adequate housing and compliance with the residence requirements established by Spanish immigration law.

This is the most common pathway to Spanish nationality and applies to individuals who have resided legally and continuously in Spain for the statutory period.

In most cases the requirement is ten years of residence, although shorter periods may apply depending on individual circumstances.

Nationality by option applies to individuals who have a specific legal connection to Spain, such as children of Spanish nationals or individuals previously under the parental authority of a Spanish citizen.

Nationality by letter of naturalisation is an exceptional and discretionary route granted by the Spanish Government where special circumstances justify it.