Residence in Spain

Spain offers one of the most established residence frameworks in Europe. Beyond climate and lifestyle, residence in Spain provides access to a stable legal environment, strong property protections and a diversified economic landscape.

Establishing residence allows individuals and families to benefit from high-quality healthcare, internationally recognised educational institutions and a dynamic business ecosystem. It also grants access to the Schengen Area, enabling free movement across 29 European countries.

Spanish residence pathways generally fall within five principal categories:

Professional and business routes: (TIPOS DE PERMISOS, TIPO ACORDEÓN)

Highly Qualified Professional: 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: 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.

Digital Nomad Visa: 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.

Entrepreneur Visa: 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.

Self-Employed Residence: 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. Unlike entrepreneurial routes focused on innovation, this regime applies to established professional services and commercial activities.

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

Investment-Based & Financially Independent Residence

Non-Lucrative Residence (often retirees / financially independent individuals)
Who it fits: those with sufficient stable resources who want to reside without work activity.
Key requirements: proven means, private healthcare coverage, and a clean documentation profile.
Why it works: a stable route for families prioritising lifestyle, schooling, or long-term presence.

Investor Route (note on the former “Golden Visa”)
Spain’s well-known real-estate “Golden Visa” route is no longer available for new applications. Where investment is part of the plan, alternative residence strategies are mapped based on your profile, timelines, and broader structuring objectives.

Students & Post-Study Options

Student Residence
Who it fits: students enrolling in recognised academic programmes, specialised training or higher education pathways in Spain.

Why it works: Spain is not only a place to study — it is a platform. It combines internationally recognised institutions with a lifestyle and cost profile that many families find particularly attractive.

Options range from leading business schools in Madrid and Barcelona (including programmes consistently ranked among the world’s top MBA offerings, such as IE and IESE), to highly specialised training with global reputation: hospitality management at institutions like Les Roches, aviation training in Jerez, culinary excellence in the Basque Country, as well as strong pathways in medicine and other regulated disciplines.

For many families, student residence is also a practical way to establish presence, build future career options and create a structured transition into Spain — with clear progression routes when the studies are completed.

Post-Study Job-Seeker Permit
Who it fits: graduates who have completed recognised higher education studies in Spain and wish to remain in the country to secure employment aligned with their qualification or to develop a professional project.

Why it works: it provides legal stability after graduation, allowing time to enter the job market or structure a transition into a work or entrepreneurial residence route without interruption.

Unlike a standard student stay, which is classified as a temporary “stay”, this permit is considered a residence authorisation. This distinction is important, as residence time counts differently when assessing eligibility for long-term residence.

It is important to note that this pathway applies to degrees obtained in Spain. Homologation of a foreign qualification may be relevant for professional licensing or certain work routes, but it does not replace the requirement of having completed higher education studies within Spain for this specific permit.

Family-Based Residence

Spain recognises family unity under distinct legal frameworks, depending on the status of the sponsoring person. Following the 2024 reform of the Immigration Regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024), family residence routes have been reorganised and clarified.

Correct identification of the applicable regime is essential, as documentation, timelines and rights differ significantly.

Family Member of a Spanish Citizen

(Regulated under the new specific framework introduced by RD 1155/2024)

Where the sponsor is a Spanish citizen, family members now fall under a specific and independent residence category. This framework applies to spouses, registered partners, stable partners where sufficiently evidenced, children and, in certain cases, dependent ascendants. The Spanish citizen must be effectively residing in Spain, and dependency must be properly demonstrated where required. Residence under this regime is typically granted for five years and includes full authorisation to work, whether as an employee or self-employed. The 2024 reform formally moved these cases away from the former “arraigo familiar” model and into a clearer statutory structure, with transitional provisions protecting individuals who already held residence under prior frameworks.

Family Member of an EU Citizen

(Regulated under EU free movement framework – RD 240/2007)

Where the sponsor is a citizen of another EU or EEA Member State exercising free movement rights in Spain, the applicable regime derives from EU law. In this context, residence is granted to qualifying family members upon proof of the relationship and confirmation that the EU citizen holds valid registration in Spain. In certain cases, evidence of sufficient financial means and health coverage may be required. This route provides a residence card aligned with the EU citizen’s status, includes the right to work without additional authorisation and may lead to long-term residence after the qualifying period.

Family Reunification (General Regime)

(Título IV, Capítulo II – RD 1155/2024)

A different framework applies where the sponsor is a non-EU national already residing legally in Spain. In such cases, family reunification under the general immigration regime may be pursued. This route requires that the sponsor has completed the minimum residence period required by law, demonstrates sufficient financial resources and adequate housing, and complies with the general requirements of the regulation. Residence granted under this pathway aligns with the sponsor’s status and provides a structured mechanism for family consolidation in Spain.

The distinction between these regimes is not merely procedural. The choice of framework affects duration, renewal conditions, work rights and long-term residence eligibility.

Careful classification from the outset ensures stability, predictability and procedural efficiency.

Long-Term Residence & Status Modifications

Spanish residence is not static. Over time, temporary authorisations may consolidate into long-term status, and existing permits may need to be adjusted to reflect professional, personal or structural changes.

Long-term residence is designed for individuals who have maintained lawful and continuous residence in Spain over the qualifying period. This status provides a more stable and durable position, reducing dependency on specific employment categories or temporary conditions. It allows its holder to reside and work in Spain under broader terms and represents a significant step toward permanence and institutional stability.

Reaching this stage requires careful monitoring of residence continuity, renewal timing and documentary compliance throughout the preceding years. Interruptions, misaligned filings or status gaps may affect eligibility.

Modifications or changes of status are equally important. Life and business circumstances evolve: a student may transition into employment, a self-employed professional may incorporate a company, a corporate transferee may move into a different role, or a residence route may need restructuring following investment or family changes. These transitions are governed by specific procedural rules and deadlines.

Handled correctly, a modification preserves continuity and avoids unnecessary reapplications or disruptions. Handled incorrectly, it can result in refusals, gaps in lawful stay or avoidable administrative exposure.

Long-term planning therefore involves not only choosing the correct initial route, but anticipating how that status may evolve over time.

Spanish Nationality

Spanish nationality represents more than a change of legal status. It grants full citizenship rights in Spain and access to the European Union framework, including freedom of movement, establishment and long-term security across Member States.

There are several legal pathways to Spanish nationality, each governed by distinct eligibility criteria and procedural requirements.

Nationality by Residence

This is the most common route. It applies to individuals who have resided legally and continuously in Spain for the required statutory period, which varies depending on personal circumstances. In general, the standard requirement is ten years of legal residence, although reduced periods may apply in specific cases.

Eligibility depends not only on the length of residence but also on integration criteria, absence of criminal records and documentary consistency throughout the residence history.

Nationality by residence requires careful preparation of residence timelines, renewal continuity and supporting documentation before submission.

Nationality by Option

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

This route is not based on years of residence but on legal filiation or recognised ties under Spanish civil law. Timing is critical, as some option rights are subject to age limits or specific deadlines.

Nationality by Letter of Naturalisation (Carta de Naturaleza)

This is an exceptional and discretionary route granted by the Spanish Government in cases where special circumstances justify it.

It is not automatic and does not follow a fixed residency requirement. It is reserved for highly specific situations and assessed individually.

Citizenship Beyond Spain

In certain circumstances, clients may wish to consider additional nationality options in other jurisdictions as part of a broader mobility or personal planning strategy.

Through trusted international collaborators, Auream Group coordinates nationality and citizenship procedures in selected jurisdictions where legally available. Multi-jurisdictional citizenship can provide greater flexibility, expanded mobility and diversified personal options.

Such decisions require careful legal assessment and coordinated handling to ensure procedural integrity and consistency with the client’s overall situation.

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