Spain Residence

With its Mediterranean climate, high standard of living and unemployment rate under 12%, Spain has become an ideal destination for applicants. A stable economy, advanced healthcare system and reputable universities give immigrants broad career and study opportunities.

Non-lucrative (financial self-sufficiency) residence

Non-lucrative residence lets you live in Spain on the strength of your own income, bank balance and assets in your home country — without any investment or transfer of capital to Spain. If you have a solid financial situation at home, you can obtain Spanish residence for yourself and your family based purely on that income.

If you are thinking about investing or starting a business in Spain but want to live in the country first and then decide, the non-lucrative visa lets you obtain residence, upgrade to permanent residence after 5 years and travel freely across Europe.

There is no age limit and no language requirement, and no investment or property purchase in Spain is required. During this residence you cannot take employment, but you are free to set up a business, invest or buy property.

This residence also lets you live freely within the Schengen area and, ultimately, obtain a Spanish passport. It is open to all non-EU citizens who want to move to and live in Spain, with no age or education restrictions.

Family residence with the non-lucrative visa

A spouse and children under 18 can be included in the same file under the main applicant. Children over 18 and parents can also be added, provided their dependency on the main applicant can be proven and other conditions are met.

With this route you can obtain a Spanish residence card for yourself and your family, open an international bank account, travel freely across Europe, and your children benefit from free or low-cost education in top Spanish schools.

This visa is also known by other names — the most common being self-supporting residence, retirement visa, non-profit visa and No Lucrativa visa.

Spain residence through work

One of the main paths is work-based immigration. You first need a Spanish employer who needs your skills and can prove they could not find a suitable candidate inside Spain or the EU.

Once you have a job offer, you submit the required documents to the Spanish embassy in your country. Competition for jobs in Spain is high, and the employer must justify hiring you over local or EU candidates. Fields such as healthcare and IT have a higher chance of placement.

The employer must first advertise the role in Spain for 3 months, then across the EU for another 3 months. Only if no suitable candidate is found in that 6-month window can they send a work invitation to a non-EU applicant. After 3–5 years of work and tax payments, you can apply for permanent residence.

Golden Visa — investment and property purchase

Real estate investment in Spain is attractive because of the Golden Visa programme, which grants temporary residence to property investors, and because of a stable, growing housing market. Buying property worth at least €500,000 opens the door to Spanish residence and eventually permanent residence. As a top tourism destination, Spain also delivers strong short-term rental returns for investors.

The housing market is thriving in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, with a wide range of locations and price points. Coastal and tourist areas — especially in the south and on the islands — are well suited to property purchase, whether for short-term rentals or personal use.

Spain residence through franchise purchase

Buying a franchise is another attractive and reliable route. Investing in an established, well-known business lets you obtain residence while benefiting from a proven brand and its support system. Franchise purchase can be an excellent way to start a new and successful life in Spain — but research different brands and franchise conditions carefully, and work with a specialised legal advisor before committing.

Spain residence and citizenship by birth

Spain follows jus sanguinis (law of blood) for citizenship — nationality passes from parent to child regardless of where the child is born. Children born to a Spanish father or mother can obtain Spanish citizenship no matter their place of birth. Children of stateless parents, parents of unknown nationality, or unknown parents born on Spanish soil can also obtain citizenship.

Children adopted by Spanish parents before turning 18 can apply for Spanish citizenship once they turn 18. Note: a child's citizenship does not automatically grant citizenship to the parents.

Spain residence through Digital Nomad visa

With its Digital Nomad visa, Spain lets remote workers from around the world live in the country while working remotely for companies or employers outside Spain. It is designed for people who can work remotely without needing to be physically present in an office. The visa lets you live and work in Spain for one year, with extensions available up to 5 years. Applicants must meet requirements such as sufficient remote income, valid health insurance and a clean criminal record.