If you are a non-EU citizen, you need one of five valid residence visas to apply for a temporary permit or foreign identity card in Spain:
- Non-Lucrative Visa
- Investment (Gold) visa
- Visa for entrepreneurs
- Internships
- Work permit
- Family reunification
- Student visa
Each of the above options has its own specific requirements and application process. You must apply before you arrive in Spain. Each of them gives you the right to reside in Spain for more than 3 months.
1. Residence card
A resident card (Tarjeta de Residencia) is a mandatory requirement if you intend to spend 3 to 6 months in Spain. You must apply for a Tarjeta de Residencia at your local Oficina de Extranjeros or police station within 30 days of your arrival in the country.
Requirements.
The list of required documents differs depending on the type of residence visa you have. However, the following requirements are common to all residence visas:
- A valid passport and a photocopy of it
- Three passport-size color photographs
- Completed application form and three copies
- Proof of address in Spain
- Receipt of payment of the administrative fee
The following documents may also be required:
- Copy of your employment contract or certificate from your place of work
- Proof of your ability to meet the requirements for professional activity (only for self-employed persons)
- Proof of academic and/or professional qualifications
- Proof of financial resources for those who do not intend to work
- Proof of study (for students only)
- Certificate of no criminal record (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales)
- Medical certificate
- Consular endorsement (letter from the home consulate)
- Proof that the applicant has health insurance in Spain
How long does it take to get a residence card?
You will receive a stamped copy of your application once it is completed. You should receive your actual residence card within 3-4 months.
How long is the residence card valid for?
The residence card is valid for one year. It can be extended for up to 5 years. You are eligible to apply for permanent residence after you have lived in Spain for 5 years continuously.
2. Foreigner's identity card
A foreigner's identity card (Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero - TIE) is a strict requirement for non-EU nationals who may stay in Spain for more than 6 months. You must apply for a TIE at your local police station within 30 days of entering the country.
Requirements.
Unlike a residence permit, an application for a foreigner's identity card has fixed requirements for all applicants:
- A valid passport and its photocopy
- Three passport-size color photographs
- Completed application form and three copies of it
- Proof of school enrollment (for students only)
- Proof of address
- Proof of financial resources for those who do not intend to work
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of payment of the administrative fee (EUR 15.76)
How long does it take to get a foreigner's identity card?
You will receive a copy of the application immediately after submitting it. You will receive your TIE card within 3 months after submitting the application.
How long is the foreigner's identity card valid for?
The TIE card is valid until the expiration of the residence visa. You can extend it after your residence visa is extended.
Holding a TIE card for 5 consecutive years entitles you to apply for a permanent card. A permanent TIE is valid for 10 years.
Can I leave Spain while waiting for my TIE card?
When you have applied for a TIE card and are waiting for it to be issued, you can leave Spain by applying for an Autorización de Regreso, a permit to return.
You must apply at your local police station, stating a valid reason for leaving, such as an emergency. Usually, the permit is issued in a few days and is valid for 90 days from the date of its issuance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You should book a direct flight to Spain, as legally you are only granted permission to enter Spain.
How to obtain a temporary permit as an EU citizen
Foreigners from EU/Schengen countries have a simpler process for obtaining a residence permit in Spain.
The document contains your name, address, nationality and tax identification number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero - NIE).
You submit the application to the local office for foreigners, only in some regions you need to make an appointment in advance. The application must be submitted within 3 months of arrival in Spain.
Requirements.
You must submit the following documents with your application:
- Valid passport or national identity card
- Copies of a valid passport or national identity card
- Two passport-size photographs
- Proof of address in Spain
- Completed application form
- Proof of payment of the fee (21.44 euros)
- Proof of valid health insurance
- Some additional documents may be required depending on the purpose of your stay in the country.
If you intend to work in Spain as an employee of a company, you will need to provide proof of your employment.
Will you be self-employed during your stay in Spain?
Then you will need to provide proof of self-employment status in the form of registration in the Commercial Register (Registro Mercantil).
How long is a residence permit valid for?
The residence permit remains valid as long as your circumstances in Spain remain the same as described in the application. This means that a change in your address or marital status requires you to apply for a new residence permit.
Which family members can I bring to Spain on a family reunification visa?
A family reunification visa allows non-EU nationals to bring their immediate family members to Spain. Immediate family members include
- Parents and in-laws (in the ascending line) over the age of 65
- Children under 18 years of age, including adopted children or children of your partner (in the descending line)
- Spouse or civil partner
- Parents under the age of 65 can be brought to Spain if there is a good reason that they are unable to take care of themselves.
Children aged 18 to 21 can be brought to Spain if they are studying and economically dependent on you. Children over 21 can be brought to Spain if they are disabled and you are their primary caregiver.
Requirements for a family visa to Spain
There are quite a few requirements for family reunification in Spain. Therefore, pay attention to the variety of documents that you and your family members need to submit to obtain a family reunification visa and residence permit.
Since the documents required for each family member are different, we will start with the documents required for all applicants.
For non-EU nationals residing in Spain
- A completed visa application form - model EX02.
- A valid passport, a copy of the passport and copies of passports of family members.
- Residence permit.
- A legal document confirming your relationship with a family member (more on this below).
- A certificate of housing availability obtained from your city hall. It shows that your home has enough space for everyone.
- Proof of health insurance
- Public health insurance if you have access to the Spanish healthcare system.
- Private health insurance if you are unemployed or not eligible for healthcare in Spain.
- Proof that your family member(s) is financially dependent on you.
- For example, bank statements showing that you make regular payments or pay for the basic expenses of a dependent.
- Evidence that you have sufficient funds to support your family.
- You must show that you have more than 150% of the IPREM cost per 1 family member. In 2022, this is €868.53 per month or €10,422.36 per year.
- For any additional family members, you must have at least 50% of the IPREM. In 2022, this is €289.51 per month or €3,474.12 per year.
To prove this, submit bank statements for the last 6 months and an employment contract that lasts at least 1 year or is indefinite. If you are self-employed, submit an income tax return.
For a family member abroad
- A completed Schengen visa application form (if applicable) or a sworn statement from a Spanish resident stating that you will reside with him/her in Spain.
- A valid passport and a copy of the foreign passport.
- Certificate of no criminal record for the last 5 years.
- A health certificate (not older than 3 months) confirming that you do not have any serious illnesses and do not pose a threat to society.
- A legal document confirming your relationship with a family member in Spain
All of these documents must be translated into Spanish and notarized or apostilled in your home country.
The process of applying for a residence permit in Spain
A non-EU citizen in Spain needs to start the process by requesting an appointment at the Office for Foreigners (Oficina de Extanjeros) and submit the EX02 form along with all supporting documents.
Once you have been approved for a residence permit for family reunification, your family members must start the process on their side.
The application process for a family member who is abroad
You have 2 months from the date of obtaining a residence permit for the purpose of family reunification to apply for a residence visa for the purpose of family reunification.
You must apply for this visa in person at the Spanish consulate in your country. Please bring all translated and notarized documents in Spanish with you. You may also be invited for an interview.
The consulate will respond to your visa application within 2 months. After receiving your visa, you will have 3 months to move to Spain. If you do not receive a response, consider your application rejected due to administrative silence.
Processing time - how long does it take to get a family reunification visa?
The entire process from the application to the actual arrival of the family member(s) in Spain can take from 4 to 6 months.
How long is a residence permit for family reunification valid for?
The validity period of a residence permit for family reunification depends on the validity period of the non-EU citizen's residence permit.
Temporary residence permit - a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification is valid until the expiration of the non-EU citizen's temporary residence permit.
Permanent residence permit or long-term residence permit in the EU - family reunification residence permit is valid until the expiration of the TIE card - non-EU foreigner's identity card.
Can my family work or study in Spain on a family reunification visa?
Immediate family members, such as partners or children over the age of 16, can work, be self-employed or study. They will also have access to the Spanish health and social security system as they are dependent on you.
Extended family members will need to apply for their own residence or work permit to legally live independently and work in Spain.
Upon arrival in Spain
- Upon arrival in Spain, your family members should take care of obtaining some important documents.
- Register at the City Hall to obtain an empadronamiento certificate
- Obtain a TIE card (foreigner's identity card) within 1 month of arrival in Spain.
- Get Spanish health insurance
- Obtain a NIE number (if you plan to work)
- Open an account in a Spanish bank
- Get a Spanish SIM card
Permanent residence is a status that allows non-EU nationals who have been continuously and legally residing in Spain for 5 years to obtain an indefinite residence permit. This residence card is valid for five years and can be renewed. It allows you to live and work in Spain as a self-employed person or as an employee (cuenta ajena and cuenta propia), with the same rights as any other Spanish citizen.
In addition, it allows its holder to stay outside of Spain for 6 months without any legal problems. This period can be extended to a full year within the 5-year validity period of the permanent residence permit.
Go to the police and get a so-called "certificado de residencia". This is a certificate that contains your name and the years during which you lived in the country as a student/resident. It is stamped and signed by the police, so you will know exactly how long you have left until you receive a permanent residence permit.
How to apply for permanent residence in Spain
Once you have lived in Spain for the required number of years, applying for permanent residence is quite simple. You will simply need to take the application and the required documents to the relevant police station in Spain. In some cases, however, you can apply directly to the immigration department. It is important that you apply for permanent residence approximately three months before the expiration of your current visa or permit.
In addition to the application form (Form EX-17), you will need to provide a number of documents when applying for permanent residence in Spain. These include the following:
- Your current passport and residence permit
- Proof of residence in Spain, such as a rental agreement
- Medical certificate and health insurance
- Proof of residence in Spain for five years, such as payslips or tax returns
- In some cases, you may also need certificates of no criminal record from Spain or your country of origin, marriage or divorce certificates.
If your application is approved, you will receive an official notification. You can then go to your local police station to be fingerprinted and complete the application process. Then, within a month, you will return to collect your permanent resident card.
Costs of permanent residence in Spain
Unlike most other countries, applying for permanent residence in Spain is inexpensive. However, there may be small fees (less than 20 euros) for obtaining some of the required documents. In addition, you may have to pay for translation if some of your documents are not in Spanish. However, the application itself costs only 80 euros.
Extending your permanent residence permit
Once you become a permanent resident of Spain, your residence card will be valid for five years. After this period, you can easily extend it for another five years. You just need to fill out another EX-17 form, present proof of your address, as well as the original resident card and passport. After that, you will be fingerprinted again and pay the renewal fee.
IMPORTANT! That it is not necessary to reside in Spain for the full five years to renew your permanent residency. This caveat only applies if you are applying for permanent residence for the first time. However, to renew your status, you must not spend more than one full year outside of Spain or the EU.
Permanent residence in Spain for family members
If you are a non-EU citizen and move to Spain, you can bring your family to the country on a family reunification visa. This way, you can bring your parents, spouse, or children to Spain. However, you will have to first move to Spain on the appropriate visa and wait a year before you can apply for a family reunification visa for your family.
Thus, it is likely that you will have lived in Spain for five years and will be eligible for permanent residence before your family. Because of this, your family members will have to apply for permanent residence separately.
Of course, the situation is different for citizens of other EU countries. All EU citizens can legally live and work in Spain without a visa, so if your spouse is an EU citizen, they can come to Spain with you and get permanent residence after two years. However, if you are an EU citizen and have family members from a third country, they can usually come to Spain with you. They will then need to obtain a residence permit in Spain and become eligible for permanent residence after five years.
Do you get citizenship if you marry a Spanish citizen?
You can obtain citizenship by marrying a Spanish national, but it is not automatic.
Marriage is one of the steps that will significantly speed up the process of obtaining citizenship.
How to obtain Spanish citizenship through marriage step by step
Step-by-step process of obtaining citizenship by marriage
- The first step in this process is to get married to a Spanish citizen. This can be done directly in Spain by entering it as a tourist or from your country of origin.
- After the marriage is registered, you must apply for a residence permit in Spain. But since you will now be a family member of an EU citizen (your spouse), you can easily get a 5-year residence permit called "tarjeta comunitaria" (EU citizen family member visa).
- After obtaining this visa, you must stay in Spain for one year, and after this period you can apply for citizenship.
- Although you should generally receive your permit within one year, delays of 1 or 2 years are not uncommon.
- Nevertheless, since you will be a 5-year residence permit holder, you will receive the permit before it is time to renew your card, so your status as a legal citizen will not change.
PLEASE NOTE that although registering your relationship through a civil partnership will also allow you to obtain a family member visa, it does not provide the same benefits in terms of reducing the time to obtain citizenship.
What are the main requirements?
In order to apply for citizenship by marriage, you must make sure that you meet the following requirements:
- You must pass the DELE A2 (language test) and CCSE (Spanish culture exam), which are taken at the Instituto Cervantes
- Include your full passport (must be valid at the time of application) and NIE
- Birth certificate from you and your spouse
- Criminal background check
- Registration at the City Hall (padrón in Spanish), where you and your spouse must have been registered at the same address for the last year. The absence of this document will result in the rejection of your application, so it is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of the process.
- Marriage certificate, which must be officially registered in Spain
- Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself in the country, in this case 150% of the IPREM
- Your current residence permit
- You will have to pay an application fee, which is about 100 euros
In accordance with the legislative norms of the European Union, the Spanish passport is equivalent to any other passport of the EU countries.
With a Spanish passport, you can reside both in Spain and in any other EU country, as well as move freely within the European Union, study and work in any EU country.
And your children can obtain Spanish citizenship by birth.
How to obtain Spanish citizenship?
You can obtain Spanish citizenship on the basis of actual residence in the country; or by descent (if your parents are Spanish citizens or at least one of them; or your grandparents are also Spanish citizens); or through marriage with a Spanish citizen.
The most common way to acquire Spanish citizenship is by virtue of actual residence in Spain.
Habitual residence means that Spain must be the applicant's main place of residence.
In other words, a foreigner must first obtain a temporary residence permit in Spain, then a permanent residence permit, and then apply for citizenship.
To do so, the foreign national must reside in Spain for the following minimum period:
- General rule for all citizens: 10 years of residence.
- For persons recognized as refugees in Spain: 5 years.
- For citizens of Latin American countries, the Philippines, Guinea, Andorra or Portugal: 2 years.
- 1 year for persons who are married to a Spanish citizen, as well as for persons born outside Spain from a father or mother (also born outside Spain), grandparents, provided that they are all Spanish.
Main requirements for an applicant for Spanish citizenship:
1. Residence in Spain for at least 10 years as a general rule or 1 year for spouses of Spanish citizens.
2. The applicant must be legally residing in Spain and the foreigner must have a valid residence permit when applying. For example:
- Residence permit for financially independent foreigners without the right to work;
- Residence permit for investment (Spanish Golden Visa);
- Residence permit on the basis of business in Spain (business immigration);
- Residence permit for family reunification in Spain;
- Residence permit on the basis of official employment, etc.
3. Availability of funds that allow the applicant and his/her family to reside in Spain.
4. Confirm a sufficient level of integration into Spanish society by passing two tests:
a test of Spanish language proficiency at a level not lower than A2;
a text on constitutional and socio-cultural knowledge of Spain.
5. No criminal record in the country of origin and Spain.
The term of consideration
The processing time is from 1 to 2 years after submitting the application for citizenship. After you receive a positive decision, you will need to take an oath in accordance with the Spanish Constitution (jura de nacionalidad).
