Spain Visas: The ultimate guide to Spanish residency
Spain welcomes foreigners. And, it goes way beyond the millions of tourists who visit each year. The Spanish immigration system offers a huge range of
Your guide to moving to Spain. Spanish residence permits, visas, Spanish citizenship, and passports.
Why live in Spain?
There are many reasons to seek out residency as an Expat in Spain. The same reasons make Spanish citizenship one of the most attractive in the world for you and your family. People love the way of life and the weather. The food and culture are world-class. The low cost of living means that most people can enjoy a higher standard of living than they could in their home country. We’ll also look at the many Spanish residence permits and visas available to you. Many of these visas and residency permits are a pathway to Spanish citizenship and an EU passport.
These add up to Spain being ranked the 5th best place on the planet for Expats. We’ll look at all the reasons Expats love Spain in more detail below.
Health and Health Care
Spain has one of the longest life expectancies in the world, and it looks set to keep on improving. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the abundance of good, fresh food. Secondly, Spanish people traditionally follow the Mediterranean diet. This diet has been strongly linked to excellent health outcomes. Finally, there is a relaxed attitude and importance placed on strong social ties.
These all play a part, as does a very effective health system. There is both a public and private capability. Health insurance is affordable and comprehensive.
Lifestyle, weather, and climate
Spain is a very social country. There is an emphasis on spending quality time with friends and family. Eating out is cheap and forms an integral part of many people’s lives. Outdoor activities are also popular. There are beaches, mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes. Fishing, hiking, cycling, and skiing, and more are everyday activities for young and old alike.
Spain’s weather is excellent. There are the famous 320 days a year of sunshine along the southern Mediterranean coast. And, then there are some of Europe’s best beaches on which to enjoy that sunshine. If you prefer green rolling hills, the areas of Asturias and Galicia have you covered. The Pyrenees mountains along the border of Spain offer countless alpine options. It really is a country that offers everything.
In smaller towns and in some companies based in larger cities, the siesta is still honoured, which results in long lunch breaks. Many retirees from around the world have moved to Spain for a better life. They can often be found in smaller towns that line the stunning Mediterranean coastline.
Cost of Living
Spain has a much lower cost of living than many other first world countries and definitely one of the cheapest in Western Europe. Fresh food, restaurants, and home help are all very affordable. Buying and renting property does vary hugely between premium and other areas. Outside of Madrid, Barcelona, and some premium coastal towns, these costs are also very reasonable. Areally rough guide is the US State Department per diem rate. This is the amount the State Department pays its employees to cover their basic daily expenses while aborad. The average for Spain is 75% of the United Kingdom and 55% of Switzerland. That means your money will go much further.
Stability and Safety
Spain moved out of the Franco dictatorship in 1978. Since then, it has been a functional democracy in good standing with the world. While local politics can be tumultuous, there has been a focus on moving beyond the problems of the past. There are still significant issues to be addressed. Catalonian independence is a problematic issue. Levels of youth unemployment, while falling, continue to be higher than desirable. Spain now has a functioning government to address these issues after some political deadlock.
The Legatum Prosperity Index ranks Spain 32nd in the world for Safety and Security. Security has improved markedly over the last decade and continues an upward trajectory. Outside of petty crime in the large cities and tourist hotspots, living in Spain is very secure.
Financial and Business
The financial crisis hit Spain hard, but employment numbers have recently gone up, and the economy is growing. The same improvement also applies to salaries in Spain, which are steadily increasing. Combined, this means now is the time to grab an opportunity in Spain. The recovery has been broad, and most sectors have shown strong growth in the last few years.
Red tape and bureaucracy can be a problem. Setting up a business can be frustrating without support. Officials are almost unfailing polite, but the system can be very inflexible.
Property prices across Spain have stabilised and been climbing steadily, but there is still excellent value to be had in some areas.
Most immigrants can be found in Madrid and Barcelona, which are the biggest cities in the country and offer the most career opportunities
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Spanish Citizenship
Spanish citizenship is heritable. Generally, it is based on the principle of ‘Jus Sanguinis’ or the right of blood. ‘Jus Sanguinis’ means that you inherit citizenship from your parents. There are limited cases where ‘Jus Soli’ (right of soil) applies. ‘Jus Soli’ says there are some circumstances in which being born in Spain to non-Spanish parents is a pathway to citizenship.
Spain is a member of the European Union (EU). This membership allows you the freedom to travel, live, and work, anywhere in any of the member states. Additionally, Spain is a signatory to the SCHENGEN treaty. You are entitled to the full rights and benefits of this membership.
Spain only allows you to hold dual and multiple citizenships and passports in some circumstances. This ability also depends on your country of origin. It’s best to discuss your case with a trusted immigration lawyer to ensure clarity for your circumstances.
In all cases, you’ll have to prove you are a person of good standing. You’ll need to show you have no criminal record. You’ll need to show sufficient integration into Spanish society. At a minimum, this means passing some level of Spanish certification. The requirement is generally the DELE level 2 A Spanish. This does not apply if Spanish is your native language. Additionally, there is a test of your knowledge of Spanish civil society, the CCSE.
Advantages of Spanish Citizenship
As a Spanish citizen, you are entitled to a Spanish passport. The Spanish passport allows you to visit more than 170 countries without a visa. This ranks it at number 2 in the passport index that rates passport power.
Spain’s powerful passport, it’s economy, freedoms, and political stability are all positives in the Quality of Nationality Index. Spain ranks an impressive 10th in this ranking.
As a Spanish citizen, you have the right to vote in both Spanish and EU elections.
Spanish Citizenship by Descent
If either of your parents were citizens when you were born, then you are a Spanish citizen.
Additionally, a Sephardic ancestry law was introduced in 2015. This opened the doors for thousands of people across the globe to obtain Spanish nationality. You must be able to prove descent from the Sephardic Jewish community expelled from Spain in 1492. Have a read of our full article on this programme here. Please note, this programme was suspended in October 2019. All political parties have agreed on restarting this in future. It is a question of “when”, not “if”.
Spanish Citizenship by Marriage
To access Spanish nationality by marriage, you need to first apply for Spanish residency. After one year of residence in Spain, you can apply for Spanish citizenship by naturalisation. You’ll need to demonstrate you can speak Spanish and are of good character.
Spanish Citizenship by Birth
If you were born in Spain, you may apply for Spanish citizenship after a residence period of 1 year. Again, you’ll need to demonstrate you can speak Spanish and are of good character.
Spanish Citizenship by Adoption
If your adoptive parents are Spanish and you are under 18 years old, you can apply for Spanish citizenship.
Spanish Citizenship by Naturalisation
You can become a naturalised citizen through legal and continuous residency in Spain for between 2-10 years. The residency requirement depends on where you come from and your circumstances.
- If you are from an Ibero-American country (most Spanish colonies in South America), your residence requirement is just two years. These exceptions also include Andorra, the Philippines, Portugal, and Equatorial Guinea.
- If you were born in a Spanish overseas territory, then your residence requirement is only one year.
- If you have refugee status, then your residence requirement is five years.
It is best to discuss your situation with a trusted immigration partner.
You can find a link to Spain’s official government immigration website here for more information.
To keep updated on any changes to Spain’s Citizenship programs, please sign up to our newsletter here.
Spain Golden Visa
Spain launched its Golden Visa Residency by Investment programme in 2013. It has been an extremely popular choice for those wanting residency in Europe as well as investment in a growing economy.
What are the benefits of the Spain Golden Visa?
- Non-EU citizens can live and work freely in Spain.
- Easy travel within the EU
- Actual residence in Spain is not required. You only have to visit Spain once during the period of residence.
- If EU citizenship is what you are after, you are eligible after 10 years of residency in Spain and meeting other requirements such as language.
Investment requirements of the Spain Golden Visa:
- Purchase Real estate for €500,000 or more.
- Invest in shares or bank deposits from €1 million upwards
- Purchase government bonds to the value of €2 million or more.
- Approved Business projects
Further information:
- Administration fees is approximately EUR 70 per person. A further EUR 76.36 needs to be paid per person for the renewal.
- Processing times typically take about 2 months
- The visa is renewed every 2 years
- After 5 years it is possible to gain permanent residency
- You may be authorized to maintain your tax residence outside Spain.
Ready to take the next step?
Speak to the Where Can I Live Trusted partner for Spain to plan the next steps. Why use our partner?
- We have handpicked our partner from many in Spain using an 8-step ongoing quality assessment process . This includes qualifications, client reviews and performance assessments.
- We have negotiated a reduced rate for your first consultation.
- You will speak to a qualified lawyer
- It will save you time, money and a huge amount of effort.
To keep updated on any changes to Spain’s Golden Visa program, please sign up to our newsletter here.
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