Spain issues two broad kinds of visa: short-stay Schengen (Type C) visas for visits up to 90 days, and long-stay national (Type D) visas for living in Spain. In 2026 the main Type D routes are the Digital Nomad, Non-Lucrative, work / Highly Qualified Professional, student, family, startup/entrepreneur and self-employed routes. Spain's Golden Visa was abolished on 3 April 2025. The table below compares route fit, income or fee rules, work rights, filing path, renewal and official sources.
Spain visa types and requirements 2026
| Visa route | Best for | Main 2026 requirement | Work rights | Filing path / duration | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schengen / Type C | Tourism, business and family visits up to 90 days | €90 fee (€45 ages 6-11) and €30,000 travel insurance if a visa is required | No local work | Spanish consulate or Schengen visa centre; up to 90 days in any 180-day period | EU Visa Code · ETIAS |
| Digital Nomad / international telework | Remote employees and self-employed professionals working mainly for companies outside Spain | Qualified professional status; self-employed Spain-based work capped at 20% of total professional activity | Yes, for remote work under the telework rules | Consulate: up to 1 year. In Spain via UGE: up to 3 years; renewals are normally 2 years | Law 28/2022 · Law 14/2013 |
| Non-Lucrative Visa | Retirees and people living from savings or passive income | About €2,400/month (400% IPREM), plus about €600/month per dependent, and health insurance equivalent to Spain's public system | No work in Spain | Spanish consulate in your country of residence; 1 year, then 2-year renewals | Royal Decree 1155/2024 |
| Work / Highly Qualified Professional | Spanish employer hires and skilled employees | Employer sponsorship; HQP salary benchmark about €40,077-€54,142/year, lower in some under-30 cases | Yes, for the approved role | Employer or UGE-led route; usually 1-3 years, renewable | Law 14/2013 |
| Startup / Entrepreneur | Founders of innovative, scalable businesses | Favourable ENISA innovation/economic-interest assessment; no fixed statutory investment minimum | Yes, for the approved project | UGE or consulate route depending on the case; usually 3 years, renewable | Law 28/2022 · Law 14/2013 |
| Student Visa | Non-EU students on qualifying Spanish courses | Admission to eligible study, funds generally around 100% IPREM per month, and health insurance | Up to 30 hours/week where compatible with eligible higher-education studies | Spanish consulate or in-country route where allowed; course length, extendable | Royal Decree 1155/2024 |
| Family Reunification | Spouses/partners, minor children and qualifying dependent relatives joining a legal resident | Sponsor usually proves at least 150% IPREM plus 50% IPREM per extra family member and suitable housing | Spouse/partner or child over minimum working age may work without an extra administrative step | Sponsor starts in Spain; family completes visa stage at consulate; tied to sponsor validity | Royal Decree 1155/2024 |
| Golden Visa | Former real-estate and investor route | Closed to new applications from 3 April 2025; pre-closure applications and valid permits follow transitional rules | Closed for new applicants | No new investor applications | Organic Law 1/2025 |
Type C vs Type D: short-stay and national visas
Type C (Schengen) visas cover short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, business meetings or family visits across the Schengen area. They do not authorise local employment in Spain.
Type D (national) visas are issued by Spain for stays longer than 90 days: living, working, studying, retiring, or joining family. A Type D visa lets you enter Spain and then collect your TIE residence card. Every long-stay route below is a Type D visa.
Spain Schengen Visa (Type C): Visits Under 90 Days
For tourism or business up to 90 days in any 180, you need a Schengen visa unless your nationality is visa-exempt (US, UK, Canada, Australia and others). Under the EU Visa Code, the visa fee is €90 (€45 for children aged 6-11), and you must show travel insurance covering at least €30,000.
ETIAS from late 2026: visa-exempt travellers will need an ETIAS travel authorization. The official EU ETIAS page says it will cost €20, be free for applicants under 18 or above 70, and remain valid for three years or until the passport/travel document used in the application expires, whichever comes first. ETIAS is separate from the EU Entry/Exit System (EES).
Spain Digital Nomad Visa: Work Remotely from Spain
Who qualifies: under Law 14/2013 and Law 28/2022, international telework covers employees or self-employed professionals who work remotely using IT/telecoms systems for companies outside Spain. Employees may work only for non-Spanish companies; self-employed applicants may work for Spain-based clients only if that work is no more than 20% of total professional activity. Applicants must be qualified professionals: graduates or postgraduates from recognised universities, vocational training or business schools, or professionals with at least 3 years of experience. The employment or professional relationship must be at least 3 months old, and the foreign company or group must have been operating continuously for at least 1 year.
Income (2026): about €2,849/month (200% of the Spanish minimum wage), plus about €1,068 for a spouse (75% SMI) and €356 per additional dependent (25% SMI). Because this tracks SMI, confirm the current amount before filing.
Duration and tax: a consular telework visa can be issued for up to 1 year, while an in-country residence authorization can be issued for up to 3 years. Renewals are normally 2 years. Holders can elect a 24% flat tax on Spanish-source income up to €600,000 under the special regime.
Read the full Spain Digital Nomad Visa guide, compare the Beckham Law tax regime, or get application support.
Spain Non-Lucrative Visa: Live on Passive Income
The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) is for people who can support themselves without working in Spain, usually retirees or applicants with savings or passive income.
Income (2026): about €2,400/month (400% of IPREM, about €28,800/year), plus 100% of IPREM (about €600/month) for each dependent. The immigration regulation links this route to IPREM, so confirm the current amount before filing. Applicants also need health insurance from a public or private entity authorised to operate in Spain, with coverage equivalent to Spain's public health system.
Work & duration: you cannot work in Spain on an NLV. It is issued for 1 year, then renewable for 2-year periods, and counts toward permanent residence and citizenship. Read our Spain Non-Lucrative Visa guide or get application support.
Spain Work Visa & Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) Visa
If you have a job offer from a Spanish employer, you'll usually apply through an employer-sponsored work visa. Skilled and managerial hires generally use the Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) visa, which is faster than many standard work routes, can be granted for up to 3 years, and lets family members apply at the same time or later.
The employer typically initiates the process. Under the HQP framework in Law 14/2013, the 2026 salary floor is about €40,077/year for technical, scientific and intellectual roles and €54,142/year for executive or managerial roles. A reduced €30,500 threshold applies to professionals under 30; the EU Blue Card route uses a similar threshold, about €39,270/year. Get support with a Spain work or HQP visa.
Spain Startup / Entrepreneur Visa (Ley 28/2022)
Spain's Startup Law (Law 28/2022) created a route for founders of innovative, scalable businesses. There is no fixed statutory investment minimum; your project needs a favourable ENISA report assessing innovation and economic interest for Spain. For entrepreneurs, this is now the closest route to what the abolished Golden Visa used to cover. Talk to our team about the entrepreneur route.
Spain Self-Employed (Autónomo) Visa
If you want to work for yourself in Spain outside the digital-nomad and startup routes, the self-employed (autónomo) work visa requires a viable business plan, the professional qualifications or licences for your activity, and proof of sufficient funds to launch and live. It suits freelancers and small-business owners serving the Spanish market.
Spain Student Visa: Study and Work Up to 30 Hours/Week
The Student Visa is for non-EU nationals admitted to a Spanish course or university. You show proof of admission and sufficient funds, generally around 100% of IPREM per month unless accommodation is prepaid. Under Royal Decree 1155/2024, eligible higher-education students can work up to 30 hours per week during their studies where the work is compatible with the course. After completing eligible studies or training, students may apply in Spain to change to residence/work status if they meet the relevant requirements. Get help with your Spain student visa.
Spain Researcher Visa
For researchers with a hosting agreement from a Spanish research organisation (under Ley 14/2011 and EU Directive 2016/801). The host entity starts the process, and the visa covers research, training, and innovation activities, with family reunification available.
Spain Family Reunification Visa
A legal resident in Spain can sponsor a spouse over 18, registered or stable partner, minor children, adult children or wards needing support because of disability or health, dependent first-degree ascendants of the resident or spouse/partner, and in specific cases an adult child acting as caregiver. Under Royal Decree 1155/2024, the baseline income test is at least 150% of IPREM (about €900/month in 2026) for the first family member, plus 50% of IPREM (about €300/month) for each additional member, along with suitable housing. A reunified spouse, partner or child over minimum working age may work employed or self-employed anywhere in Spain without an extra administrative step. Find an immigration lawyer in Spain.
Spain Golden Visa: closed on 3 April 2025 and current alternatives
Spain ended its Golden Visa (residence-by-investment) on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025. New investor applications are no longer accepted. Applications submitted before that date may be decided under the old rules. Valid investor visas and authorizations keep their issued validity, and real-estate investor renewals are processed under the rules in force when the initial authorization was granted. The program had required a €500,000 property investment.
Current routes for investors and entrepreneurs:
- Digital Nomad Visa: remote workers and freelancers earning about €2,849/month, with a 24% flat-tax option.
- Startup / Entrepreneur visa (Ley 28/2022): innovative business projects with a favourable ENISA report.
- Non-Lucrative Visa: passive income of about €2,400/month with no work in Spain.
From Residence to Permanent Residency and Citizenship
Most long-stay visas count toward permanent residence after 5 years of continuous legal residence. Spanish citizenship generally requires 10 years of legal residence, reduced to 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and Sephardic Jews. Naturalisation also requires passing the CCSE culture test and the DELE A2 Spanish exam, though nationals of Spanish-speaking countries are exempt from the DELE A2 language test. See our Spanish citizenship guide and dual citizenship rules.
How Do You Apply for a Spanish Visa?
Most long-stay (Type D) visas follow the same path, though the exact documents vary by route:
- Confirm your route and gather documents: passport, proof of income or funds, criminal-record certificate (apostilled), private health insurance, and route-specific papers (job contract, admission letter, business plan, etc.).
- Book an appointment at the Spanish consulate for your district (or, for in-country routes like the Digital Nomad Visa, with the UGE in Spain).
- Submit and pay the application with biometrics; decisions typically take from about 2–4 weeks (HQP/DNV via the UGE) to a few months (consular routes).
- Collect your visa, enter Spain, and apply for your TIE (foreigner ID card) within 30 days, registering with the local police and padrón.
What do Spain visas cost? The Schengen (Type C) visa fee is €90 (€45 for children aged 6-11). National (Type D) consular fees are set by reciprocity and depend on your nationality - for example about US$140 for US citizens and roughly £516 for UK applicants - and you also pay a small fee for your TIE residence card after arriving. For most routes the income requirement shown above is the larger hurdle, not the fee.
Other Spain Visas
Inter-company transfer (ICT): for employees moved to a Spanish branch of the same company group; the company initiates it.
Internship & trainee visas: for students or recent graduates on a work-experience placement (minimum earnings apply).
Language Assistant (Auxiliares de Conversación): for participants in the North American Language and Culture Assistant program and similar cultural-exchange schemes.
Job Seeker visa (búsqueda de empleo): a 12-month residence visa to look for work. RD 1155/2024 limits the route to children or grandchildren of Spaniards of origin and to occupations or territorial areas set by the collective-hiring order. Confirm current funds and renewal rules in the applicable ministerial order or official consular instructions before relying on it.
Working Holiday visa: for young people (usually 18-30, or up to 35 for Canada) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. It is a one-year stay with the right to work, under Spain's bilateral youth-mobility agreements.
Related Spain guides
Moving to Spain · Cost of living · Taxes in Spain · Beckham Law · Non-Lucrative Visa · Digital Nomad Visa · Spanish citizenship · Immigration lawyers
This guide is general information and reflects Spanish immigration rules as of July 2026. Policy and income thresholds (SMI/IPREM) change - confirm current requirements with the relevant Spanish consulate or a qualified immigration lawyer before applying.