Non-EU Citizens Moving to Spain
Understand the visas and permits you’ll need if you are from a non-EU country...
Many non-EU
citizens require a visa to enter Spain. If the stay is intended to be under
three months (90 days), a tourist visa may be required. This is called a
Schengen visa, valid for all of the countries in the Schengen area, and is issued by
the Spanish Embassy in the applicant's home country (or the embassy of the
Schengen country in which a traveller will arrive).
The holder of a
Schengen visa is not permitted to work or to stay longer than 90 days in the
entire Schengen area, not just Spain. The same applies to nationals of non-EU
countries that are exempt from needing a Schengen visa.
Currently the
citizens of around 35 countries do not need a Schengen visa to enter Spain,
however if the intention is to stay, a residence visa is required.
- For a full list of visa-exempt countries, see the Europa website
Residence visas
Anyone arriving in
Spain with the intention of staying longer than three months requires a Residence
Visa (Visado de Residencia). This must be requested from and
issued by the Spanish Embassy of the applicant's home country, before departure
for Spain. It is different to the standard 90-day Schengen visa in that it
allows the holder to begin the residency application process. Application for
residency is not typically accepted from anyone arriving on a Schengen visa.
- The Spanish Government
website has an interactive map to search for Spanish Embassies worldwide
- For those already in Spain
seeking information about obtaining a residence visa, information is
available from the Ministry of
the Interior.
Residence card (Tarjeta
de Residencia)
Citizens of non-EU
countries wishing to stay in Spain for more than three months must apply for
a Residency Permit/Card (Tarjeta de Residencia) within
30 days of arriving in the country. The application must be made at the
Foreigner's Office (Oficina de Extranjeros) or local police
station in the province of intended residence.
- To find the nearest Oficina de Extranjeros (in Spanish)
The documentation
required varies depending on the situation. Consult with the local Oficina
de Extranjeros or police station to determine which documents are
required.
The following
documentation is required when applying for a Tarjeta de Residencia:
- Valid passport and photocopy
- Three passport-size colour
photographs
- Completed application form
and three copies
- Proof of address in Spain
- Receipt for payment of an administration fee, stamped by bank
The following
documentation may also be required (certified translations may be requested):
- Copy of a job contract or a certificate
of employment (if applicable)
- Self-employed individuals
must produce evidence that they meet the same professional conditions
required of Spanish nationals and that they have applied for authorisation
to carry out their professional activity
- Proof of academic and/or
professional qualifications (if applicable)
- Proof of financial resources
for those not intending to work
- Proof of school enrolment
(for students only)
- Proof that the applicant has
no prior criminal record (Certificado de Antecedentes Penales);
available from a home country Embassy or local police department in the former place of residence
- Medical certificate
- Consular inscription (a
letter from the home Consulate)
- Proof that the applicant has
medical insurance cover in Spain
Documents in other
languages need to be translated into Spanish.
Once the
application for a residence permit has been made, a stamped copy of the
application is issued; the Residence Card should be issued within three to four
months. Resident Cards may be renewed at the Foreigners Office. In the event of
a change of address or personal circumstance, the local Oficina de
Extranjeros or police station must be notified within 30 days.
The initial
Residence Card is valid for one year; this can be renewed annually for up to
five years.
For non-EU
nationals with an EU-national family member who is resident or intending to
become resident in Spain, see the section on Family Members of EU Citizens
Foreign Identity
Card (TIE) for Non EU Nationals
Non-EU nationals
authorised to stay in Spain for more than 6 months must apply for a Foreign
Identity Card (Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero - TIE) within one
month of arrival.
The following
documents are required in order to apply for a Foreign Identity Card
(TIE):
- Valid passport and photocopy
- Three passport-sized colour
photographs
- Completed application form EX17 and three copies (PDF
in Spanish)
- Proof of school enrolment
(for students only)
- Proof of address
- Proof of financial resources
for those not intending to work
- Health insurance policy
- Proof of the administration
fee payment
More information about obtaining a Foreign Residence Card is available from the Ministry of Employment and Social Security (in Spanish)