What types of visa are there to live in Spain?

Foreigners who want to settle in Spain for any reason have several alternatives for doing so.

If you hold a Visa, an EU Residence Certificate (temporary or permanent) or have obtained a favourable resolution after presenting the EX-20 application, you can apply for the TIE Card Spain. To request the TIE it is necessary to make an appointment online with the Oficina de Extranjeros.

These are some of the possibilities currently available.

Golden Visa

This is one of the most popular because its requirements are simple and it allows you to bring your whole family (as long as you can support them).

Get the Golden Visa in Spain is possible when you invest a large amount of money in real estate located in Spain (although it is also possible to apply for this visa if you invest in company shares or bonds).

The minimum investment amount for this procedure is 500,000 euros, and one of its main advantages is that it can be applied for directly from Spain.

Student visa

This is another of the most common visas. Many foreign students want to come to Spain to continue, complement or extend their studies.

Whether it is to study for a university degree, a master’s degree or a language course, students from all over the world decide to come to Spain because of the advantages that the country offers them.

A student visa is required in the following cases:

– If the studies will last less than 3 months, the tourist visa will be sufficient and it is not necessary to apply for a student visa.

– If the duration is between 3 and 6 months, then a short-stay study visa is required.

– If the course lasts between 6 and 12 months, a long-stay student visa (in this case the foreigner will also get a physical card or TIE).

In any case, if the academic year ends but the studies continue or if the foreigner will move on to higher education (e.g. from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s degree), an extension of stay for studies must be made.

Long-stay visas

These are known as type D visas, i.e. when a foreigner intends to live, work, study or do research in Spain for a period of more than 90 days.

In these cases, a long-stay visa must be applied for, except for foreigners who belong to the European Union, whose process will be much quicker and simpler.

Most applications will be made from the country of origin and, in addition to guaranteeing residency in Spain through the consulate, it will also be the prelude to obtaining a residency permit.

However, there are several types of long-term visas. These are the most common:

Non-Lucrative Visa

This is the perfect type of visa for those who cannot or do not want to make an economic investment in the country.

The Non-Lucrative Visa does not allow you to work in Spain and you need to prove that you have sufficient means to support yourself and your family (at least 27,000 euros per month) and have private medical insurance in Spain.

It is valid for 1 year, with the possibility of renewal for 2 years indefinitely if the initial requirements are met.

Work visas

On the other hand, if you want to work legally in Spain, foreigners must apply for a work visa. There are several types of visas for this purpose:

– When the foreigner finds a company or employer who wants to hire him/her (i.e. he/she will work for a company in Spain).

– Self-employed work permit, to carry out tasks as an independent or self-employed professional.

Visa for family reunification in general regime

It is very common for foreigners who are already legally in Spain to want to bring their family members with them.

Family reunification is possible when the applicant has been legally resident in Spain for at least one year and may bring immediate family members with him/her when they are economically dependent on him/her.

Immediate family members include children under the age of 18 and parents over the age of 65.

These are some of the most requested visas for foreigners in Spain.