Study
Student Visa
The national (type D) visa for non-EU students enrolling in a Spanish university or programme longer than 90 days.
Destination
Spain
Digital nomad, non-lucrative and student routes to life in Spain
Spain has residence routes for students, remote workers, people with passive income, entrepreneurs and skilled employees. Its investor (golden) visa closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025.
What you can do in Spain
Country snapshot
Spain at a glance
The basics that shape every plan.
Last verified 3 November 2026
- EU member
- Since 1986
- Schengen
- Member
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Capital
- Madrid
- Official language
- Spanish
Pathway picker
Every route into Spain
Filter by what you want to do. Each route has its own page with who it suits, the requirements and the steps.
Showing 11 routes
- Work
EU Blue Card
The European permit for highly qualified workers, with mobility across EU member states and an accelerated path to long-term residency.
- Work
Highly Qualified Professional Visa
A fast-track residence permit under the Startups Law for senior, specialised, and well-paid professionals.
- Work
Self-Employed Visa (Autónomo)
Residence and work authorisation (cuenta propia) for freelancers and entrepreneurs running their own business in Spain.
- Work
Work Permit (Employed)
Residence and work authorisation (cuenta ajena) for non-EU nationals with a job offer from a Spanish employer.
- Business
Entrepreneur Visa
Residence for founders launching an innovative, scalable business of general interest to Spain, under the Startups Law.
- BusinessClosed to new applicants
Golden Visa
Spain closed its investor (golden) visa to new applicants on 3 April 2025. Organic Law 1/2025 removed the whole investor residence route, including residence through buying property worth €500,000 or more. Several residence alternatives remain.
Closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025. Look at instead: Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), Digital Nomad Visa, Entrepreneur Visa
- Residency & family
Arraigo (Residency by Roots)
Regularisation routes for non-EU nationals already in Spain who have built social, work, family, or training ties.
- Residency & family · Remote work
Digital Nomad Visa
Live in Spain while working remotely for companies or clients based outside the country, under the Startups Law.
- Residency & family
Family Reunification
Bring your spouse, partner, children, or dependent relatives to join you once you are a legal resident in Spain.
- Residency & family
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)
Residency for those who can support themselves from savings or passive income, without working in Spain.
These route descriptions have not yet been re-checked against official sources. Confirm the current rules with us before you apply or pay any fees. Costs and processing times appear on a route once they have been checked against an official source.
Work
Work in Spain
The work permit routes we cover in Spain.
Business
Invest and do business in Spain
The investment and business routes we cover in Spain, including those that have closed and what to look at instead.
Residency & family
Living in Spain
The residence routes we cover in Spain, each with its own page of requirements and steps.
Routes to a residence permit
- Regularisation routes for non-EU nationals already in Spain who have built social, work, family, or training ties.
- Remote workDigital Nomad VisaLive in Spain while working remotely for companies or clients based outside the country, under the Startups Law.
- Bring your spouse, partner, children, or dependent relatives to join you once you are a legal resident in Spain.
- Residency for those who can support themselves from savings or passive income, without working in Spain.
- Your next step
Cost and timeline planner
Plan the cost and timing of your move
The planner opens with Spain already chosen. Add a programme or a city and the date you want to arrive.
- It lists the fees, insurance, proof of funds and living costs to budget for, and marks every figure as checked against an official source or as an estimate.
- It plans backwards from your arrival: documents, admission, visa appointment and decision, travel and registration.
- Your destinationSpain
- Your next stepA plan with costs and dates
Rule updates
Rule changes in Spain
Dated changes to the rules, each linked to its official source.
In effect since
Spain ends its investor (golden) visa
Since 3 April 2025 Spain no longer accepts new applications for investor visas or investor residence permits. Organic Law 1/2025 of 2 January, published in the BOE on 3 January 2025, removed articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013, which set up the investor route, including residence through buying Spanish property worth €500,000 or more.
Affects: Golden Visa
Source: boe.es
Experts
Who you will talk to
We list an adviser here only after their profile and credentials have been verified, so no one is listed for Spain yet.
You can still book a consultation about Spain: tell us what you need and we will get back to you to arrange it.
Book a consultationNext step
Talk it through with the advisor who handles Spain.
Choose what it’s about and when suits you. Your advisor sees what you’ve explored, so the conversation starts where you are.
- DestinationSpain
- ThenA consultation
Prefer that we contact you? Leave your number
Loading the form…