applying for a spanish nlv, golden visa or spanish residency with an eu passport

You can only apply from the Consulate. Once the Visa is approved, the visa in your passport will give you a period of three months to enter Spain and complete the residency process. Applicants will need to apply for the TIE residency card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) within Spain.

It is a long-term Visa that can be renewed twice (2 years at a time) for a total of five years. It can be used to start the process ofobtainingpermanent residency (after five years) and Citizenship in Spain (after 10 years).

The key requirements are:

• Sufficient Economic Means: You must prove that you can support yourself and any dependents from a source outside of Spain such as savings, pensions, rents or dividends. The minimum financial requirement per year is €28,800 (€2,400 per month) for the primary applicant and €7,200 per year (€600 per month) each for the partner and/or other dependents.
• Criminal Records Check:A clean background check from each country in which you have lived in the past five years.
• Medical Certificate: A certificate of good health issued by a registered doctor.
• Health Care: You will need private health insurance that provides full coverage, no co-payments or waiting periods and must be valid for one year. If you are from the United Kingdom and at the state retirement age you will be able to access free public health care. After one year in Spain you may wish to opt for Convenio Especial, a scheme where you pay to access public health care.
  

This Visa grants qualifying individuals a renewable temporary residence permit, in exchange for an investment in the country. It is intended for non-EU/EEA and non-SWISS citizens (including UK Citizens).With this Visa you can live, work and do business in Spain as long as you maintain your investment.

If you apply from the Consulate the Visa is granted for one year, and you will be granted a residency card for two years. If you apply from within Spain you are granted residency for three years. It can be used to start the process of obtaining permanent residency (after five years) and Citizenship in Spain (after 10 years). When you renew your new residency card will be valid for another five years.

Once the Visa is approved, applicants will need to apply for the TIE residency card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) within Spain.

The key requirements are:

• Investment: Individuals can either purchase real estate (€500,000), invest in Spanish companies, create employment opportunities, or make a qualifying contribution to government bonds.
• Sufficient Economic Means: You must prove that you can support yourself and any dependents from a source outside of Spain such as savings, pensions, rents or dividends. The minimum financial requirement per year is €28,800 (€2,400 per month) for the primary applicant and €7,200 per year (€600 per month) each for the partner and/or other dependents.
• Criminal Records Check: A clean background check from each country in which you have lived in the past five years.
• Medical Certificate: A certificate of good health issued by a registered doctor.
• Health Care: You will need private health insurance that provides full coverage, no co-payments or waiting periods and must be valid for one year. If you are from the United Kingdom and at the state retirement age you will be able to access free public health care. After one year in Spain you may wish to opt for Convenio Especial, a scheme where you pay to access public health care.

If you are an European Union (EU) Citizen or family member of an EU citizen you can apply for Spanish Residency when you arrive in Spain. Note that Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland aren’t part of the EU, but they have special agreements in place. This residency allows you to live and work in Spain. Residency is granted for a period of five years once approved.

EU Citizens will receive a GREEN residency card, and Non-EU Citizens will receive a TIE residency card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) which will contain your NIE number. Please note if you apply only for an NIE number (white letter) this does NOT entitle you to residency.

The key requirements if you do not intend to work are:

• Sufficient Economic Means: You must prove that you can support yourself and any dependents from a source outside of Spain such as savings, pensions, rents or dividends. There is no set amount in law so the number may vary by region, however as a guide the primary applicant will need to demonstrate they have €7,251 euros and a further €5,438 for each dependent (partner/children) available to cover the first year of residency. In summary for a family of four this would be €23,565 for the first year. You may be asked to demonstrate the means for the five years of residency.
• Health Care: You will need private health insurance that provides full coverage, no co-payments or waiting periods and must be valid for one year. If you are from the United Kingdom and at the state retirement age you will be able to access free public health care. After one year in Spain you may wish to opt for Convenio Especial, a scheme where you pay to access public health care.
  
  

We always recommend to clients to plan ahead. Depending on your personal circumstances you may need to start the process before you arrive in Spain. You may require supporting documents from your existing country of residence or other countries which may take time to obtain.

Depending on how you apply you may need an NIE number (white letter) and it will take time to obtain this.

The duration of the process will vary depending on the Visa or Residency, in general the following guidance applies, however be aware that the timeline may be extended if the consulate requires additional information.

• Non Lucrative Visa: It can take between 1-2 months to prepare the application. Once the application is submitted the Consulate can take up to three months to make a decision. It is recommended to work back from the date you want to arrive in Spain, for example if you want to arrive in July, you may need to start the process in February.
• Golden Visa: Of course you first need to make a decision on what type of Investment you want to make in Spain and take the required actions. The first step is to obtain an NIE number (white letter) and it will take time to obtain this. It can take between 1-2 months to prepare the Visa application and it should take place in parallel to when the investment is being finalised. It can take between 10-20 days for a decision to be reached once the application is submitted.
• Residency with an EU Passport: Once you arrive in Spain you must be in a regular immigration status and submit your application within 90 days. For Non-EU citizens applying for residency as a dependent/family member of an EU Citizen, be aware the period in which you must apply will be reduced if you have travelled to other countries within the Schengen Zone in the previous 180 days. Additionally if you are arriving in Spain from another Schengen country the process starts immediately when you arrive as you may need a declaration of entry.

Help At Hand Spain provides a service to guide and support you through the process every step of the way. Get in touch with our enquiry form to share your personal circumstances and we can give you a free no obligation quote.

In addition to our fees, you may need to budget for some or all of these expenses depending on the application or residency you will apply for.

• Golden Visa and NLV Application Fees: If you need to apply from a Consulate you will need to pay a consulate fee, the cost can be vary depending on the citizenship you hold. If you apply within Spain for the Golden Visa from within Spain the fees will be different.
  
• Sworn Translation: A number of documents will need to be translated. Help At Hand Spain partners with a number of government approved translators and can include this service
• Health Insurance: Help At Hand Spain has trusted partnerships and can obtain you a free no obligation quote from a variety of private health insurance providers. The cost will depend on your age and any pre-existing conditions.
  
• Police Checks: A criminal records check is a mandatory requirement for Non Lucrative Visa and Golden Visas.
• Medical Certificate: You can obtain this from a medical practitioner / doctor.
• Public Notary: Depending on your personal circumstances you may require a legal affidavit to support your application.
• Apostille/Legalisation of Documents: A number of documents will need to be legalised the cost will dependent on the country in which the document was issued.
  
• Tasas: There will be other smaller government processing fees (€10-€20 Euros per person) that will need to be paid.

Below you can find a quick summary below, learn more in our Our Free Guide to Your Money and Finances

• Will I become a tax resident in Spain? The timing of when will depend on your personal circumstances and it is recommended to seek the professional advice of a Spanish tax advisor. Generally speaking you will become "Tax Resident" if you spend more than 183 days in a calendar year or you have your center of economic interests in Spain.
• What does it mean to be tax resident in Spain? If you are tax resident in Spain you will be required to complete annual tax returns. Depending on your personal circumstances you may also be subject to Wealth Tax and annually declaring your worldwide assets. It is highly recommended to consult with a tax professional to ensure you understand how taxation works in Spain. We partner with an English/Spanish speaking Tax Specialist who can offer a one hour tax consultation, ask us for further information.
  
• I have property outside of Spain what do I need to consider?Be aware that the sale of this is subject to Capital Gains tax in Spain when you become a Spanish tax resident, this may influence the date of when you move to Spain. Even if you are not permanently living in Spain, if you own a property (rented or unrented) or have other Spanish financial interests/assets you may be liable for non-residents tax.

The common questions that arise are:

• How to retain the temporary residency status? It is generally accepted that you will stay more than six months (183 days) in Spain in order to renew your Non Lucrative Visa or residency card. However it is worthy of that that the Supreme Court ruled in June 2023 had the effect of nullifying Article 162-2e of the immigration regulation that regulated the minimum time you must spend in Spain. However there is no guarantee that it will stay this way as the organic law could be updated to reinstate this article in the future, and may still cause you issues with your renewal.
• How to retain the Golden Visa temporary residency status? You need to visit Spain at least once, and maintain your investment. You are not expected to be a tax resident in Spain given this, however you would not meet the requirements for permanent residency.
  
• Can I apply for permanent residency? If you want to apply for permanent residency after the first five years of temporary residency under a Visa, you cannot leave the country for more than 6 months in any 1 year period or a total of 10 months in five years.
• Can I apply for Spanish Citizenship? After you have held residency for 10 years (5 years temporary + 5 years permanent) you can apply for Citizenship. However to be eligible during the period of permanent residency you can leave for up to 1 year continuously and consecutively or a total of 30 months.

Check out our free guide for Moving with Pets.