If you are an European Union (EU) Citizen or family members 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, however you may wish to apply for this before you arrive in Spain if you need it for other reasons.

• If you have a Spanish employer: You will need to provide a copy of your signed contract/pre-contract in order to register your residency. If this is the first employment in Spain, it is normally your employers responsibility for registering your employment with Spanish Social Security and providing you a certificate of registration.  It may be possible to apply for a Social Security number in advance.
• If you are self-employed currently and plan the same in Spain: You will need to register as self employed in Spain and register to pay for Spanish social security.
• If you are employed by a company outside of Spain: You will need private Health Insurance (unless you are a Student and have existing coverage) and you will need to demonstrate the financial means to support you and your family. If you are employed outside of Spain, we recommend checking with your employer about moving to Spain to ensure you and they are compliant with EU and Spanish employment, company personal and tax law.
  
  

We always recommend to clients to plan ahead. Depending on your personal circumstances you will 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.

You will need to apply for an Número de identidad de extranjero ("Foreigner Identity Number") if you are starting work as Self Employed or intend to have a contract with a Spanish employer.  This can take time to organise and may delay your start date so it's important you plan ahead.

The duration of the process will vary depending on the Visa or Residency, in general the following guidance applies.

• EU Applicant: Once you arrive in Spain you must be in a regular immigration status and submit your application within 90 days.  Residency is typically granted on the same day.
• Non-EU Applicant: It is possible to apply once the EU Applicant has received their residency, however must also be done within 90 days.  Once the application is approved which can take up to 3 months, it will then be possible to apply for a residency card.

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.

• Sworn Translation: Documents may need to be translated depending on your personal circumstances. Help At Hand Spain partners with a number of government approved translators and can include this service
  
• Apostille/Legalisation of Documents: Documents may 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.
• Health Insurance: If required.  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.

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.

Possession of the residence permit means that you are "resident" in the country.The common questions that arise are:

• 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.