My family (husband, Alastair, and son, Sam, now 16) and I came to Spain in 2015 for a 12-month sabbatical. We didn’t do much homework on picking a base for our year off - we wanted somewhere with good schools, a reasonable cost of living, and easy access to do lots of touring around Europe.
After 6 months in Spain, we’d fallen for the country and our new lifestyle in a big way. It was clear that none of us wanted to head back to Australia and Spain would be our new home!
I was lucky to have a British passport, arrived in Spain pre-Brexit, and entered as an EU citizen - there was no need for a visa for Brits then. Today, we are all permanent residents, and this year is our tenth in Spain, so we can decide if we will apply for Spanish citizenship.
Five years ago, we started working with an outstanding immigration lawyer in Spain (both personally and in our new business). For this article, I asked our long-term partner, Raquel, to comment on each option to help you choose the right Spanish visa type.
Short on time? Here's the cheat sheet:
Dream of living in Spain but can't figure out your best path? These 5 visa options will be your best bet to stay long-term in Spain:
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Non-Lucrative Visa
- Student Visa
- Golden Visa
- Work Visa
We’re not a regular travel blog; we’re a collection of women living around the world, all with different backgrounds, jobs, desires, & nationalities. What do we have in common? A passion for life abroad. Each article is written from the 1st-hand perspective of a woman who has actually done or experienced what she writes about.
Learn more about the author by clicking her bio pic at the start or end of each article.
Do You Need a Visa to Work or Live in Spain?
Before we dive into the depths here, it's important you first see if you actually need a visa to live and work in Spain. For most nationalities, the answer is yes, you do.
If you're from another European Union country, it's possible to live in Spain and get the job without the need for a visa.
Most people (including U.S. citizens) can travel to Spain for tourism, business meetings, or family visits without needing a visa for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. This visa-free access is part of the Schengen Zone agreement.
From 2025, however, all visa-exempt travelers must apply for the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System).
For the rest of this article though, I'll assume you're from outside of the EU and want to stay in Spain for longer than 90 days.
Best Visas for Long-Term Stays in Spain (More than 90 Days)
Although each of these 5 best visas have a different set of requirements and offer different rights in the country, most have a path to permanent residency and even Spanish citizenship after 10 years.
Each visa application form will also ask for a list of required documents in order to apply but simplicity today, I'll cover the most important requirements for you to see which visas could be best for you to move to Spain.
1. Digital Nomad Visa (Remote Work Visa)
A new visa has caused a lot of excitement and is one of the most popular options for people who contact us at Moving to Spain. There are a handful of other countries that offer a digital nomad visa but Spain is one of the newest.
Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa (officially called "Visado de Trabajar a Distancia") offers remote workers and digital professionals an exciting opportunity to live in Spain while working for non-Spanish companies.
This visa was introduced as part of Spain's Startup Law, which the Spanish government passed in 2023 to attract international talent.
Eligibility Requirements for this visa are:
- Minimum monthly income of €2,646 (approximately $2,900).
- Private Health Insurance
Benefits:
- An initial 12-month residence permit is extendable for up to 5 years.
- You may qualify for a reduced tax rate of 24%on your income.
- Family members (spouses and children) can join as dependents.
This visa is ideal for freelancers, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and remote workers with an employer or clients outside of Spain.
"The Digital Nomad visa is becoming very popular. You can apply in Spain or your home country and there can be good tax advantages. Just remember that US W2 remote employees can’t use this visa at present." - Raquel, Immigration Lawyer.
2. Non-Lucrative Visa (Retirement or Passive Income Visa)
The Non-Lucrative Visa is perfect for retirees or those with passive income who do not need to work while living in Spain. This visa has been around for a long time so immigration teams, like mine at Moving to Spain, has the application process down pat. The main key to getting this visa is being able to prove you have the sufficient financial means to comfortably live in Spain without needing to work.
Key Requirements for the Non-Lucrative Visa include:
- Proof of passive income: A monthly income of €2,400 (approximately $2,600) is required.
- Private health insurance is mandatory.
- You cannot work in Spain.
The original visa is for 1 year, and you can renew it as long as you still qualify.
"This is the most popular visa for retirees, but there are two things you must remember. First, you can only use passive income like pensions, annuities, and investment income. Secondly, you cannot apply in Spain - you must use the consulate nearest to your home.” - Raquel, Immigration Lawyer.
3. Student Visa (Study Visa)
You don’t have to be young to come to Spain on a study visa. Pick anything from a Spanish language course to a Masters degree, and you can qualify.
Your visa lasts as long as your course of study - and it does allow 20 hours per week of work. People from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and many more come to study in Spain - both English-language tertiary degrees and Spanish language courses.
There are three Subtypes of student visas in Spain:
- Short-term Student Visa: For courses under 180 days.
- Long-term Student Visa: For programs longer than six months. It allows part-time work.
- Study-to-Work Visa: After completing your studies, you may apply to transition to a work visa.
"Make sure that the course you choose is approved by the Spanish immigration department because you’ll need an acceptance letter to apply for your visa. And remember - only 50% of Student visa residency counts towards your five year qualification for permanent residency.” - Raquel, Immigration Lawyer.
4. Golden Visa (Investment Visa)
Spain’s Golden Visa offers a fast-track residency most commonly used by people buying a property in Spain. This Spanish visa has been one of the most popular pathways to Spanish citizenship and the announcement to stop the program means you may need to hurry to take advantage of it.
Investment Options under the Golden Visa:
- Real estate investment: Minimum of €500,000 in Spanish property (can be one or multiple properties).
- Capital investment: €1 million in shares of Spanish companies, €2 million in Spanish government bonds, or €1 million in Spanish bank deposits.
"The Spanish government did announce that they will remove this visa option, but until they actually pass the legislation in parliament it is still available and a really good choice if you want to buy a home in Spain.” - Raquel, Immigration Lawyer.
5. Work Visas
Spain has nine work visas covering everything from small business owners to highly qualified professionals. The Digital Nomad Visa is great, but if you’re looking to work in Spain for a Spanish employer or with Spanish clients, you’ll need to choose a different work visa.
If you have a job offer from a Spanish company, a great business idea, or want to freelance in Spain, there are opportunities for you. Many expats move to Spain to teach English. The two most popular programs to teach English in Spain (and have them help you through the visa application) are:
We won't cover all nine options here as it is pretty complicated. You can find more information about work visa options in Spain here.
Healthcare For Your Visa
Spain’s healthcare system is ranked among the best in Europe, but private health insurance is required for most visa types.
Like many expats, even though our family has access to public health insurance, we still keep private health coverage because it offers outstanding care and value. Thankfully, private health insurance is much cheaper than in, for example, the US. You can use this tool to get quotes for healthcare costs in Spain for your visa.
The Next Steps to Move to Spain
We speak to people every day who find Spain’s visa options overwhelming. We think that’s a good thing as it means there is an enormous range of options to choose from. The ability to pick and choose a visa that fits your wants and needs makes Spain one of the easiest countries to move to.
The downside? You must choose a visa that you can get,and that gives you the life you want to live in Spain.
Spain’s immigration red tape can seem intimidating, but using an excellent Spanish immigration lawyer like Raquel makes it much, much easier!
My company, Moving to Spain, has a range of packages to help you plan your move to Spain. Although we had it a bit easier when we first moved to Spain, we have since realized just how difficult it is for most to confidently settle in this beautiful country.
My husband and I started the company with the desire to make moving abroad as smooth as possible for you and your family members.
If you're interested in joining us in Spain and want to skip the headaches, our planning packages include a consultation with Raquel’s firm to help you pick your visa. You’ll also cover tax, financial planning, foreign exchange, and health insurance - all key to a successful move. You’ll also get access to unique tools to help you work out your cost of living in Spain, your budget for the move, and an online checklist to keep your plan on track.
Use code AWAYABROAD10 for 10% at checkout.
Best Places to Live in Spain
We all know that visa applications are the least fun aspect about moving abroad. The most fun? Deciding where you'll live and visualizing your new Spanish lifestyle.
Just like when it comes to visas, Spain also offers so many great places to live, from remote islands to cities bursting with life. If you haven't yet decided where the best places to live in Spain are, we recommend:
Which Visa Will Bring You to Spain?
With so many different visa options to live in Spain, you really do have a wide range of possibilities here, especially compared with other EU countries. Living in Spain means easy access to the rest of Europe and North Africa, a relatively affordable cost of living, charming cities and towns, and an incredibly unique landscape.
I'm so glad we took that leap of faith so many years ago and moved to Span. Will you join us?
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