Spanish visas are the gateway to living in Spain — and which one you need depends entirely on your nationality and your plans. This guide maps every main route in 2026, from the paperwork EU citizens face to the residence visas non-EU nationals must secure before they arrive, plus the NIE, the padrón, the TIE card and the path from first residence to permanent residency and citizenship.
This is the cornerstone immigration guide. For the wider relocation picture — costs, healthcare, choosing a city — start with our complete guide to moving to Spain, then use this page for the visa and residency detail.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens
If you hold an EU/EEA or Swiss passport you don’t need a visa — you have the right to live and work in Spain. For stays over three months you register as an EU resident, receiving a green residency certificate (often called the certificado de registro) that carries your NIE number. You’ll then handle healthcare and tax like any resident.
Spanish visas for non-EU citizens (UK, US, Canada, Australia and beyond)
Since Brexit, British citizens join Americans, Canadians, Australians and others who can visit for 90 days in any 180 but need a visa to live here. The main 2026 routes:
- Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) — for remote workers and freelancers serving mainly non-Spanish clients. Income requirement around €2,850/month (pegged to the minimum wage, so it rises each year). Full detail in our guide to Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa.
- Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) — for the self-funded who won’t work in Spain (retirees, the financially independent). Around €2,400/month, plus roughly €600/month per dependent.
- Work visa — requires a Spanish job offer and employer sponsorship.
- Student visa — for enrolled students; lower income bar (around €600/month) with limited work rights.
- Family reunification — for joining a resident family member, subject to income and housing conditions.
Note the Golden Visa (residency by property investment) ended on 3 April 2025; the DNV and NLV are now the usual alternatives for those who would once have used it. Most applications require an apostilled, translated set of documents — criminal-record certificate, proof of income, private health insurance and more — submitted at a Spanish consulate or, in some cases, from within Spain.
The NIE: your foreigner ID number
The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the tax and ID number you’ll need for almost everything — a bank account, a rental, a phone contract, a job. It’s a cheap formality (a small Modelo 790 código 012 fee) but the appointment can be the bottleneck. Our worked example, getting your NIE and empadronamiento in Bilbao, shows the process, which is broadly similar nationwide.
Empadronamiento and the TIE card
Two more essentials:
- Empadronamiento — registering your address at the town hall (the padrón). It unlocks healthcare registration, school places and many administrative steps.
- TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) — the physical residency card non-EU residents collect after a visa is approved, usually within the first weeks of arrival.
From residence to permanent residency and citizenship
Most non-EU residence permits start short (one to three years) and are renewable. After five years of legal residence you can apply for permanent residency. Citizenship generally becomes possible after ten years — though nationals of Ibero-American countries, the Philippines, Andorra, Portugal and a few others qualify after just two. Spain restricts dual nationality for most non-Ibero-American applicants, so weigh that carefully.
Where you’ll do the paperwork
Bureaucracy varies a little by city and region, but the steps are the same wherever you land — see our cornerstone guides for Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville and Bilbao for local notes.
Getting help
Immigration rules change and applications are unforgiving of small errors, so many newcomers use an immigration lawyer (abogado) or gestor. You can find vetted, English-speaking professionals in our Insider Directory. This guide is general information, not legal advice — always confirm current requirements for your nationality.
Ready to plan the whole move? Return to our moving to Spain guide, browse Expert Advice, or — if you’re an immigration professional — become an Insider.