Residency In Spain

Anyone arriving in Spain with the intention of staying longer than three months requires a Residence Visa (Visado de Residencia). This must be requested from and issued by the Spanish Embassy of the applicant’s home country, before departure for Spain. It is different from the standard three-month tourist visa in that it allows the holder to begin the residency application process. Application for residency is not typically done with a tourist visa.

A temporary residency permit allows you to stay in Spain for a period of 90 days to five years, and you can renew the residency permit once it expires.

The residency permit can be applied for within three months of arriving in Spain, but it is highly recommended that you plan for residency before leaving your home country (this is true for any country you want to move to). Many of the documents needed to process your application may only, or more easily, be obtained in your home country. Some of these documents also need to be authenticated by the Spanish consulate in your home country, before they will be accepted.

If you are beginning the application process in your home country, you need to submit, along with the necessary application forms, your original passport plus a copy of each page, marriage certificate if applicable, passport photos, proof of lodging in Spain, application or visa fees, medical certificate, police background check, and proof of medical insurance.

All documents must be translated by a certified translator. One or two copies of each document may also be required, so it is best to have them on hand.

You will be given a receipt proving your application has been submitted. This receipt serves as proof of your legality in the country. The receipt is valid for two months and renewable until the application process is complete and you receive your residency card.

Americans who apply for official residency in Spain will need to supply local authorities with a criminal record check from the United States. Spanish officials will only take those performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This process often takes 15 weeks or more given the FBI’s backlog.

A NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a number the immigration service issues once you obtain residency (you will find the number on your Residency Card). This is your identification number in Spain. It is needed in order to file taxes, establish a business, open a bank account, and for almost all other forms you fill out. Both EU citizens and non-EU citizens get issued a NIE.