Spain FAQs

´Residencia´, meaning residence, is legal permission to stay in Spain, and comes in two forms. Non-EU citizens are granted a blue and pink card which contains their personal details and passport photo, while EU citizens receive a green card containing personal details only.

  • A foreigner’s tax number (NIE).
  • Proof of health insurance, or an S1 form in the case of pensioners.
  • A fully and correctly completed residency application form.
  • A valid passport (certified attestation, if required).
  • Proof of income demonstrating sufficient funds.
  • Other documentation, dependent on your application type.

If you are a non-EU citizen, you will need to apply for Residencia if your stay will exceed 90 days.

Any EU national spending more than 90 days within a 180 day period in Spain, or 180 days per calendar year, has the right to apply for Residencia, but is not legally obliged to. Many EU citizens with the right to live and work in Spain obtain only an NIE certificate for general administrative purposes, and which doesn’t provide their status of residency.

You are considered a Spanish resident if you spend more than 183 days (approximately 6 months) per calendar year in Spain. These days do not necessarily have to be consecutive.

To obtain permanent residency in Spain and apply for Spanish citizenship, you will have to have lived in Spain for a minimum of 5 consecutive years, and meet the 10 years of residence criteria, all immediately prior to the initiation of your permanent residency application.

More questions? Feel free to contact us.

What our Consult Clients have to say

“

I can´t tell you how much we appreciate Pina & David of Consult Immigration and how they picked up the pieces and helped us to get our visas for Spain.

They were able to correct the errors of the previous law firm and move us forward as quickly as possible. We really appreciate all they has done for us hand walking us through the steps and keep us calm.

I highly recommend using Consult Immigration from to help with your immigration to Spain.

Eric PrattTexas, USA
“

I received outstanding professional service from Consult Immigration attorney Pina Espinoza. I selected this firm because it is based in Spain and specializes in immigration services only for that country. Moving to Spain from the U.S., I figured they knew more about Spain than a U.S. firm would, and they speak English.

After an informative online meeting with Pina, I realized how valuable their services would be. I found Pina to be gracious, warm, and knowledgeable throughout the process. She was very accessible, and I always dealt directly with her, so I was never passed off to an assistant.

As a CPA, I’m good at following instructions and have studied the Non-Lucrative Visa requirements on the L.A. Consulate’s website. However, having gone through the process to obtain my resident card, I realize I would not have done it correctly without their firm’s services.

I found their fees reasonable for the services rendered, and they relieved me of hours of frustration if I had attempted it on my own. I highly recommend Consult Immigration.

Linda MArizona, USA
“

Pina at Consult Immigration is great! I highly recommend her, especially if you’re wanting someone who can give more than just what is needed. Pina has intangible insights into the process, which greatly helps in navigating it. The visa application process is daunting and frustrating, but working with Pina and Consult Immigration has made all the difference!

Carly MonzaPennsylvania, USA
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I highly recommend Pina, David, and their team. Their expert advice helped us through a difficult situation, and we are very grateful to them.

Emma MerryUnited Kingdom
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David, Pina and his team at Consult assisted me in my residency permit application for Mallorca, Spain through their tireless efforts in SA and Spain, from initial interest through to making appointments with the relevant authorities in Palma and were highly knowledgeable and patient throughout the process. Highly recommended!

Maira KoutsoudakisCEO LIFE Group of Companies
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I have had the pleasure of dealing with David at Consult and have been highly impressed with his professionalism. Pina, his partner in Spain, has also been extremely helpful and prompt to reply. I would highly recommend their immigration services to anyone looking to have the bureaucracy streamlined.

Simone BishopJohannesburg, South Africa
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Consult Immigration assisted my husband and I with our residency application for Spain last year, and I can honestly say that I don't know how we would have achieved it without their assistance. There was always clear communication and we were kept up to speed on where we were in the application process, right through to our appointments in Spain and the approval of our residency. I highly recommend Consult Immigration.

Kristin ShawDurban, South Africa
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Pina at Consult Immigration is fantastic! I had an especially complicated visa situation. There is ZERO chance I could have done this on my own due to all of the additional paperwork requests, Apostille, and translation. Pina is an A+++++ immigration lawyer.

Nick JordanSeattle, USA
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I have recently experienced the efficient service delivered by Consult Immigration as part of my residency application to Spain. I found David very open, enthusiastic to help and give advice, and knowledgeable. It was a pleasure working with him and I strongly recommend.

Hugh TurpinPalma de Mallorca, Spain