Visas and residency
TL;DR
- EU citizens do not need a visa: they register after three months and receive the green certificate (€12.00).
- The non-lucrative visa requires €2,400 per month of passive income and does not permit work of any kind, including remote work for a foreign employer.
- The digital nomad visa is the legal route for remote workers: €2,442–2,849 per month, up to three years if you apply from inside Spain.
- Non-EU residents collect a TIE card within one month of arrival or approval; the card expires with the permit, the NIE number does not.
- Permanent residency (larga duración) comes after five years; citizenship usually after ten — two for Ibero-American nationals.
Facts verified 10 August 2026 against BOE, inclusion.gob.es and Spanish consular pages
Every route to living in Spain answers three questions: are you an EU citizen, do you plan to work, and where does the money come from. This node compares the six main answers — with thresholds verified against the official sources, not last year’s blog posts — as part of moving to Spain.
Updated 10 August 2026
Find your route
| Your situation | Your route | Key figure |
|---|---|---|
| EU / EEA citizen, staying over 3 months | EU citizen registration | €12.00 certificate |
| Living on passive income, not working | Non-lucrative visa | €2,400/month |
| Working remotely for a foreign employer | Digital nomad visa | €2,442–2,849/month |
| Hired by a Spanish employer | Work and employment visas | employer-sponsored |
| Non-EU, permit approved — getting the card | The TIE card | €16.08 first card |
| Five-plus years in — staying for good | Permanent residency and citizenship | 5 / 10 years |
The two mistakes that cost people their application
Working on a non-lucrative visa. The NLV does not permit work of any kind, including remote work for a foreign employer — Spanish consulates state it in writing, and tax residency makes remote income visible. The legal route for remote workers is the digital nomad visa.
Confusing the permit with the card. The TIE is the plastic proof of a permit, not the permit itself — and the NIE number underneath it all never expires. If those three things blur together, start with the NIE number guide.
How the routes connect over time
Whatever door you enter through, the corridor is the same: temporary permits renew (the non-lucrative in 2-year steps, the nomad permit up to its 3-year ceiling), five years of continuous residence open larga duración, and ten years — two for Ibero-American nationals — open citizenship. The full timeline with its exam requirements (CCSE, DELE A2) and absence limits is in permanent residency and citizenship.
⚠ Scams to avoid
- "Visa guaranteed or your money back". No intermediary controls a consular decision; refusals must be reasoned, but they happen.
- "Work quietly on your NLV, nobody checks". Tax residency after 183 days makes your income visible to the Agencia Tributaria.
- Paid "express citizenship" offers. The residence clocks in Código Civil art. 22 cannot be shortened by any service.
FAQ
Which Spanish visa lets me work remotely for a foreign employer?
The digital nomad visa. The non-lucrative visa does not permit work of any kind, including remote work for a foreign employer.
Do EU citizens need a visa to live in Spain?
No. EU citizens register after three months and receive the green certificate (€12.00). They do not get a TIE card.
How much income do I need for the non-lucrative visa?
400% of the monthly IPREM — €2,400 per month, roughly €28,800 per year — plus €600 per month for each family member. The figure changes with the IPREM.
When can I get permanent residency?
After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for larga duración. Citizenship by residence usually takes ten years — two for Ibero-American nationals.
Sources
Sources: BOE — Ley 14/2013 (digital nomad regime), RD 1155/2024 (Reglamento de Extranjería), RD 240/2007 (EU citizens); Ministerio de Inclusión — hojas informativas; Spanish consular pages — retrieved 10 August 2026. Thresholds change with the IPREM and SMI; figures above are as verified on that date.
Reviewed by the Happy Residence S.L. team. Every figure on this page is checked against the official source on the date shown above; we re-verify after each annual fee order.
We are an administrative assistance service, not a public administration. Nothing on this page is immigration or legal advice.