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Indian nationals will need long-stay study/work visas or the Schengen visa. First, you have to understand the visa type you require based on your trip length, purpose, and other factors. The Schengen Spain visa is suitable for trips up to 90 days and is a short-stay visa for tourism, work, education, and family visits. You can also apply for multi-entry visas.
If you are not a Swiss, EU, or EEA citizen, you will need the visado nacionale or national visa for a long-stay visa. It is required for all stays exceeding three months. You will need a clearance certificate from the police, travel health insurance, documents that prove the reason for your stay, and accommodation proof. Spain also has a scheme where you can apply for your residence card by purchasing property priced more than €5,00,000 (INR 4.29 crore), although you will not enjoy the right to do business or work in the country. It is also dubbed as the Golden visa.
Wealth visas are given to those who can prove sufficient funds to stay in the country without working. Investor visas also provide residence rights to foreigners who can invest funds up to a specific amount and a viable business plan. The visa for highly skilled workers needs aspirants to be employed with a local Spanish firm and have their professional qualifications and skills analyzed along with prospective salaries. Spain also has separate student visas for studying here beyond 90 days.
| Entry visa requirement (from EU) | No |
Entry visa requirement (outside EU) | Yes |
Types of resident permits | Temporary, permanent residence permits, work permits, non-lucrative residence permit |
| Residency based on Work Visa Possibility (YES/NO) | Yes |
| Validity of temporary residence permit | 1 year |
| Time frame for obtaining permanent residence (approx.) | 5 years of consecutive living in Spain |
| Residency by Investment Availability (YES/NO) | Yes |
| Residence through Real Estate Purchase Availability (YES/NO) | Yes |
| Residency for Family Member Possibility (YES/NO) | YES, family reunion visa available |
| Time frame for obtaining citizenship based on residency | 10 years of living in Spain based on permanent residency |
Depending on the type of visa requested at first, permanent residency can be obtained gradually, meaning that a foreign citizen must first apply for a temporary or long-term residence permit based on which he or she can obtain permanent residency in Spain. Then, the next step is Spanish citizenship.
If you are interested in emigrating to Spain, you can rely on the counsel of our lawyers for applying for residency or even Spanish citizenship.
As mentioned above by our Spain immigration agents, residency and citizenship are two different matters for expats living in Spain. When they have a long-term permanent residence in Spain, individuals can retain their nationality and passport issued by their state of origin. When they choose to become citizens, they must renounce their original nationality and the passport issued by the authorities there.
At the level of 2022, those who want to obtain residency in Spain need to comply with the same requirements as in the past year. They can either choose employment or business for their relocation.
Other additional documents that you may require are your contract of employment, present bank statements, NOC (no objection letter) from the employer’s office in India (if applicable), IT return, and so on. Self-employed people will also require their IT returns and bank statements, along with all other documents related to registrations/licenses. Students will have to show proof of admission into a Spanish institution.
Those staying for more than 90 days for work or study purposes will require a national Spain visa. The application should be submitted at the Embassy of Spain, proving your study/work offer in the country and the funds to support your living and/or tuition costs throughout your stay. If you are working in Spain, you may get your work permit or employment visa (if your skill is on the list of shortage occupations in the country). You may have to prove your expertise and qualifications in this regard.
Once you become a permanent resident of Spain, your residency card is valid for five years. After this period, you can easily renew your card for another five years. You simply need to fill out another EX-17 form, show proof of your address, and present your original residency card and passport. You will then resubmit your fingerprints and pay the renewal fee.
Importantly, renewing your permanent resident status in Spain does not require you to have lived in the country for the full five years. This caveat only applies when you apply for permanent residency the first time. However, to renew your status, you should not spend more than one full year outside Spain or the EU.
Getting permanent residency in Spain is one thing, but keeping it is another. Generally speaking, after becoming a permanent resident, you should not be outside of Spain for more than one year at a time. Additionally, you should not be away from Spain for more than 30 months in total over the five-year period. If you do spend more than the acceptable time away from Spain, then you might lose your permanent resident status. Should this happen, it is possible to regain your residency status, although you may have to jump through a few extra hoops to do so.
Spain only recognizes dual citizenship for nationals who have acquired Spanish nationality at birth. Naturalized citizens must renounce their previous nationality, except those from countries with which Spain has concluded a double-nationality agreement. Currently, citizens of the following countries may become Spanish naturalized citizens, without giving up their previous nationality: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Uruguay and Venezuela.
In Spain, lots of people find work through informal routes such as word-of-mouth, networking, and speculative applications. This is especially the case for small- to medium-sized companies. As such, don’t restrict your job search to agencies and adverts: be proactive, seek opportunities, and network.
Spain’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in Europe and the highest among EU countries as of May 2020, measuring at 14.5%. This is over double the EU average of 6.7% in percentage terms.
Spain also has the worst youth unemployment in the EU, standing at 40.8% in June 2020. The Spanish government has implemented a specific plan to try and address the youth unemployment issue. The highest levels of unemployment are among unskilled workers.
Despite high unemployment, you can still find jobs in Spain in a number of sectors including IT, automotive, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food and beverages, and tourism. Large global companies in Spain include:
There are many multinational companies located in Spain, and business consultants are often in need. In the finance sector, you can find work as a consultant, as a collections manager, or as an international financial director.
If you have solid skills in the technology sector, IT jobs are available in Spain. You can find employment doing software testing, coding and programming, and iOS and Android development.
Mechanical and industrial engineers are in demand – as long as you have the education and experience to do the job. Just make sure that you can speak Spanish so you can communicate with coworkers.
Spain’s Healthcare System is a universal healthcare system, and it is considered to be one of the best in the world. Healthcare assistants, childcare professionals, and elderly care professionals are the most in-demand jobs.
Catering, restaurant, hotel, and bartending jobs are an excellent option for Americans looking for work in Spain. You’ll have the best chance of finding this type of work in the major tourist destinations, such as the cities of Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville.
If you want to put your English language skills to work, you can find jobs as private tutors and university-level English teachers. Since the barrier of entry is relatively low, teaching is one of the most popular jobs in Spain for Americans and other native English speakers.
Not all teaching jobs require certification, but some require certification such as TEFL, CELTA, or TESOL. For more information on different English teaching certifications, check out this useful guide.
People are always looking to update and remodel their homes, especially kitchens and bathrooms. Plumbers and electricians are in need of this type of work, as are other skilled tradesmen such as mechanics and welders.
International citizens looking to work in Spain must obtain the appropriate work visa. You can get a Spanish work visa from the Spanish Embassy or the Consulate in your last state/country of residence.
Once you receive your work visa, you have three months to apply for the corresponding permit with the Spanish authorities.
To work in Spain as a highly-skilled employee, non-EU citizens need to find a job which is listed as a ‘Shortage Occupation’. This is a job for which there is a lack of suitable candidates within the EU. The employer must then request a Work Visa from the Ministry of Labour.
Work permit applications can take up to 8 months to process so forward planning is needed. Once the Ministry of Labour has approved the application, the embassy or consulate issue the work and residence visa.
The process of obtaining a Work Visa for Seasonal Workers is similar to the process for highly-skilled workers. Employers need to apply for the visa on the worker’s behalf from the Ministry of Labour.
In addition to this process, seasonal workers need to demonstrate they have suitable accommodation arranged, their travel costs are covered, and that they will return to their country once the job has finished. The visas are valid for the duration of the work contract.
To work in Spain as a freelance, it is necessary to apply for a Work Visa at a Spanish consulate or embassy. The work visas are valid for one year but can be renewed if all the conditions are still met. The required documentation includes:
The EU Blue Card is for people who spent at least 3 years completing a higher education qualification which allows them to work as a skilled professional. People who have a minimum of 5 years’ professional experience at a high level are also eligible. The employer submits the application on the behalf of the applicant.
