Kingdom of Spain
Spain visa processing times
How long does each Spain visa take? Below are the typical decision windows for all 7 routes we track, each sourced directly from Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (Spain). Click any route to see the full breakdown, including what drives the timeline and whether a priority service is available.
Quick facts: The fastest route is the Digital Nomad Visa (Spain) at 3 weeks – 6 weeks. The slowest is the Family reunification (Spain) at 3 months – 6 months.
| Route | Typical wait | Reality check | Sponsor needed? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)# Residence permit for remote workers and international freelancers under the Startup Law (Ley de Startups). | 3 weeks – 6 weeks | Official window only Delay trigger: After 45 days | No | 2026-06-22 |
| Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) permit# Residence permit for highly qualified workers with a Spanish employment contract, processed under the Law 14/2013 regime. | 3 weeks – 6 weeks | Official window only Delay trigger: After 45 days | Yes | 2026-06-22 |
| Entrepreneur Visa (Ley 14/2013)# Residence permit for founders establishing an innovative business in Spain under the Entrepreneurs' Law. | 3 weeks – 2 months | Official window only Delay trigger: After 2 months | No | 2026-06-22 |
| Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)# Residence visa for financially self-sufficient non-EEA nationals not planning to work in Spain. | 4 weeks – 3 months | Official window only Delay trigger: After 3 months | No | 2026-06-22 |
| Spanish Student Visa# Study visa for courses longer than 90 days at recognised Spanish institutions. | 4 weeks – 2 months | Official window only Delay trigger: After 2 months | Yes | 2026-06-22 |
| Family reunification (Spain)# Residence permit for family members of Spanish residents; arreigo (settled-status) routes also available. | 3 months – 6 months | Official window with caveat Delay trigger: After 6 months | No | 2026-06-22 |
| Spain Golden Visa (ending April 2025)# Residence-by-investment route announced to end on 3 April 2025; residual queries reference historical rules. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-06-01 |
Source authority: Ministerio de Inclusión — Portal de Inmigración. Processing times are indicative and change without notice — always confirm before applying.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Kingdom of Spain processing times dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/spain. Last verified 22 June 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest Spain visa to get?+
Among the 7 routes we track, the Digital Nomad Visa (Spain) has the shortest published decision window at 3 weeks – 6 weeks. Processing times are indicative and depend on case complexity, so always confirm the current figure on Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (Spain).
Which Spain visa takes the longest to process?+
Of the routes we track, the Family reunification (Spain) carries the longest published window at 3 months – 6 months. Permanent-residence and family routes typically sit at the slower end, while short-term and points-tested routes tend to be quicker.
Are these Spain processing times official?+
Yes. Every window on this page is the figure published by Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (Spain), shown with the date it was last checked. The figures are indicative rather than guarantees, and the linked source is authoritative on the day you apply.