Kingdom of Spain visas
Spain offers residence permits through consulates abroad and Oficinas de Extranjería inside Spain, with headline routes including the Digital Nomad Visa introduced under the 2022 Startup Law, Non-Lucrative Visa for passive-income residents, and the Highly Qualified Professional permit.
7 routes · 5 without a sponsor · 6 lead to settlement
Official portal
Primary source
Ministerio de Inclusión — Portal de Inmigración ↗ · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (Spain)
Link last verified:
Regulators of immigration advice
- Consejo General de la Abogacía Española (CGAE) — General Council of Spanish Bar Associations — oversees the 83 regional bars that licence Spanish lawyers (abogados).
Visa routes (7)
Digital Nomad Visa (Spain)
Residence permit for remote workers and international freelancers under the Startup Law (Ley de Startups).
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 1 August 2026
Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV)
Residence visa for financially self-sufficient non-EEA nationals not planning to work in Spain.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 21 July 2026
Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) permit
Residence permit for highly qualified workers with a Spanish employment contract, processed under the Law 14/2013 regime.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 8 July 2026
Entrepreneur Visa (Ley 14/2013)
Residence permit for founders establishing an innovative business in Spain under the Entrepreneurs' Law.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 30 July 2026
Spain Golden Visa (ending April 2025)
Residence-by-investment route announced to end on 3 April 2025; residual queries reference historical rules.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 8 July 2026
Spanish Student Visa
Study visa for courses longer than 90 days at recognised Spanish institutions.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 8 July 2026
Family reunification (Spain)
Residence authorisation for eligible family members of certain non-EU residents in Spain; EU-family routes follow a separate regime.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Recent Kingdom of Spain policy changes
·significant
Spain closes its Golden Visa programme
Spain’s residence permit for investors (Golden Visa) closed to new applications on 3 April 2025 following Organic Law 1/2025.
Planning life after your move?
Organise documents, arrival money, housing and the practical steps after visa approval. Your route conditions remain the starting point.
Frequently asked questions
How many visa routes does Kingdom of Spain have?+
We cover 7 Kingdom of Spain visa routes in these categories: digital nomad, general residence, sponsored work, entrepreneur, investor, study, and family. Each one links to its primary government source and carries a last-reviewed date.
Which Kingdom of Spain visas do not need an employer sponsor?+
5 of the 7 Kingdom of Spain routes we cover can be pursued without an employer sponsor, which helps if you do not have a job offer yet. The remaining 2 are employer-sponsored.
Which Kingdom of Spain visas lead to permanent residence?+
6 of the 7 routes can lead to settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Open each route for its settlement detail and qualifying period.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in Spain