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Kingdom of Spain · work unsponsored

Graduate residence for job search or business preparation

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Up to 24 non-renewable months in Spain after qualifying higher-education completion to seek suitable work or prepare a business. This permission does not authorise work.

Qualifying Spanish higher-education completion, prior study status, insurance and funds without workDoes not lead to permanent residencyUp to 24 months, non-renewable. A suitable job or business requires the appropriate separate residence/work authorisation before relying on new work rights.
Processing time
Twenty working days for the residence decision, with the statutory positive-silence rule and administrative counting/suspension rules. Filing within the prescribed window extends the previous authorisation until the decision. Card processing and proof of the outcome are separate.
Government fees
Initial graduate residence fee EUR 10.94 under current fee-schedule section 2.1.6; TIE issue separately EUR 16.08 where applicable. Hoja 20 still names 790 code 052 section 2.1.1; confirm the current graduate category on the actual form, rather than treating that older heading as the current statutory tariff. Insurance, living costs and documents are additional.
Typical duration
Up to 24 months, non-renewable. A suitable job or business requires the appropriate separate residence/work authorisation before relying on new work rights.
Required support
Qualifying Spanish higher-education completion, prior study status, insurance and funds without work
Leads to permanent residency
No
Reviewed Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗

In short

Up to 24 non-renewable months in Spain after qualifying higher-education completion to seek suitable work or prepare a business. This permission does not authorise work. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/spain/graduate-job-search#answer

What is the Graduate residence for job search or business preparation in Kingdom of Spain?

Qualifying Spanish higher-education completion, prior study status, insurance and funds without work. Follow the actual procedure, lawful status and issued activity conditions. Indicative government fees are Initial graduate residence fee EUR 10.94 under current fee-schedule section 2.1.6; TIE issue separately EUR 16.08 where applicable. Hoja 20 still names 790 code 052 section 2.1.1; confirm the current graduate category on the actual form, rather than treating that older heading as the current statutory tariff. Insurance, living costs and documents are additional; indicative processing time is Twenty working days for the residence decision, with the statutory positive-silence rule and administrative counting/suspension rules. Filing within the prescribed window extends the previous authorisation until the decision. Card processing and proof of the outcome are separate; typical duration is Up to 24 months, non-renewable. A suitable job or business requires the appropriate separate residence/work authorisation before relying on new work rights. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Primary guidance checked with Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations on 15 November 2026.

Overview

Additional provision 17 of Ley 14/2013 provides a separate post-study residence permission. The applicant must have completed qualifying Spanish higher education at least at EQF level 6 and meet the insurance, resources and other applicable conditions. File electronically to the provincial Government Delegation/Subdelegation through Mercurio. It is a transition for eligible former students, not a general overseas job-seeker visa or a continuation of student work rights.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

  • ·EX-26, valid passport, qualification/completion evidence, accepted insurance, responsible declaration of resources and supporting financial evidence, payment and applicable police documents. Foreign public documents need the applicable apostille or consular legalisation, unless an actual treaty exemption applies, and the required sworn Spanish or co-official-language translation. A passport alone does not establish a nationality-wide document exemption.Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations ↗

Application pathway

  1. Confirm qualifying Spanish completion

    Obtain the degree, official certificate or other accepted qualification evidence at the required level.

  2. Prepare a funded search period

    Arrange insurance and resources for a permission that does not authorise work.

  3. File electronically within the statutory window

    Apply during the 60 calendar days before study permission expires or the 90 calendar days afterwards; late filing can still entail a sanction. Track the provincial authority’s notifications.

  4. Document residence and obtain the next permission

    Request the TIE within one month of notification and apply for an eligible work or business grant when ready; the search permission itself grants no work rights.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Graduate residence for job search or business preparation, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Graduate residence for job search or business preparation instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to SpainFirst steps after arrivingDestination moving checklist

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Spain. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check graduate eligibility and the Mercurio procedure ↗

    Prepare EX-26, completion, insurance and resources evidence for the provincial authority.

    Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check the current graduate residence fee category ↗

    The current schedule expressly lists graduate job-search residence in section 2.1.6.

    Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) · verified

  3. Official guidanceApplicant
    Check the separate TIE transaction ↗

    After grant follow the police card procedure and required deadline.

    Spanish National Police · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Is the search period still only one year?+

No. The current maximum is 24 months and it cannot be renewed.

Can I keep my student part-time job?+

This graduate residence permission does not authorise work. Do not assume the former student work allowance carries over after the status changes. A qualifying employment or business activity requires the appropriate next permission.

Can family stay with me?+

The statutory provision covers the same family members who already accompanied the student during study. Their stay is linked to the principal holder and does not authorise work; it is not a new general family-reunification entitlement.

Does finding a job avoid every labour-market test?+

Not automatically. The next permission has its own conditions. Hoja 20 distinguishes the one-year residence condition for non-application of the national employment situation; assess the actual next route and history.

Is filing exactly the same as an approval?+

No. Filing within the statutory window extends the previous permission pending decision. Positive administrative silence has its own clock and proof requirements; track notifications and obtain usable evidence of the actual outcome.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations

Last checked: 15 November 2026

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