Moving to Spain
Do I need a visa to move to Spain?
How to work out whether you need a visa, and which category, before you start planning your move.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15Processing times vary substantially by consulate and category — commonly a few weeks to a few months.
This guide is not yet verified by Tuchati's editorial review — treat it as a helpful starting point, not a final legal answer.
Overview
Whether you need a visa to move to Spain — and which one — depends first on your nationality and second on your purpose for moving. Getting this wrong early is one of the most consequential mistakes people make, since it can mean months of delay.
Requirements
- Relevant to anyone planning to live in Spain for longer than a short tourist stay, regardless of nationality
Step-by-step process
- Check your nationality first — EU, EEA and Swiss citizens never need a visa to live in Spain, only a registration once here (see our guide to moving to Spain as an EU citizen)
- If you're a non-EU citizen, confirm you'll need a visa arranged before travelling in almost every case (see our guide to moving to Spain as a non-EU citizen)
- Identify which visa category matches your purpose: work, study, sufficient passive income (Non-Lucrative), remote work for a foreign employer (Digital Nomad), starting a business (Entrepreneur), or joining family already in Spain (Family Reunification)
- Once you've identified the right category, follow that category's own detailed guide for the specific requirements and process
Required documents
- Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity
- Category-specific proof (income/savings, job offer, university admission, remote-work contract, business plan, or family relationship, depending on route)
Common mistakes
- Applying for the wrong visa category — for example, applying as Non-Lucrative while planning to work remotely for a foreign employer, which is actually the Digital Nomad category
- Assuming EU citizens need a visa at all — they don't, though registration is still required past three months
- Booking one-way travel before a non-EU visa is actually approved
Practical tips
- Start gathering documents (especially criminal record checks and apostilles) well before you plan to apply — they take time and have limited validity windows
- Double-check your specific consulate's exact document list — requirements have real regional variation between consulates
How Tuchati can help
Choosing the wrong category can cost months of delay. Tuchati can help you review your specific situation and understand which route actually fits before you invest time in an application.