Entrepreneur Visa for Spain

Overview

The Entrepreneur Visa lets non-EU nationals move to Spain to start an innovative business, rather than take up an existing job. It requires official confirmation that your specific business project qualifies — this isn't available simply by registering any company.

Requirements

• Your business project must be assessed as innovative, from a technological or business-model perspective, and of particular economic interest to Spain — not simply any new business
• You must demonstrate sufficient financial means to support yourself while establishing the business, generally referenced against a public income index

Step-by-step process

• Prepare a detailed business plan covering your project, your professional background, and the value it would add to the Spanish economy
• Submit your project for assessment by Spain's official evaluating body (ENISA), which issues a binding favourable or unfavourable report on the project's innovative and scalable character
• Once you have a favourable report, apply for the visa at your home country's Spanish consulate, or from within Spain if already legally present
• Arrange qualifying private health insurance and demonstrate sufficient financial means
• Once approved, establish your business in Spain within the terms of your approval

Required documents

• Valid passport
• Detailed business plan
• Favourable report from the evaluating body on your project's innovative character
• Proof of sufficient financial means
• Private health insurance with no co-payments, covering Spain
• Criminal record certificate

Common mistakes

• Submitting a business plan that describes a standard business rather than clearly demonstrating an innovative element — the favourable report specifically assesses innovation, not just business viability
• Not including enough detail on your own professional background and involvement in the project, which is also part of the assessment

Practical tips

• Focus your business plan on what's genuinely novel about your technology or business model — the evaluating body's report is the single most important document in this application
• This visa suits people building a new, innovative venture — if you're instead investing passively or taking a standard job, a different visa category likely fits better

How Tuchati can help

If you're considering this route and want help understanding whether your project fits the innovative-business criteria, Tuchati can help you think through the application before you invest time preparing it.