Employee Visa for Spain: Requirements and Application Steps (2026)

Updated: 9 October 2026

Your employer has obtained approval to hire you in Spain. What happens next?

For workers applying from abroad under the ordinary employee route, the next stage is the employee visa application. Preparing this stage early helps you coordinate your documents, consular appointment, travel and employment start date.

This guide explains what to check before applying, how to organise your visa file and which formalities to complete after arrival.

Who is this guide for?

This guide covers the ordinary residence and work route for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals hired to work in Spain as employees, known as trabajo por cuenta ajena.

Highly qualified professionals, intra-company transfers and seasonal workers may follow different procedures. Choosing the correct route should happen before preparing the visa application.

If your employer has not yet applied for permission to hire you, start with our guide to work and residence permits in Spain.

Employer approval and the employee visa are separate stages

The ordinary process starts with the employer’s application for an initial residence and work authorisation in Spain. The worker then applies for the employee visa after approval.

A signed employment contract alone is insufficient for this visa stage: you also need the corresponding authorisation. Official consular checklists request evidence of that approval and the employment contract.

Before preparing your application, ask your employer for:

• A copy of the favourable authorisation decision.
• Evidence of when the employer received notification.
• The employment contract associated with the approved application.
• A contact person who can answer questions about the authorisation.

The employer’s labour market requirements are explained separately in our guide to Spain’s national employment situation.

When and where should you apply?

The employee visa application must be submitted within one month of notification of the authorisation’s approval to the employer.

The competent Spanish consular office is the one covering your place of residence.

Ask for the notification date immediately. Avoid planning around the date when somebody forwards you an email or when you first read the decision.

Before booking, check the responsible consulate’s current instructions for appointments, submission channels and proof of residence. Keep a copy of those instructions alongside your checklist.

Employee visa document checklist

Use the following as a preparation checklist, then compare it with the requirements published by your responsible consulate.

These requirements draw on the immigration regulation and official consular checklists. The responsible consulate may request additional evidence for your application.

Prepare certificates, apostilles and translations together

Check three separate issues for each foreign document:

1. Issuing authority: Is the certificate issued by an authority accepted by the consulate?
2. Authentication: Does it require an apostille or diplomatic legalisation, or does an exemption apply?
3. Translation: Does it need an official Spanish translation in the form accepted for the application?

An apostille replaces diplomatic legalisation where the Hague Apostille Convention applies. Translation is a separate requirement.

Before ordering a translation, confirm which authenticated pages must be included. Check that names and passport details match across the file.

Do not assume that every document must be less than three months old. Consular instructions can set different validity requirements for individual certificates. Check these before ordering them; for example, Mumbai’s employee visa guidance specifies six months for its medical certificate.

How to organise the application

1. Confirm the submission procedure

Check whether you submit directly to the consulate or through an officially designated application centre. Follow the instructions for your district rather than those of another country.

2. Prepare originals and copies

Arrange the documents in the checklist’s order. Keep a complete digital copy for your records and check how the office will return your passport and other originals.

3. Submit and retain the application receipt

Keep the receipt, reference number and any tracking instructions. Make sure your contact details are accurate.

4. Monitor requests and collect the visa

The consulate may request missing documents, additional information or an interview. Read each communication carefully and respond within its stated deadline.

These procedural details appear in official employee visa instructions, including the Spanish Embassy’s checklist for Jakarta. Local submission arrangements differ.

Main consular deadlines

The application deadline, decision period and collection deadline refer to different events. Record each separately.

For planning, allow separate time for appointments, certificate preparation, authentication and translation.

Which fees should you budget for?

The residence and work authorisation fees are separate from the consular visa fee:

• Form 790, code 052: payable by the worker.
• Form 790, code 062: payable by the employer when the work authorisation lasts at least six months.

Check the current visa fee, accepted payment method and any nationality-specific amount with your consulate. Also budget for certificates, authentication, translations and the residence card application where required.

Visa validity and the steps after arrival

Under Article 37 of the immigration regulation, a residence visa may be issued for the duration of the associated authorisation, subject to a maximum of one year.

Check the dates printed on your issued visa rather than assuming every employee visa lasts 90 days.

After arrival:

1. Keep evidence of your entry into Spain. Store it with your visa and authorisation.
2. Coordinate Social Security registration with your employer. Registration must take place before work begins and within three months of legal entry.
3. Apply for your TIE where required. For residence exceeding six months, the employee procedure requires a personal application within one month of Social Security registration.

The authorisation’s effectiveness depends on Social Security registration. A longer visa validity does not extend that registration deadline.

Confirm the registration arrangements and police appointment requirements with your employer or adviser before travelling.

Practical mistakes to avoid

A final review should check that you have:

• Used the notification date received by the employer.
• Followed the checklist for your own consular district.
• Matched names, passport numbers and employment details across documents.
• Included the required originals, copies and authenticated pages.
• Planned the employment start date around travel and Social Security registration.
• Checked the visa’s printed dates before booking your journey.

Keep one folder containing the authorisation, contract, visa application receipt and subsequent communications. It makes follow-up questions easier to resolve.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply with just a job offer?

For the ordinary employee visa procedure covered here, you need the initial residence and work authorisation before applying for the visa. A job offer alone does not complete that requirement.

Is EX-03 the employee visa application form?

No. EX-03 is used for the employer’s initial authorisation application. The consular visa stage uses the national visa application form.

Can a representative submit my visa application?

The regulation allows submission personally or through representation. Check the consulate’s requirements for proving representation and for any personal attendance.

Can I use another consulate’s document checklist?

Use it only for preliminary planning. Your application should follow the instructions of the office responsible for your place of residence.

What should I check before buying my flight?

Check the visa’s printed dates, passport return arrangements and the employer’s plan for registration and your start date. Keeping bookings flexible until these details are confirmed can help avoid unnecessary changes.

Legal review: Francisco Javier Theuer Carmona, immigration lawyer and member of the Granada Bar Association (ICAGR 7984). 

Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

Need help preparing your employee visa application?

Nodisea can help you coordinate the employer authorisation, consular documents and formalities after arrival through our employee visa services for Spain.

Book a free immigration consultation to discuss your application and the next steps.

Official sources

• Spanish Immigration Regulation — Royal Decree 1155/2024: Articles 37, 38, 40 and 77.
• Ministry of Inclusion — Initial residence and employee work authorisation.
• Spanish Consulate in Hong Kong — Employee visa.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Legalisation and apostille.