Immigration lawyers in Spain
Employee Visas Spain
Move to Spain with a job. Four routes, depending on how qualified the role is and whether your company is already here. We handle the whole application — from the first document to your TIE card in your hand.

Which permit is yours?
Which permit is yours?
Choosing the wrong route is the difference between a resolution in twenty working days and a file that sits in a provincial office for months. Start here.
| Route | For whom | Key condition | Filed at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard EmployeeGeneral regime | Any job with a Spanish employer | The national employment situation must allow the hire | Provincial immigration office |
| Highly Qualified ProfessionalPAC · Ley 14/2013 | Managerial, technical or specialised roles | Salary at or above the official threshold | UGE — online |
| EU Blue CardTarjeta Azul-UE | Highly qualified roles, with mobility across the EU | Same threshold, reduced in some cases | UGE — online |
| Intra-Company TransferICT | Staff moved within the same company or group | At least 3 months with the company before the transfer | UGE — online |
The short version
If the role is qualified and the salary reaches the threshold, you want the UGE routes — they are faster, the criteria are uniform and your family is filed with you. The general regime is the fallback when the role does not qualify.
Key advantages
Key advantages
Beckham Tax Regime
24% flat rate on the first €600,000 of employment income, for up to 5 years. Not every applicant qualifies — eligibility depends on your route and on not having been a Spanish tax resident in the previous 5 years.
Family included
Spouse, children and dependent parents filed together — and they may work.
Up to 3 years
Initial authorisation on the qualified routes, renewable.
Schengen mobility
Free movement across the Schengen area.
Counts for citizenship
The time of residence adds up.
Filed from Spain or abroad
On the UGE routes the company files online, wherever you are.
Requirements
Requirements
| Criminal record | Clean record in every country of residence over the last 5 years |
| Legal status | No irregular stay in Spain, and no entry ban in Spain or in the Schengen area |
| Qualifications | Any degree, licence or professional registration the role legally requires |
| Return commitment | Not within the period of a voluntary return commitment |
| Fee | Administrative fee paid before filing |
What changes by route
| Route | Specific requirement | Duration | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Employee | Occupation listed in the shortage occupations catalogue, or an employment service certificate that no suitable candidate was found, or a legal exemption. Salary at or above the applicable collective agreement, never below the statutory minimum wage. | 1 year, renewable | Varies by province |
| Highly Qualified Professional | Managerial, technical or specialised role. University degree or 3 years of equivalent experience. Gross annual salary at or above €41,356. | 3 years, renewable | 20 working days* |
| EU Blue Card | Same as above, with a reduced threshold of €33,085 if the occupation is in groups 1 or 2 of the national classification and appears in the shortage catalogue, or if you obtained your qualification within the last 3 years. | 3 years, renewable | 20 working days* |
| Intra-Company Transfer | A continuous employment or professional relationship with the company or group before the transfer — 3 months as a guide. The role must genuinely be managerial, specialist or trainee. | Up to 3 years · 1 year for trainees | 20 working days* |
Salary thresholds are set by ministerial order at 1.4 times the average Spanish wage, and are updated whenever the national statistics institute publishes a new wage survey. Ask us to confirm the figure on the day you apply.
Your employer
| Standing | Properly incorporated and registered with Social Security |
| Obligations | Up to date with tax and Social Security obligations |
| Means | Enough economic, material or staff resources to sustain the project and the contract |
| The contract | Signed, for continuous activity, on terms that comply with the law and the applicable collective agreement |
| Who files | The company files, not you — on every one of these routes |
Required documents
Required documents
Core file — every applicant
- Passport, full copy of all pages
- Criminal record certificate from every country of residence in the last 5 years — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Signed employment contract, or the transfer letter on the ICT route
- Degree or proof of professional experience — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Company documentation: incorporation deed, tax and Social Security certificates
- Application form + proof of fee payment
- Passport photo (consular route)
Per family member
- Passport
- Marriage certificate, birth certificate or proof of dependency — apostilled and sworn-translated
- Criminal record certificate (from age 18)
- Health insurance, if not covered by Spanish Social Security
- Proof that the main applicant’s income covers the household
Add to the core file, by route
- Standard Employee: evidence that the occupation is in the shortage catalogue, or the employment service certificate, or the document proving the exemption applies
- Highly Qualified Professional: contract with the salary broken down, and evidence that the role is managerial, technical or specialised
- EU Blue Card: the same, plus the evidence supporting the reduced threshold if you are using it
- Intra-Company Transfer: proof of the group relationship between the two companies, and payslips or contracts evidencing your seniority before the transfer
The documents listed here are indicative. Every case has to be assessed individually: depending on your circumstances, your nationality and the office handling the file, the authority may ask for more. Tell us your situation and we will send you the list that actually applies to you.
The application process
The application process
| Qualified routes — UGE | General regime — immigration office | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is filed | Online, to the UGE | At the immigration office of the province |
| Who files | The company, on your behalf | The company, on your behalf |
| Resolution | 20 working days*, positive administrative silence | Varies by province |
| Criteria | Uniform across Spain | Vary between provinces |
| Family | Filed together with you | Family reunification applied for separately, later |
| After approval | Visa at the consulate if you are abroad, then TIE | Visa at the consulate, then TIE |
Nodisea tip
Before anything else, check whether the role clears the salary threshold. If it does, the qualified route is faster, more predictable and brings your family in at the same time. It is often a matter of how the contract is drafted, and that is decided before it is signed.
Step by step
From the first call to your TIE card
1
Assessment
Free 15-min call. We confirm which route fits and whether the salary clears the threshold.
Day 0
2
Documents
Shared Drive folder for you and for the company. We review every document before filing.
2–5 weeks
3
Filing
We file on the company’s behalf, online or at the immigration office.
4
Resolution
We follow up and answer any request for further documents.
20 working days*
5
Visa
If you are abroad, you collect the visa at the consulate and travel to Spain.
2–4 weeks
6
TIE card
Padrón registration, fingerprints and collection of your residence card.
30–40 days after
*Timeframes are indicative and depend on the authority handling the file. On the general regime, expect noticeably longer.
Our service
What we do for you
Included
- Eligibility assessment and choice of route
- Review of the contract before it is signed, against the threshold and the collective agreement
- Personalised document checklist for you and for the company
- Shared Drive folder and full document review
- Drafting and filing on the company’s behalf
- Communication with the authorities
- Requests for further documents (requerimientos)
- Consular visa support
- Padrón registration support, fingerprint appointment and TIE application
- Family members’ applications filed together
- Direct contact with your case manager throughout
Not included
- Administrative fees (tasas) and consular visa fees
- Apostilles and sworn translations
- Health insurance policy
- Social Security registration of the employee
- Recognition or homologation of foreign qualifications
Fees
Fees and payment options
Up-front Payment
€850 + VAT
Main applicant
- When you payAt the start of the assignment
- Each dependant€350 + VAT
- Formalised withUpon payment
- Best ifYou want the lower fee
Pay For Success
€1,275 + VAT
Main applicant
- When you payOnly after the visa approval
- Each dependant€525 + VAT
- Formalised withSigned Service Sheet
- Best ifYou want to transfer the risk
In one line: we start working without payment; you only pay if the permit is granted, and the fee reflects the risk we take on.
Administrative fees (tasas), consular visa fees, apostilles and sworn translations are not included.
Get the full document checklist
The complete list of documents for you, your family and your employer. Tell us your situation and we will send you the version that actually applies to you.
Let our clients do the talking
What do our clients say?
Consultations
Still have questions?
Our immigration specialists in Spain are happy to answer them.
15 min
Quick eligibility check — free
45 min
Case review
60 min
Full strategy session
Consultation fees are deducted from our fees if you go ahead.
Other permits
Looking for a different permit?
Contact us
Request your document checklist
Tell us about the role, the company and where you are, and we will get back to you within 24 hours with the route that fits and the documents that apply.