A Spain Long Stay Visa allows non-EU nationals to stay for over 90 days for work, study, family reunification, or residency. Upon arrival, applicants must obtain a TIE (foreign resident card) within 30 days to legalize their stay.
Who Needs a Spain Long Term Visa?
Citizens of countries that are not located in the Schengen Area or the EU/EEA planning to reside in Spain for over three months in a six-month period will require a long-term residency visa, depending on their nationality and purpose of stay.
Types of Spain Long Stay Visas
According to the purpose of your trip to Spain, you can apply for any of the following visa types, given that you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Student visa for those who want to study at an education institution in Spain for longer than three months.
- Work visa for persons who wish to engage in paid activity.
- Family visa enables the family members of a foreigner, who holds the status of a legal resident, to reunite with them by utilizing the right to family reunification.
- Au Pair visa for young foreigners that want to get help a family with housework or child care in exchange for accommodation and board.
- Golden visa for persons who can invest a particular amount of money in real estate in Spain.
- Entrepreneur visa for those who want to establish or invest in a business in Spain.
- Working Holiday visa for people who want to undertake employment during holidays, i.e. summer holiday.
- Non-Lucrative Residence visa for those who wish to come to Spain to apply for residence, and have the financial means to support themselves and their dependents.
Navigating Spain’s visa and immigration requirements can be overwhelming, but expert advice can make all the difference. Consider consulting with immigration professionals who can guide you through family, work, or retirement visa applications and help you take the right steps toward your move to Spain.
Documents Required to Apply for Spain Long Stay Visas
The documents required to apply for the Spain long stay visas include:
- Proof of financial means. Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, this could be your bank statements, affidavit of support, scholarship, etc.
- Police Record that shows you have not committed any crime in the past.
- Medical insurance provided by an authorized insurance company in Spain.
- Original medical certificate issued by a doctor, verifying you do not have any contagious diseases, and that you are free of drug addictions and mental illness.
- Proof of enrolment at a university in Spain when applying for a student visa.
- Work authorization and copy of employment contract when applying for a work visa.
Many of the required documents for a Spain long stay visa may seem confusing. If you’re having trouble understanding what you really need, or you are unable to provide any of the documents listed above, we advise you seek the help of a professional.
Professional guidance can simplify the complex process of applying for a long-stay visa. Whether you seek advice from immigration specialists or local legal experts, having support ensures you meet Spain’s specific requirements with confidence.
How to Apply for a Spain Long Stay Visa?
Once you know that you need a visa for sure, you proceed with the application process for a Spain long-term visa. Yet, prior to that, we advise you to check several things in order to file your application correctly.
Before You Apply
Before you file your application, make sure you find out the following:
- The type of visa you need to apply for. We cannot stress it enough how important it is to apply for the right visa type. The whole application process depends on it.
- Pre-requirements you need to meet. Every visa type has some pre-requirements that you must meet in order to be able to apply. If you do not meet these pre-requirement and you still apply, your application will be rejected and all your work will go in vain. I.e. those applying for a visa must have an employment offer/agreement with an employer in Spain, or students must be accepted or enrolled at a university in Spain, etc.
- Where you need to lodge your application. Depending on your country of residence you may have to submit your application either at the Spanish Consulate, or a visa application center to which Spain has outsourced visa submission.
- When you should apply. Between three month to three weeks before the date that you plan to depart to Spain.
Once you have found out the information specified above, you can then undertake concrete steps to apply for a Spain visa for long-term stays. Find these steps listed in order and explained below:
Step 1: Complete the Spain national visa application form
There is one application form for short-stay visas and another for long-term stays. Make sure you fill in the right one.
Step 2: Collect the required documents
You need to collect and submit a number of documents for a Spain Long-Stay visa. Aside from the common documents required for every visa as the application form, photos, passport, and copies of older passports and visas, you need to submit other documents as well.
Step 3: Make a visa appointment
Depending on your country of residence, you will have to make this appointment online or through a consular call center.
Step 4: Attend the visa interview
On the day of your appointment, you will meet with a consular officer. Before or after the interview you will need to give your biometrics, if you have not done so before. If your biometrics aren’t registered in the common EU system, you will need to give them on the day of your interview.
This means you will have your facial image and your fingerprints taken. When you arrive at the consulate, you will be informed on this process. Moreover, in some countries, you may need to pay the fee at the consulate on the same day.
Step 5: Pay the visa fee
You will also need to pay a fee on the same day. The costs you need to pay depend on the Spanish long-stay visa type you are applying for. The fees vary from €80 to about €674.
In addition to the visa fee, if you submit the application at a visa application center as i.e. the BLS, you also need to pay a small fee to them.
Once you complete all these steps, you should then wait for the processing of your visa.
Ready to make your move to Spain? Begin your visa application today and consult with experts to ensure a seamless process!
Spain National Visa Processing Time
The Consulate in charge of processing your visas in your country of residence is obliged to process your national visa application within one month. In some specific situations, this period can be extended.
After You Arrive in Spain
Upon arrival in Spain, depending on the intended period of stay, you may have another one or two steps left to complete.
Note that if you are permitted to stay in Spain for a maximum of 180 days, then you do not need to complete any other procedures. On the other hand, if you will be staying in Spain for more than six months, then you should get a tarjeta de identidad de extranjero (TIE), which means Foreigner Identity Card.
Apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within one month of arrival in Spain, at the Foreigners Office in the area where you have settled. You will need your passport with the Spanish visa in it, three photos, and proof of payment of the corresponding fee.
Note that those moving to Spain for employment purposes with a Spanish employment visa, need to register at the Social security scheme before applying for their identity card.