Spain residence and citizenship

Non-lucrative residence (retirement or passive means)

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

For third-country residents living on savings, pension or other means without working. Official maintenance test is 400% of IPREM monthly, which is an income/means test, not invested capital. No route-wide USD application fee or investment minimum is established. Ordinary naturalization is after ten qualifying years, with a two-year origin-nationality exception.

Sources: Non-lucrative residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Spain residence options summary (Global Citizen Solutions, summary)

International teleworker residence authorization (in Spain)

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

This is an in-country residence authorization. A person applying from abroad uses the distinct consular telework visa, whose fee is not modeled here. Ordinary naturalization generally requires ten total qualifying residence years; statutory exceptions can shorten this.

Sources: International teleworker residence authorization (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration), Teleworker eligibility, process and initial fee (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

International telework visa (consular application)

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Third-country remote worker or qualifying independent professional applying through a Spanish consulate before entry. The visa permits residence and remote work for one year; continued residence requires a later authorization. No investment floor or verified end-to-end processing bound. Ordinary citizenship requires ten qualifying residence years, or two for eligible origin nationalities. Eligibility follows nationality and remote-work conditions.

Sources: Consular telework visa and validity (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), International teleworkers (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

National long-term residence after five years

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Third-country national after five years of continuous lawful Spanish residence, subject to listed exceptions. This grants indefinite residence and work; it is a later status, not an initial entry visa. Ministry's three-month decision limit maps to three months; no established USD application fee or investment minimum. Citizenship clock is ten total qualifying years, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice)

EU citizen permanent residence after five years

Only for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

EU/EEA/Swiss citizen after five continuous years of legal residence under free movement; statutory early-acquisition exceptions may apply. This is a later right, not an entry visa. No verified USD certificate fee, investment floor or processing bound. Ordinary naturalization takes ten total qualifying years; Portuguese nationals of origin may qualify after two years.

Sources: Permanent residence for EU citizens (European Union, EUR-Lex), EU free movement (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice)

Permanent residence card for non-EU family of EU citizen

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Qualifying non-EU family member generally after five continuous years of legal residence while the family link and sponsor conditions hold; statutory exceptions may apply. This is a later residence card, not an entry visa. No verified route-wide USD fee, investment floor or processing bound. Ordinary naturalization takes ten total qualifying years, with shorter statutory exceptions based on origin or relationship.

Sources: Permanent residence for EU family (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice)

Innovative entrepreneur residence

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Third-country founder with an innovative project of special economic interest and a favorable ENISA report. Route-wide fee and processing bound are not established. This business residence is distinct from the abolished passive investor Golden Visa. Ordinary citizenship after ten qualifying years, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: Innovative entrepreneur residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Post-study job-search or business-project residence

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

For qualifying third-country graduates of Spanish higher education with at least a university degree; the basis is completed studies and prior study stay, not passport origin. Residence lasts 24 months without extension and does not itself authorize work; a suitable work or business authorization is needed afterward. The official 20-day authorization decision period is rounded upward to one month, with no lower bound. A fee is due, but no verified single USD amount is entered. No investment floor. Ordinary naturalization requires ten qualifying residence years starting from residence status, or two for eligible origin nationalities; prior study estancia is excluded.

Sources: Post-study job search or business project (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Self-employed residence and work

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Third-country sole trader or business owner seeking authority to work for own account. No universal capital investment floor or verified USD fee is stated. Ministry gives a three-month permit decision and a separate one-month consular visa decision; filing intervals make the end-to-end processing maximum unknown. Naturalization follows ten total qualifying years, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: Self-employed residence and work (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Employer-sponsored residence and work

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

For third-country workers with a qualifying Spanish employer and contract, subject to labor-market rules and exceptions. No applicant investment floor or verified USD total fee. The authorization has a three-month decision limit and the subsequent visa a one-month limit; filing intervals make the end-to-end maximum unknown. Ten qualifying years to ordinary citizenship, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: Employer-sponsored residence and work (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Highly qualified professional or EU Blue Card

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Third-country professional with a qualifying Spanish job, credentials or relevant experience. Blue Card has distinct qualification and salary tests; salary is not investment capital. Official page states a 20-day residence authorization decision period, mapped upward to one month; a subsequent consular visa, if needed, is outside this bound. No verified route-wide USD fee. Ten qualifying years to ordinary citizenship, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: Highly qualified professionals and EU Blue Card (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Non-EU family member of EU citizen

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Qualifying third-country family member joining an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen with residence rights. A residence card is required for stays over three months, and permanent residence generally follows five continuous lawful years. Family relationship and sponsor status, not a passport group, determine eligibility. No verified USD fee, capital threshold or end-to-end processing bound. Ordinary citizenship after ten qualifying years, or two for eligible origin nationalities.

Sources: EU citizen family residence card (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Permanent residence for EU family (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice)

Non-EU family member of Spanish citizen

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Distinct family residence authorization under the 2025 immigration regulation for eligible non-EU relatives of a Spanish citizen. The two-month official authorization decision limit maps to two months; a later visa or card stage is additional. Family relationship and sponsor status determine eligibility. No investment threshold. Ordinary citizenship takes ten qualifying years; a qualifying spouse can apply after one year of legal residence and one year of marriage, and origin-based exceptions also apply.

Sources: Residence for family of Spanish citizen (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), One-year residence exception for spouse of Spanish citizen (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Family reunification with third-country resident

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

Eligible family member sponsored by a foreign resident under the general reunification rules. Eligibility depends on relationship and sponsor conditions rather than nationality alone. The official two-month authorization decision limit maps to two months; a later consular visa stage is additional. No evidenced route-wide USD application fee or investment minimum. Ordinary citizenship takes ten qualifying residence years, with origin-based exceptions.

Sources: Family reunification with foreign resident (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

EU citizen residence right (Directive 2004/38/EC)

Only for EU citizens.

This is an EU citizen's residence right, not a residence visa. For stays over three months, the person generally must work, be self-employed, study, or have sufficient resources and health insurance. The host country may require registration. National office, documents, fee and timing are not yet verified; tax residence is a separate test. Ordinary naturalization generally requires ten total qualifying residence years; statutory exceptions can shorten this.

Sources: Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 7: residence over three months (European Union, EUR-Lex), Directive 2004/38/EC, Article 8: national registration option (European Union, EUR-Lex), EU residence registration guidance (European Commission, Your Europe), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice), Shortened nationality residence periods (Spanish Ministry of Justice), National long-term residence (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion)

Long study stay (higher or post-compulsory education)

Not for EU citizens, EEA citizens, Swiss citizens.

For third-country nationals admitted to qualifying full-time higher or post-compulsory study. This is an estancia, not a residence authorization; its study period is not counted here toward the ordinary ten-year residence-based naturalization clock. A later change to residence can start that clock. The official consular visa decision limit is one month; an in-country study-stay authorization has a separate two-month limit, so no single route-wide processing bound is entered. A procedure fee is due, but a single USD amount is not established. The 100% IPREM support test is means, not investment. Eligibility follows nationality and admission; no universal capital minimum.

Sources: Long stay for higher or post-compulsory study (Spanish Ministry of Inclusion), Ordinary Spanish naturalization (Spanish Ministry of Justice)