We are receiving enquiries from UK Nationals about moving to Spain post-Brexit. The entry requirements for UK Nationals entering Spain changed on 1 January 2021 when Britain became a third country (outside the EU). We have prepared a separate note about tourist travel where you can visit Spain (and any other country in the Schengen area) for 90 days in any 180 period period. This article focuses mainly on non lucrative visa Spain but also Golden Visas too.
Visa applications and residency
All applications for residency must now start in the UK. Visa applications must be made the Spanish Consulate Office located in either London, Edinburgh or Manchester.
There are three different visas available
- Non-lucrative visa (the most popular visa for retirees/digital nomads)
- Working visa
- Golden visa
I want to come and live in Spain, I will not be working how do start to apply for Residency?
To begin the residency process, you start with a visa application (assuming you are not applying for the Golden Visa).
When applying for a visa, you must submit a photocopy of all the original documents that you want to be
returned to you at the end of the procedure.
1. National visa form completed, dated and signed. The form is in Spanish and can be downloaded here.
2. Recent passport photograph with white background.
3. Valid passport or travel document, with a minimum validity of one year and at least two blank pages. Each page of the passport should be photocopied.
4. Valid UK residence permit (if applicable).
5. Certificate of criminal record (applied to over 18 years only,) less than three months old. A sworn translation into Spanish is also required.
6. Public or private health insurance taken out by an insurance company authorised to operate in Spain.
7. Medical certificate, (no more than 3 months old).
8. Financial means required to cover your living expenses and, where appropriate, those of family members,
for one year, in accordance with the following amounts:
– For the support of the main applicant, 27, 108 € (or its legal equivalent in foreign currency.)
– For the support of each of the family members 6,779 € (or its legal equivalent in foreign currency.)
Evidence of sufficient financial means will need to be shown by way of prood of income and savings.
9. Completion of the Administration Fee Form the ‘Autorización inicial de residencia temporal.’
10. Completion of the EX-01 form ‘Autorización de residencia temporal no lucrativa’.
11. Pay the relevant visa fee at the Consulate on the day your application is accepted.
Acceptance of your visa application
Expect the visa application process to take between one and three months. Once you return to the Consulate to have the visa included in your passport, you can travel to Spain to obtain the residency (TIE) card for one year. It is important that you start the process of the TIE application as soon as you can after arrival.
What do I need to do after 12 months?
After the initial year, it is necessary to apply to the foreigner’s office in Spain for a two year extension. Part of the application will be to demonstrate financial means for a further two year, so twice the sum listed in number 8 above.
After three years, a further two year extension will be required (the same as after year one) before permanent resident status is arrived at.
The residency process therefore takes five years.
Assistance with a visa application
Sun Lawyers can help with your visa application, start by sending an email enquiry and we will get in touch
