EU Residence
EU citizens benefit from freedom of movement but must complete the applicable residence registration when remaining in Spain for more than three months.
Relocation & Residency
Moving to Spain Visas, Residency & More
Practical guidance for retirees, remote workers and non-EU citizens planning a move to Spain.
Relocation to Spain
Different ways to build your life in Spain
Spain attracts retirees, international professionals, remote workers and families looking for a different way of living without necessarily giving up their careers or international connections.
The correct route depends on nationality, employment status, financial circumstances and whether the applicant intends to work while living in Spain.
Understanding that distinction from the beginning makes the immigration process considerably clearer.
Residency Options
Which Route Fits Your Situation?
Non-Lucrative Residence
Designed for non-EU nationals who have sufficient means to live in Spain without carrying out employment or professional activity.
International Teleworking
A route for qualifying third-country nationals who perform remote employment or professional activity connected principally with companies outside Spain.
EU Citizens
Moving to Spain from the European Union
Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland benefit from freedom of movement and may live and work in Spain subject to the applicable registration requirements.
For stays exceeding three months, registration must generally be completed within three months of entering Spain.
The documentation depends on the applicant’s circumstances rather than following one single route for every EU citizen.
Employees & Self-Employed
Workers normally demonstrate their employment or self-employed activity in Spain.
Economically Inactive Persons
Applicants who are not working generally need sufficient resources and comprehensive public or private healthcare coverage in Spain.
Students
Students must satisfy the applicable enrolment, healthcare and sufficient-resource requirements.
Family Members
Qualifying family members may also obtain residence rights, including non-EU family members under the applicable EU-family residence procedure.
Retirement
Retiring in Spain from Outside the EU
For non-EU citizens who wish to reside in Spain without working, the non-lucrative residence route may be appropriate.
It is not a work visa. The applicant must demonstrate that they can support themselves in Spain without carrying out employment or professional activity.
Financial Resources
The principal applicant must demonstrate the statutory level of sufficient means, with additional resources required for accompanying family members.
Health Insurance
Appropriate public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised to operate in Spain is required.
Criminal Record
Adult applicants must provide the required criminal-record documentation for the relevant previous countries of residence.
Medical Certificate
A medical certificate addressing the applicable international public-health requirements is also required.
Current financial rule:
the initial non-lucrative residence framework currently uses
400% of IPREM for the principal applicant and an additional
100% of IPREM for each accompanying family member.
Working remotely from Spain
Third-country nationals who work remotely may have access to Spain’s international teleworking framework where the statutory requirements are satisfied.
In an employment relationship, the work must be carried out for companies located outside Spain.
Independent professionals have greater flexibility and may perform professional activity for Spanish companies provided that this does not exceed 20% of their total professional activity.
International Teleworking
Key Digital Nomad Requirements
The foreign company or group involved must demonstrate real and continuous activity for at least one year.
The relevant employment or professional relationship must generally have existed for at least the three months preceding the application.
It must be demonstrated that the employment or professional activity can genuinely be carried out remotely.
Employees must provide documentation showing that the foreign employer permits the activity to be carried out remotely from Spain.
Applicants must meet the statutory professional qualification requirement or demonstrate at least three years of relevant professional experience.
The application must also satisfy the general immigration, documentation, financial and social-security requirements applicable to the route.
Moving Together
The international teleworking framework also provides a route for qualifying family members of the principal applicant.
The precise documentation and dependency requirements depend on the family relationship and individual circumstances.
Applying from Spain
A third-country national who is in Spain regularly may apply for the international teleworking residence authorisation from within Spain.
The authorisation may be granted for up to three years, unless the underlying working period is shorter, and may subsequently be renewed for two-year periods if the qualifying conditions continue to be met.
Digital Nomad Visa and Tax
Immigration status and tax status are separate matters. Obtaining an international teleworking residence authorisation does not automatically place the applicant under Spain’s special inbound-worker tax regime.
Some qualifying individuals may be able to elect for the special regime under Article 93 of the Spanish Personal Income Tax Law, commonly referred to as the Beckham regime.
Eligibility depends on the statutory tax conditions and must therefore be analysed independently from the visa or residence application.
Where Article 93 applies:
the current special scale applies 24% to the relevant taxable base
up to €600,000 and 47% to the excess. The treatment of foreign income,
investment income and assets is more nuanced and should not be
described simply as “all foreign income is tax free”.
International Mobility
A More Flexible Way to Live in Spain
Remote working has made it possible for many international professionals to separate the country in which they live from the country in which their employer or clients are located.
Spain’s international teleworking framework provides a legal route for qualifying non-EU professionals to take advantage of that flexibility.
But immigration, social security and taxation should be analysed together. A residence authorisation solves only one part of the relocation process.
Conclusion
Move to Spain with the right structure.
EU citizens, retirees and remote professionals do not all follow the same residence procedure.
EU citizens benefit from freedom of movement, qualifying non-EU retirees may use the non-lucrative residence route, and qualifying remote professionals may have access to Spain’s international teleworking regime.
Immigration status should also be coordinated with tax residence, social security, family circumstances and long-term plans.
Choosing the correct structure before relocating is considerably easier than correcting an unsuitable immigration or tax position afterwards.
Contact Us
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Marbella 952 901 622
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Sotogrande 956 790 013
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Palma de Mallorca 971 626 860