Find your route to residency in Spain
Immigration solutions for individuals and families who want to study, work, live or build their life in Spain.
Not every route works for every case
Two people in apparently identical circumstances may need different procedures. How long you have been in Spain, your nationality, whether you have a job offer or family ties here, whether you have spent time outside the country and for how long, or whether you have held a residence permit before: these details completely change which route applies.
That is why we review the personal, professional, family and financial profile of each case before recommending a procedure.
Build your life in Spain on solid legal ground.
And if you want to know how we work once the route has been chosen:
What is your situation?
Identify your starting point. Each route has its own requirements and timelines.
- Residency and work
- Study, internships and first job
- Family
- Arraigo and exceptional circumstances
- Asylum and international protection
- EU citizens and their family members
- Renewals and changes of status
- Citizenship and long-term residency
- Appeals and refusals
Residency and work
For those who will work in Spain as employees or self-employed, remotely, or who want to live here without working.
- Residence and work as an employeeIf you have a job offer from a company in Spain.See procedure
- Residence and self-employmentIf you are going to carry out your own professional or business activity.See procedure
- Digital nomad visaIf you work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain.See procedure
- Non-lucrative residenceIf you want to live in Spain without working and have your own financial means.See procedure
- Residence for entrepreneursIf you are going to develop an innovative business project of special economic interest in Spain (Law 14/2013).See procedure
Study, internships and first job
For those coming to study in Spain or who have just finished their studies here.
- Student stayFor studies, training or recognized educational activities in Spain.See procedure
- Residence for internshipsIf you have just graduated and are going to do an internship related to your studies.See procedure
- Residence to look for work or start a businessIf you graduated in Spain and want to stay to look for work or start a business.See procedure
Family
For those with family ties in Spain or who want to be reunited with their family here.
- Family member of a Spanish nationalIf you are a family member of a Spanish national and want to live with them in Spain.See procedure
- Family member of an EU citizenThe regime for family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.See procedure
- Family reunificationIf you live legally in Spain and want to bring your family. The requirements depend on your permit.See procedure
- Marriage and registered partnershipFormalizing the relationship can be the first step towards residing as a family member. We support you through both processes.See procedure
- Residence for minorsPermits for foreign minors, such as children of residents born in Spain, and other situations provided for in the legislation.See procedure
Arraigo and exceptional circumstances
For those in Spain without a permit or in a situation that the law specifically protects.
- Arraigo and exceptional circumstancesIf you are in Spain and want to regularize your status. Includes the forms in force after the reform of the Spanish Immigration Regulations.See procedure
- Victims of gender-based or sexual violenceResidence and work permit for foreign women who are victims, which can be extended to their children.See procedure
Asylum and international protection
For those who cannot safely return to their country.
- Asylum and international protectionApplying for refugee status or subsidiary protection, with support throughout the whole procedure.See procedure
- Humanitarian groundsResidence permit on humanitarian grounds in the cases provided for in the legislation, including some cases after international protection has been refused.See procedure
EU citizens and their family members
For citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland settling in Spain.
Renewals and changes of status
For those who already hold a permit and need to keep it, extend it or change it.
Citizenship and long-term residency
For those who already live here legally and want to secure their status for good.
- Spanish citizenship by residenceFull handling of the online application, follow-up and support through to the oath.See procedure
- Long-term residencyLive and work in Spain indefinitely. Includes EU long-term residency.See procedure
- Recovering long-term residencyIf you lost your permit because of periods spent outside Spain and want to get it back.See procedure
Appeals and refusals
For those whose application has been refused.
We also handle any other procedure provided for in the Spanish Immigration Act and its Regulations (Royal Decree 1155/2024), the regime for EU citizens (Royal Decree 240/2007) and Law 14/2013. If your situation is not listed here, tell us about it.
Tell me about your caseIf your company is relocating you
Some permits are processed by the company, with the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), rather than directly by the professional. This is the case for highly qualified professionals (PAC), intra-company transfers (ICT) and permits for researchers.
If your company is relocating you to Spain or you have received an offer for a qualified position, the procedure is handled by coordinating the company and the professional.
How we work on your case
We review your profile, define the applicable route, prepare your case and stay with you until after approval. One point of contact throughout the whole process.
What our clients say
Excellent Service – Highly Recommend Jessica!
I had an excellent experience working with Jessica. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and supportive throughout the entire process.
Jessica helped us with our Spain Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) application, and the process was handled very efficiently and smoothly. She also assisted us with opening our company in Spain, which was completed quickly and without unnecessary complications.
Her communication was excellent, and she was always helpful, responsive, and patient with our questions.
I truly appreciate her dedication, professionalism, and outstanding service. She made both the visa and company registration processes much easier for us.
I highly recommend Jessica to anyone looking for reliable assistance with Spanish immigration or company formation.
Thank you so much, Jessica, for your amazing support and excellent work!
Jessica is the reason my family lives in Spain. I'm not exaggerating. The paperwork for our visa was endless and Spanish bureaucracy is no joke. Without her I would have quit a hundred times over.
We did the whole process while we were travelling the world with our two kids, and Jessica made it work anyway. She knows the system inside and out. She was patient with every question, including the ones I asked twice. She always answered when I needed her, and she kept us on track when I felt completely lost.
More than anything, she gave me the confidence that this was actually going to happen. And it did. She got us our visa in the easiest way it could possibly have been done.
She's smart and kind, and she's an incredible woman to work with. If you're thinking about moving to Spain, don't try to do it alone. Call Jessica.
Marae TorrelierDigital Nomad and familyI feel so incredibly lucky to have found Jessica Silva Abogada. I feared that applying for my residency here in Spain was going to be a long and difficult process. Jessica not only knew exactly what needed to be done and when and how, but she walked me through every step with patience and knowledge and, maybe most important of all, an understanding of this experience as a human being. Moving through the bureaucracy of applying for residency and attaining work permits can be - and often is - a frustrating and unsettling experience. Jessica is always there, always one step ahead, always on top of it. She makes this journey a smooth one while offering both compassion and a deep knowledge. This combination, for me, was essential. So far as I’m concerned, Jessica is part of my “team” here. She is an ally. And a consummate professional.
Hal MasonbergResidence and self-employment
Estoy muy agradecido con ella por haberme acompañado en todo mi proceso desde que llegué a España. La primera vez que contacté con ella fue para gestionar mi situación como autónomo y poder ejercer como tatuador desde mi visado de estudios. Después se encargó de mi renovación y, finalmente, de mi proceso de nacionalidad.
En todos los trámites el resultado fue positivo y, además, todo se gestionó de una manera muy rápida y sin complicaciones. Siempre fue cercana, clara y muy profesional, y me dio mucha tranquilidad saber que estaba en buenas manos.
Sin duda, ha sido una persona de confianza durante todo este proceso y la recomendaría completamente a cualquiera que necesite ayuda con extranjería o nacionalidad.
Alain Dopico LeyvaResidence and self-employment
Estoy muy agradecida de haber encontrado a una abogada como ella. Me ha acompañado desde que llegué a España, empezando por mi proceso de asilo, después mi arraigo por formación, la renovación y finalmente mi proceso de nacionalidad. Todo ha salido siempre de forma positiva y sin ningún problema.
Más allá de su profesionalidad, valoro muchísimo la cercanía y la tranquilidad que transmite. Siempre me he sentido escuchada, bien asesorada y acompañada en cada paso. Después de tantos años y tantos trámites, puedo decir que ha sido una persona de total confianza para mí. La recomendaría sin ninguna duda. ❤️
Weiny Chaviano PorroAsylum, arraigo through training, residence and work as an employee, and renewalFrequently asked questions about residency in Spain
Which residency route is right for me?
It depends on your nationality, how long you have been in Spain, whether you have a job offer or family ties here, your financial means and whether you have held permits before. In the first consultation we review these factors and explain the options you really have, not every option that exists.
Can I apply for residency while I am already in Spain?
For some procedures, yes; for others the application must be filed at the consulate in your country of origin. In certain cases both options exist, with different requirements and durations, and choosing one or the other has consequences. It is one of the first things we review.
How long do I need to have been in Spain to regularize my status?
It varies depending on the form of arraigo that applies, and the reform of the Spanish Immigration Regulations changed the required periods. Besides time, family ties, training, employment and your administrative history all count.
What is the difference between a visa and a residence permit?
A visa is applied for at the consulate and allows you to enter Spain. A residence permit is the authorization to live here, and it is applied for with the Spanish authorities. Depending on the procedure, you will need one, the other, or both one after the other.
Can I work with a student stay permit?
Yes, within the limits set by current legislation, which were extended in the latest reform. It is worth checking the specific conditions before accepting a job, because working outside those limits can affect your renewal.
What happens if my application is refused?
There are ways to challenge the decision, with strict deadlines: one month for an administrative appeal for reconsideration (recurso de reposición) and two months for judicial review before the administrative courts. The first step is to read the decision to identify the real reason for the refusal, because the strategy depends on it.
Tell us about your situation
Not sure which of these routes applies to you? That is exactly what we work out in the first consultation: we will review your case and explain what options you have and what each one would involve.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration requirements may vary depending on the applicant’s personal circumstances and the legislation in force at the time of the application.