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Spanish residence · updated 02.07.2026

How to get a Spanish residence permit in 2026: a step-by-step breakdown

Updated: 2 July 2026 · Verified by the EuroGarant team against official sources

In brief: to get a Spanish residence permit you need to choose a legal ground (digital nomad, NLV, business, family, studies), gather a set of documents with a sworn translation, file through cita previa and receive the TIE resident card. The investor "golden visa" was abolished on 03.04.2025 — below we break down the working alternatives and the procedure under the new regulation of 20.05.2025.

03.04.2025the "golden visa" is abolished — real estate from €500,000 no longer grants residence
600 €/месIPREM 2026 (frozen) — the base from which the income thresholds are calculated
from 2 400 €/месincome for NLV — 400% IPREM for the main applicant
5 yearsof legal residence — and a path to permanent residence (larga duración) opens up
Don't want to figure it out yourself? A free case assessment before payment — we'll evaluate your situation and name a realistic ground. We work under a contract, payment is staged, and if the government authority refuses we refund the fee for our services.
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Step 1. Choose a residence ground

A Spanish residence permit is issued for a specific ground — the income requirements and the document package depend on it. The main grounds in 2026:

Want to see the whole path at once — from choosing a ground to the TIE card and the first months in the country? Open the roadmap for relocating to Spain.

Digital nomad (DNV)Remote work for a foreign company. Income from 200% SMI. NLV — without the right to workPassive income/savings. From 400% IPREM ≈ 2 400 €/мес. Not sure? CalculatorIn 60 seconds we'll match a ground to your situation.

Also available are the entrepreneur visa, residence for highly qualified professionals (HQP), family reunification and student residence. A separate ground is arraigo (rootedness): legalisation for those who have already lived in Spain for a long time; the bureau does not handle arraigo cases. If you're not sure which one fits — take the free quiz to choose a ground.

Step 2. Check the income requirements (2026)

Income is the key condition for almost any ground. In 2026 IPREM is frozen at 600 €/мес (7 200 €/год), and the thresholds are calculated from it:

GroundIncome thresholdFamily add-on
NLV ≈ 2 400 €/мес — 400% IPREM (~28 800 €/год) +100% IPREM ≈ 600 €/мес per family member
DNV ≈ 2 849 €/мес — from 200% of the minimum wage (SMI) +75% SMI for the first family member, +25% for each subsequent one
Student residence ≈ 600 €/мес — 100% IPREM —
Calculate your threshold: the 2026 income calculator will check your amount against the requirements of the chosen ground in a minute — including add-ons for family members. Free and with no request.

Not reaching the threshold on one ground? That's not a verdict: usually there are 2–3 alternative routes, and a suitable ground is matched to your situation — regardless of your employment format and how your income is structured. During the free assessment we'll work out the options specifically for you.

And all the 2026 figures and thresholds — income by each ground, state fees and timelines — are collected in a single table.

Step 3. Gather the documents

The basic set for most grounds:

The exact list — at the assessment. The set of documents differs for each ground — we prepare the final list for your situation. You can download the document checklist in advance: 2026 document checklist.

Step 4. Submit the application and receive the TIE card

  1. Book a cita previa (prior appointment).
  2. Submit the set: while in Spain — at Extranjería/UGE-CE, from abroad — through the consulate as a D visa.
  3. Wait for the government authority's decision (the timeline depends on the ground and the region).
  4. Receive the TIE resident card. The initial residence permit is usually issued for 1–3 years, then renewed — what this opens up further, we break down in the block below.

Will I pass these 4 steps? Ask a lawyer

What a Spanish residence permit gives you

The resident card is not just "permission to stay". The main rights that a residence holder gets:

Legal residenceIn Spain for longer than 90 days — for the validity period of the card, with renewal.
Work — according to the type of permitDNV grants the right to work remotely for foreign clients, student — up to 30 ч/нед, NLV excludes employment.
Travel across SchengenWithout arranging separate visas.
Family with the same rightsUnder most grounds a spouse and children are included in the application.
Education and healthcareStudy at Spanish universities and schools; medical care under an insurance contract (a policy is a mandatory condition for most visas).
Path to permanent residence and citizenshipAfter 5 years of resident seniority you can request larga duración status; the count for citizenship also starts from the first card.

An important caveat: a residence permit is an immigration status, and it does not automatically make you a Spanish tax resident. How relocation, the 183-day rule and the Beckham regime are connected — we've covered in a separate article "Taxes in Spain for residents with a permit".

The golden visa is abolished — what replaces it

Since 03.04.2025 the investor route is closed (Ley Orgánica 1/2025): a €500,000 real-estate investment is no longer a ground for residence, and new applications under this programme are not considered. Those who managed to obtain a card before the abolition need not re-apply for anything — it remains valid until the end of its term. In practice, the place of the "golden visa" has been taken by DNV, NLV and the entrepreneur visa — it is on these grounds that the main flow of applicants runs in 2026.

Common reasons for refusal

Common reason for refusalHow we close this risk
The threshold is calculated from the wrong base — DNV is based on SMI, NLV on IPREM — or income is proven unconvincingly We calculate the thresholds for your situation — from the right base, taking the family into account
Gaps in the set of documents and inaccuracies in the sworn translation — the application is rejected on formal grounds We file correctly the first time — a complete set and verified translations
A wrongly chosen ground for the applicant's situation We choose the ground during the free assessment
The format of work is a single "Turnkey" package with payment on a 50–25–25 schedule. We remove all three risks from the table already at the preparation stage, and the fee is tied to the milestones of the case: half is paid at the start, the next quarter — after the set is gathered and the application is filed, the remaining quarter — only after residence is obtained. We work under an official contract fixing the stages and obligations, and if a refusal comes through our fault — we refund the fee for our services on the terms of the contract. A detailed breakdown is in the payment block below.

After receiving the first TIE card it is no less important to renew the residence on time: for more on filing deadlines, current income thresholds and typical mistakes, read our guide renewal of Spanish residence 2026.

Frequently asked questions on the topic

If you're planning to relocate from Russia, the procedure begins even before entry: a separate guide explains in detail how to file the application through the consulate and which documents you'll need — Spanish residence from Russia: the consular procedure 2026.

Frequently asked questions about Spanish residence

How do you get a Spanish residence permit in 2026?
In brief: 1) choose a legal ground — DNV, NLV, entrepreneur visa, HQP, family reunification or studies; 2) gather the set of documents with a sworn translation — passport, criminal record certificate with apostille, proof of income, health insurance contract; 3) book a cita previa and file with Extranjería or through the consulate; 4) wait for the decision and receive the TIE card. In 2026 the new regulation of 20.05.2025 is in force, and the golden visa was abolished on 03.04.2025.
Has Spain's golden visa been abolished?
Yes. The investor route has been closed since 03.04.2025 (Ley Orgánica 1/2025): a €500,000 real-estate investment is no longer a ground for residence, and new applications are not accepted. To live in Spain, DNV, NLV, the entrepreneur visa and other legal grounds remain available.
What are the income requirements for a Spanish residence permit in 2026?
They depend on the ground. IPREM in 2026 is frozen at 600 €/мес (7 200 €/год). Benchmarks: NLV — 400% IPREM ≈ 2 400 €/мес plus 100% IPREM ≈ 600 €/мес per family member; the digital nomad visa — from 200% of the minimum wage (SMI) ≈ 2 849 €/мес plus family add-ons; student residence — 100% IPREM. We calculate the exact amounts during a free consultation.
Can you get a Spanish residence permit on your own?
Technically, yes. But common reasons for refusal are an income threshold calculated from the wrong base (DNV is based on SMI, NLV on IPREM), gaps in the document set, inaccuracies in the sworn translation and a wrongly chosen ground. We calculate the thresholds for your situation and file correctly the first time.
What does a Spanish residence permit give you?
Legal residence in Spain for longer than 90 days, work according to the type of permit (DNV — remotely for foreign clients, student — up to 30 h/week, NLV excludes employment), travel across the Schengen area without arranging separate visas. Under most grounds a spouse and children are included in the application with the same rights. After 5 years of legal residence, a path to permanent residence (larga duración) opens up.

If you're a Russian citizen — the nuances (filing from Moscow, documents from Russia, proof of income) are collected in a separate guide: Spanish residence for Russians — all the ways.

Don't want to check thresholds and regulations yourself? Describe your situation to a lawyer — we'll match it against the 2026 requirements and name a realistic route to the TIE card. If there's no ground yet, we'll tell you so directly.
Free consultation

Real client reviews of the bureau are on the EuroGarant reviews page.

Convenient payment in 3 stages

Pay gradually — as results come in, not all at once

50%PAID
Stage 1
Prepayment
Pay 50% — and we start working on your case right away
75%PAID
Stage 2 · +25%
On completion
Another 25% — when the work is done and the documents are filed
100%PAID
Stage 3 · +25%
After residence is obtained
The final 25% — only when the result is achieved

Everything under an official contract. If a refusal from the government authority comes through our fault, we refund the fee for our services on the terms of the contract: your financial risk is covered.

Request to choose a residence ground

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Official sources: BOE — Spanish legislation · Ministry of Inclusion and Migration · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain (consulates)