Spanish immigration law follows European Union immigration guidelines and directives.
Almost all petitions to emigrate to Spain are filed at the local consulate where you will be also interviewed; then the consulate sends the file to Spain.
By law residence petitions are decided within 6 weeks and 3 months. The initial residence will last a year, then two renewals of 2 years each and then you can opt to file for a permanent residence which will be granted for 5 years (after that you can either continue with the permanent status or opt for Spanish citizenship) (consult us for the periods you must actually live in Spain each time to be able to renew).
SPANISH RESIDENCE FOR EUROPEAN CITIZENS
This means that E.U. nationals benefit basically from the same legal rights as a regular Spaniard, be it from crossing the frontier without restrictions to working in Spain if they want.
- Comprehensive health insurance with a private company (unless you have contract and are covered by the State insurance).
- Contract with a company or a hiring person or enough income means (around 10.000 € for the first family member; spouse and children: add about 3.000€ more per person.
Family members of E.U. citizens have to pass through certain legal hoops in order to fully enjoy similar rights as E.U. citizens.
NON LUCRATIVE RESIDENCE
Foreigners from outside the E.U. zone can obtain residence and/or working status. There are a few possibilities to attain residence status. Each case can be and will be different. As an immigration lawyer we will guide you in assembling different documentation depending on many variables:
-your income or pension,
-what country you come from,
-the number of years spent in another E.U. country,
-if you have worked in Spain in the past,
-number of years in Spain,
-family members, etc.
You will need a clean criminal record (both in Spain and in your original country), medical documentation, 2.300€ income per month + 540€ for each next of kin. So, for a family of three… proof of almost 50.000€ yearly income.
Income capacity can be provided in many ways: job income in your home country, credit cards, investment returns, rental income, pension, savings…
Within the types of working visas there are a variety of qualified persons visa given by Spain. You basically will have to prove that you are above average at what you do in a particular field.
Spain recognizes unmarried couples with the same rights as a married couple. There is a registry for these type of unions. But if you are not registered you can still make a case that someone is your couple.
Family regrouping is contemplated if you have immediate family members abroad and want to bring them to Spain to live together.