Spain Residence Permit

Spain is a very attractive country to both visit and live in the long term. As a non-EU citizen from Canada, you will have to apply for a Residency Permit in order to stay, work, invest or stay with family in Spain for more than 90 days. To visit Spain for less than 90 days, it is sufficient to simply have a short term visa, such as a Tourist Visa.

Typically, a visa is required to enter and stay in Spain temporarily and must be obtained before you travel, while a Residence Permit will allow you to stay in Spain for a longer period of time and is often applied for once you are legally in Spain with the correct visa.

There are two types of Spanish Residence Permit available for Canadians wishing to live and work in Spain: the Temporary Residence Permit and Permanent Residency Permit. Even if you ultimately want permanent residency in Spain, all individuals must apply for and continuously hold temporary residency for five years first and then apply to switch to permanent residency.

Page Contents

• Overview of Spanish Residency
• Temporary Residence Permits
• Permanent Residence Permits
• Documents Required for Spanish Residence Permits
• How to Apply for a Spanish Residence Permit
• Spain Foreign Identity Card
• Residence to Citizenship in Spain
• Residence Permit Application Fees and Processing Time
• How can Total Law help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

A Temporary Residence Permit in Spain covers several categories of applicant who are looking to reside in Spain, this includes people who:

• Have a job offer for a company in Spain but do not meet the long-term residency requirements.
• Are enrolled in and have an offer from any university or college for a Spanish education programme.
• Are married to, or are the children or parents of, a Spanish citizen.
• Are self-employed and able to show that their business is economically viable.
• Will make a significant economic investment in Spain through property or business.

This Temporary Residence Permit will allow you to stay in Spain for more than 90 days but less than five years, with the option to periodically apply for renewal.

Temporary residency without work, such as for people who are retiring in Spain with a Non Lucrative Residence Visa, will only be permitted to those who can provide evidence that they can financially support themselves during their stay without support from the Spanish social care system. This will require proof of minimum financial means.

Typically, the Temporary Residence Permit will be valid for a minimum of one year and may include people who have traveled to and are in Spain with a Student Visa, Entrepreneur Visa, Golden Visa, Non Lucrative Visa, Family Member Visa or Work Visa.

Once you have stayed in Spain continuously for a minimum of five years under one of the applicable visa routes and with a Temporary Residence Permit, you can submit an application for permanent residency. A Permanent Residence Permit means you can stay and work in Spain indefinitely, regardless of your reasons for staying in the country; you will also be able to bring your partner, children and parents to Spain too.

Non EU citizens from Canada will not be able to enter or stay in Spain without a visa, and if you wish to eventually apply for permanent residency, you will have to accrue these five years under an eligible visa route. The main visa routes that can lead to permanent residency in Spain include:

• Work Visa
• EU Blue Card
• Entrepreneur Visa
• Non-lucrative Visa
• Student Visa with a switch to Work Visa (it is not enough to stay in Spain continuously for five years under a Student Visa, but a combination of five years under a Student Visa and then Work Visa is acceptable)
• Family Reunification Visa
• Golden Visa or Investor Visa

If you intend to travel to Spain with the intention of eventually applying for a Permanent Residence Permit, it is important to check that the visa route you are applying for is eligible. Our immigration experts at Total Law can assess and advise you on the best route for your situation; contact us today on +1 844 290 6312 for further information.

Depending on what visa and Spanish Residence Permit you are applying for, each application will require different supporting documents. It is essential that you correctly gather all the required documents to support your application and avoid the risk of a rejection, lost fees and delays. Generally, when applying for a visa or permit in Spain, you will need to provide:

• A valid passport
• Three passport photos
• Proof of your financial situation
• Proof of your address in Spain
• A criminal record from the previous five years
• Medical certificate
• Private health insurance

When applying for a Temporary Residence Permit, you will typically have to provide documents such as:

• Proof that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself while you are in Spain
• Proof that you have enrolled into a Spanish college or university
• A work contract with your new Spanish employer

Once you have stayed in Spain for the five consecutive years and meet the criteria for permanent residency, you will need to submit another application form and provide documentation such as:

• A completed EX-11 form
• Your current residency card
• Your criminal record
• Your tax return and payroll from work

When applying for Spanish residency, first you must choose a type of visa that is correct for your situation but also is a route to residency. You then must submit your visa application from Canada at the Spanish embassy or Spanish consulate.

Once you receive a positive decision on your visa, you are now allowed to travel to Spain. Your visa will allow you to stay in Spain for an initial period, typically up to 90 days.

Once you are in Spain, you will have a month to apply for your Temporary Residence Permit. You will need to visit a national police station or immigration office and provide the documents required for your permit. When your Residency Permit application is approved, you will receive your residence card.

When you are ready to apply for your permanent residence card, you can visit the immigration office or apply and submit your documents online on La Sistema Mercurio.

Once your Spanish residency application is approved, you will receive a physical residency card, also known as a Foreign Identity card, and acts as official identification and evidence that you have legal residency in Spain and is often needed in official matters, such as in banks or with employers.

This Foreign Identity card will contain your personal details, your immigration identification number, and details on the type of visa and permit you have. This residency card is valid for the length of your permit and is renewed each time your residency is renewed.

You may wish to eventually apply to become a Spanish citizen, a residency option that will grant you the same benefits as being a Spanish national, such as unrestricted EU travel, unrestricted work in Spain, and the ability to vote in Spanish elections.

However, if you are someone with Canadian citizenship, it bears noting that Spain does not generally allow dual citizenship, and you may need to renounce your Canadian nationality to become a Spanish citizen.

There are several routes in which you can take before applying for Spanish citizenship. These routes include:

• If you are married to a Spanish citizen and have lived in Spain for at least one year with a Residence Permit.
• If one of your parents is a Spanish citizen or you were adopted by a Spanish national before you turned 18 years old.
• If you have lived in Spain for 10 years and have a clean criminal record.

Each route will require different documents to be submitted as part of your application, although generally, you will need to submit evidence that you do not have a criminal record during your stay in Spain, and you must have passed the two citizenship exams, DELE A2 and CCSE.

Visa application fees vary depending on your country of origin. As a Canadian citizen, you can expect to pay up to €600 per application, and you will have to prove that you have plenty of money to support yourself during your time in Spain.

The processing time for your permit application can be variable, from 15 days to 6 months; therefore, it is always advisable to apply with plenty of time before you plan to travel. The application process for permanent Spanish residency can take up to two months, so it is recommended that you begin applying for your permanent Spanish residency at least 60 days before the expiration of your current Residence Permit.