Spain Immigration from Philippines
Filipino nationals require a visa to travel to Spain. Based on whether they want to stay for less than 90 days or more, they will need to apply for Schengen visas or National visas, respectively.
Obtaining a Spanish visa might often be a time-consuming and somewhat challenging process, particularly if you want to immigrate to the country on a long-term basis. Speak with our expert immigration lawyers on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 to receive bespoke advice and legal assistance depending on your immigration circumstances.
Page Contents
- How to Immigrate to Spain From Philippines?
- Spanish Visa Requirements for Filipino Citizens
- Moving to Spain: Short-Term Visas
- Moving to Spain: Long-Term Visas
- Coming to Work in Spain
- Coming to Study in Spain
- Family Reunification in Spain
- Golden Visa (Investor Visa and Entrepreneur Visa)
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Non-lucrative Residence Visa
- Permanent Residency and Spanish Citizenship
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Immigrate to Spain From Philippines?
Depending on how long you are planning to stay in Spain–i.e. for up to 90 days or more than 90 days–you will need to apply for either a Schengen visa or a National visa.
Filipino nationals who wish to travel to Spain for less than three months (during any period of six months) will have to apply for a Schengen visa. If you already have a valid residence permit or a valid long-term visa issued by a Schengen State, you will not be required to apply for this visa.
On the other hand, if you are planning to live in Spain for longer than 90 days for study, work, business, or family reunification purposes, you will have to apply for a National visa as applicable in your circumstances.
Spanish Visa Requirements for Filipino Citizens
Spain’s temperate climate, rich culture, relaxed life-style, and family-friendliness make the country a popular choice among expats worldwide. Given that Spain and the Philippines share a 300-year-long history, many Filipino nationals seek to emigrate to Spain.
The Philippines is a visa-required third country for all EU member states including Spain. Whether you are planning to come to Spain for less than 90 days to travel or meet your family/friends, or want to live, study, and work in the country for more than 90 days, as a Filipino citizen you must have a valid visa.
If you are an eligible family member of a EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you can get a preferential free-of-charge visa, provided you are travelling with the said citizen to Spain or are going to join them in the country.
Moving to Spain: Short-Term Visas
If you are planning to travel to Spain for tourism, business, visiting family/friends, medical treatment, study, non-work internships, volunteer activities or any other non-gainful activities, and wish to stay up to 90 days, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa.
A Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows a visa-required national to enter and stay in a Schengen country (such as Spain) for a limited period of time. You will not be allowed to stay more than 90 days during any 180-day period.
Depending on your requirements, you may be allowed a single-entry visa (on which you may enter Spain once) or a multiple-entry visa (on which you may enter Spain multiple times during your visa validity period).
Airport Transit Visa (ATV) and the Seamen Transit Visa (STV) are also short-term visas which allow visa-required foreign nationals to transit through the international area of any Spanish airports or ports, respectively.
Moving to Spain: Long-Term Visas
National visas, also known as D visas, allow you to travel to Spain and stay in the country for more than 90 days. These are long-term visas allowing eligible foreign nationals to study in Spain, to take up gainful employment, to set up (or invest in) businesses, or to join their family members living in the country.
A National visa is granted for three months, within which period you must travel to Spain. After arriving in the country, you will need to apply for a residence permit as applicable. Spanish National visas include:
- Study visa or ‘Auxiliar de conversación’
- Residence visa with working permit exemption
- Researcher visa
- Internship visa
- Family reunification visa
- Employee visa
- Self-employed work visa
- Visa for highly qualified workers and for intra-company transfers
- Investor visa
- Entrepreneur visa
- Non-lucrative residence visa
- Digital Nomad visa
We have clubbed some of the above depending on the main purpose of the visa applicant (e.g., work, study, joining family etc.) in this article.
Coming to Work in Spain
Overview
An Employee visa, a Self-employed work visa, and visas for highly qualified workers and for intra-company transfers allow foreign nationals to live and work in the country for more than 90 days. Please note that even if you wish to work in Spain for less than 90 days, you will have to apply for a National visa.
If you have received a job offer from a Spanish company, your employer will first apply for a work permit on your behalf. Once the work permit has been issued, you will have to apply for a D visa and, after arriving in Spain, a residency card.
On the other hand, if you want to set up a business in Spain or work as a freelancer, you need to apply for a self-employment work visa. Apart from fulfilling other requirements, you will have to provide a business plan detailing your intended business/freelance activities in Spain. Your plan has to be approved by Spain’s Self-Employed Workers Association before applying for a visa.
Highly qualified professionals, including both foreign nationals in senior management positions and graduates/post-graduates of prestigious educational institutions, may apply to work as highly qualified workers in Spain. Visa for intra-company transfers covers senior management personnel, specialists or trainees to perform pre-approved work activities in Spain when the transfer is made within the same company or group of companies.
Your eligible family members will be able to accompany you as your dependents in all the above scenarios.
Researcher Visa and Internship Visa
A Researcher visa allows foreign nationals to carry out research activities in a university, business, or research organisation in Spain. You must have an offer from such Spanish entities to be eligible to apply.
Foreign nationals with a university degree obtained in the past two years (or those pursuing a university degree level course) will have to apply for an Internship visa to participate in an internship programme in Spain. The internship agreement or trainee contract must outline how such an internship will improve the applicant’s knowledge, skills, and experience.
Coming to Study in Spain
If you are a Filipino national coming to Spain for more than 90 days for studies, training, internships or voluntary work, you will need to apply for a National visa for studying purposes. This visa may also be issued for au pairs and conversation class assistants.
If you are coming to Spain on a study visa, your spouse/partner and minor children are eligible to accompany you as your dependent family members. If you have an adult child with disability who relies solely on you financially or otherwise, they may also accompany you. However, your family members will not be able to work in Spain.
Family Reunification in Spain
Foreign nationals with resident status in Spain may bring their eligible family members to the country via the family reunification route. The eligible family members for this visa purpose include:
- Spouse/partner
- Minor (or disabled) children of the applicant and that of their spouse/partner, biological or adopted, represented legally by the applicant
- Parents of the applicant or their spouse/partner, if they are above 65 and in the care of the applicant
In exceptional circumstances, the reunification of parents aged less than 65 may be permitted for humanitarian reasons.
This visa is not applicable for the family members of EU/EEA citizens. They will have to submit an application with the Spanish authorities for a residence card as an EU citizen family member instead to stay in Spain for more than 90 days.
Golden Visa (Investor Visa and Entrepreneur Visa)
To attract foreign investors and entrepreneurs to the country, Spain has a Golden Visa Program in place. This allows eligible foreign nationals to obtain a renewable residence permit in Spain in exchange for a significant investment in the country.
To qualify for an Investor visa, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- Invest at least €2 million in Spanish public debt securities
- Invest €1 million in stocks or shares in Spanish companies, or in venture capital funds incorporated in Spain, or in bank deposits in Spanish financial institutions
- Take up a business project in Spain leading to job creation, or having a profound socio-economic impact on the area, or contributing significantly to scientific or technological innovation
For an Entrepreneur visa, you must undertake an innovative, entrepreneurial activity in Spain which is of particular economic interest to the country.
Digital Nomad Visa
This visa allows foreign nationals travelling in Spain to work for companies based outside the country. The visa holder is expected to work on a remote basis through computer, telematic, and telecommunication means.
This visa is designed to attract the new generation workers who want to adopt the increasingly popular lifestyle choice of working from anywhere. To apply, you must either be self-employed or employed for an overseas company and be able to prove your legitimate sources of income.
Non-lucrative Residence Visa
A Non-lucrative visa allows foreign nationals with sufficient financial means to stay in Spain without taking up any gainful employment. It initially allows you to stay in Spain for up to one year. After a year, you can renew it for a further two years.
You must be able to meet the minimum threshold of passive income and provide evidence thereof, to convince the concerned authorities that you do not intend to take up employment in Spain. This route is often called ‘retiring in Spain’.
Permanent Residency and Spanish Citizenship
You may be able to apply for Permanent Residency in Spain after living lawfully and continuously in the country for at least five years. A Permanent Residency does not only allow you to live, work, and study in Spain on a permanent basis, it also paves your way to apply for a Spanish citizenship.
Unlike most foreign nationals who must live in Spain for at least ten years as residents to acquire Spanish citizenship by residency, Filipino nationals need only two years of qualifying residence in Spain to be able to apply for citizenship.
How Can Our Spain Immigration Lawyer Help?
Immigrating to Spain from the Philippines can be a fairly time-consuming process, and one which will require your utmost diligence. Language might also be a challenge since roughly 0.5% Filipino nationals speak Spanish as of today.
Even if you meet the eligibility criteria, it is of crucial importance to fill up the relevant forms correctly and completely as well as submit all required documentation, to avoid a possible visa refusal or rejection.
Total Law can help.
Our team of sympathetic Spain immigration lawyers have the required expertise to assist you, regardless of your personal circumstances or the complexity of your case.
If you are a Filipino national seeking overall advice with your Spain immigration plan, or would like an immigration expert to complete your visa application on your behalf, we are here for you.
We also offer document and application checking services if you just need a final check to confirm that your documents and application adhere to the Spain/EU immigration guidelines.
To know more about the services we provide and how we can help you, please call us on +44 (0) 333 305 9375 today to speak to our team of expert immigration lawyers.
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By choosing our Appeal Package, you can rely on our lawyers’ legal knowledge and experience to ensure you have the highest chance of a successful appeal. We will also fully represent you in any hearings/tribunals.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Filipino citizens cannot stay in Spain without a valid visa. The Philippines is a visa-required country for Spain. As a Filipino national, you must have a visa to enter and stay in the country, unless you already hold a valid residence card as the relative of a EU citizen.
Yes, Filipino nationals may apply for dual citizenship after a minimum of two years of residency in Spain.
