Long Stay Visa Spain (National Visa)
Foreign nationals coming to Spain for more than 90 days to work, study or join family members might need to apply for a long stay visa.
There are several Spain long term visa options in Spain with varying eligibility and requirements. Please consider consulting an immigration lawyer to explore your options if you are planning to apply for a D visa in Spain from the US. Call us on +1 844 312 4979 today, or message us online to receive expert advice from our legal team.
What Is a Spain Long Stay Visa?
A Spanish long stay visa, also known as a National visa or a D visa, is an immigration permission to foreign nationals who wish to stay in the country for more than 90 days for a specific purpose, such as to work, study or live with family members settled in Spain.
After arriving in Spain on your long stay visa, you must apply for a Foreigner Identity Card within 30 days. You can apply at the Foreign Nationals’ Office or the police station of the province where your long term residence permit was processed.
Page Contents
- What Is a Spain Long Stay Visa?
- Who Needs a Spain Long Stay D Visa?
- Types of Spain Long Stay National Visas
- Spain Employment and Self-Employment Visas
- Investor and Entrepreneur Visas in Spain
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Long Stay Visa to Study in Spain
- Long Stay Visas for Research and Internship
- Long Stay Visa for Joining Family in Spain
- Non Lucrative Visa Spain
- How to Apply for a Spanish Long Stay National Visa from the US?
- Documents Required for Spain Long Stay Visas
- Processing Time for Long Stay Visa Spain
- Spain Long Stay Visa Fees
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Who Needs a Spain Long Stay D Visa?
EEA and Swiss nationals do not require any type of visas or permits to live, work or study in Spain.
Their eligible family members must apply for a residence permit in Spain. If the said family members are third-country nationals, they must apply for a visa for family members of a citizen of the Union.
All other third-country nationals (such as US citizens) will need to apply for a long stay visa to travel to Spain for more than 90 days.
Types of Spain Long Stay National Visas
Depending on your reason(s) for coming to Spain for more than 90 days, you will have to choose the most appropriate option from several Spanish long stay visas. These include:
- Student visa
- Family reunification visa
- Work visa
- Self-employed work visa
- Visa for highly qualified workers and for intra-company transfers
- Residence visa with working permit exemption
- Researcher visa
- Internship visa
- Investor visa
- Entrepreneur visa
- Non-Lucrative residence visa
- Digital Nomad visa
Spain Employment and Self-Employment Visas
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 Spain 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. 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.
Highly qualified professionals, including both foreign nationals in senior management positions and graduates/post-graduates of prestigious educational institutions, might 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.
A residence visa with work permit exemption allows eligible foreign nationals to live and work in Spain without the need of applying previously for a work permit. Researchers, scientists, teachers or technicians invited or contracted by Spanish authorities or a university, reputed managerial/teaching/research staff from cultural or educational institutions, civil servants, military officers under bilateral cooperation agreements, foreign media correspondents, artists, etc. might be eligible for this visa.
Investor and Entrepreneur Visas in Spain
To attract foreign investors and entrepreneurs to the country, Spain has a Golden Visa Program in place. To qualify for an Investor visa, you must invest at least €2 million in Spanish public debt securities or €1 million in stocks or shares in Spanish companies/venture capital funds/bank deposits in Spanish financial institutions, or buy real estate in Spain for a minimum of €500,000 euros.
You might also set up a business in Spain leading to job creation, having a profound socio-economic impact, and 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 traveling 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.
To apply, you must either be self-employed or employed for an overseas company and be able to prove your legitimate sources of income.
Long Stay Visa to Study in Spain
International students, who have already received an acceptance letter from an accredited Spanish school or educational institution, will need to apply for a long stay visa for study purposes if their course duration is longer than three months.
A long stay study visa in Spain can be applied for any of the following purposes:
- Full-time studies for a diploma, certificate, or degree
- Exchange programs for secondary schools
- Doctoral studies
- Teaching assistantship
- Training
- Internships at private or public entities that do not qualify for Spain internship visa
- Au pair programs
- Conversation class assistants
- Volunteer work
Long Stay Visas for Research and Internship
A Researcher visa allows foreign nationals to carry out research activities in a university, business, or research organization 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.
Long Stay Visa for Joining Family in Spain
Foreign nationals with resident status in Spain might bring their following family members to the country via the family reunification route:
- Spouse/partner
- Minor (or disabled) children, 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
Non Lucrative Visa Spain
A Non-lucrative visa allows foreign nationals with sufficient financial means to stay in Spain without taking up any gainful employment.
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.
How to Apply for a Spanish Long Stay National Visa from the US?
To apply for a long stay visa in Spain, you will have to start with arranging for all your necessary supporting documents and completing the visa application form. You will have to submit your application in person. For minors, a parent or guardian (or a duly accredited representative) can submit on their behalf.
The Embassy of Spain is in Washington, DC, with Spanish consulates located in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico). Contact the Spanish consulate, as applicable depending on your place of residence in the US, to make a prior appointment for submitting your application.
You might have to attend a visa interview with a consular officer on the day of your appointment. Please carry all your required documents with you. If the consulate officer asks for additional documents, you will have to submit them within the deadline mentioned. They will also collect the visa processing fee from you.
Documents Required for Spain Long Stay Visas
The documentation requirements for national visas in Spain will vary depending on your immigration purposes and circumstances. We have provided here a list of general documents required for all Spanish D visa applications:
- Current valid passport issued in the last 10 years, valid for at least four months, and with at least two blank pages
- National visa application form
- A recent passport-size, color photo
- Any specific documents required depending on your immigration purposes, such as a Spanish employment contract or acceptance letter from a Spanish university for international students
- Proof of financial means
- Health insurance
- Proof of accommodation in Spain
- Criminal record check certificate issued by the US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) within six months prior to the visa application
- Additional criminal record check certificate(s) if the applicant has lived outside the US during the last five years, issued by the concerned country(s)
- Medical certificate certifying that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health in Spain as per the 2005 International Health Regulations
- Documents proving that the applicant’s legal residence in the concerned Spanish embassy or consulate’s consular jurisdiction in the US
- Visa fee payment receipt
Processing Time for Long Stay Visa Spain
It takes around 1-2 months to receive a decision on your Spain long stay visa when applying from the US. The waiting period, however, might be extended in certain circumstances.
For example, the countdown for receiving a visa decision starts only when your documents are received by the Spanish embassy/consulate. In case they ask you for additional documents, the calculation of your visa processing time will start from the date of the pending document(s) submission.
Spain Long Stay Visa Fees
The long stay visa fees in Spain vary from €90 to around €674, depending on the visa type and your nationality. For example, a long stay study visa fee may be around €141 for US citizens, €83 for Canadians, and €80 for other nationalities.
Likewise, a Canadian national will have to pay around €674 for a self-employment visa while a US citizen will be charged €238. Please get in touch with your concerned Spanish embassy/consulate to understand what visa fees you will need to pay.
How Can Total Law Help?
Spanish immigration rules are complex and varied in nature. All visa applications are subject to stringent checks by Spanish consular authorities to rule out any immigration abuse. Even if you meet all eligibility requirements, you must pay due diligence while filling up the relevant form(s) as well as arranging for supporting documentation.
Speak to Total Law. Our team of immigration advisers have the required expertise and empathy to understand your case and assist you, irrespective of how complicated your immigration circumstances might be.
To find out more about the bespoke services we provide to the Spanish D visa applicants and how we can help you, get in touch online or call us on +1 844 312 4979 today to speak with our immigration advisers.
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During this Advice Session, an immigration lawyer will assess your circumstances, explain your options and tell you what you need to do to make a strong application.
We review your circumstances, explain the relevant requirements, identify potential problems or refusal risks, and advise you on the evidence and next steps.
The Application Package
With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will assess your case, prepare your application, check your supporting documents and submit your forms on your behalf.
We check your application for missing information, inconsistencies and potential issues before submission, helping you avoid common mistakes that could affect your case.
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Our Fast-Track Application Package gives your case priority with our immigration lawyers, helping you get your application prepared, checked and submitted as quickly as possible.
Your case receives priority handling, including accelerated document reviews, application preparation, communication with your caseworker and submission support.
The Appeal Package
Our immigration lawyers will review the decision, explain why it was refused and advise on the strongest option available to you, including an appeal, review or fresh application where appropriate.
We will examine the reasons for refusal, identify weaknesses or errors, assess your available options and provide the legal support and representation your case requires.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you will be allowed to stay in Spain as long as your visa/permit is valid. However, you might be eligible to renew your long stay residence permit in Spain provided you continue to meet your visa-specific terms and conditions.
You will be permitted to take up gainful employment in Spain or be self-employed only if it is explicitly allowed on your long stay visa or subsequent residence permit.
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