Spanish visas for UK citizens

Last updated 2026-09-14

Since Brexit, British citizens are third-country nationals for EU immigration purposes. To live in Spain for longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, a UK citizen needs a national long-stay visa or residence authorisation. This page sets out the four main routes — the Non-Lucrative Visa, the Digital Nomad Visa, the Highly Qualified Professional work permit, and family reunification — covering requirements, documents, where to apply, processing times, renewal, and the path to permanent residency and Spanish citizenship. All figures are drawn from official Spanish and UK government sources with the date they were verified. Back to the Spain hub.

Spain visa routes for UK nationals

The table below summarises the four common routes, the income or requirements involved, published processing times, government fees, and whether the permit renews. Exact evidence accepted can vary by consulate.

Non-Lucrative Visa

The Non-Lucrative Visa is for people with sufficient passive income, savings, or pension to support themselves in Spain without working. Holders may not carry out any professional or employed activity in Spain during the visa period.

Requirements

The income or savings threshold is €2,400/month (€28,800/year), +€600/month per dependent. This figure is pegged to 400% of Spain's IPREM benchmark (the public-indicator multi-purpose income reference) and rises for each dependent added to the application. The applicant must also hold visa-compliant private health insurance with no co-payments and no waiting periods, have no criminal record, and not have been refused a Schengen visa.

Documents

• Valid UK passport (at least one year beyond the visa period)
• Proof of income or savings showing €2,400/month (€28,800/year), +€600/month per dependent (bank statements, pension award letters, investment statements)
• Visa-compliant private health insurance certificate (no co-payments, no waiting periods, no deductibles)
• UK police certificate apostilled by the FCDO
• Completed Spanish national visa application form
• Two recent passport photographs (35×45 mm)
• Sworn Spanish translations of any documents not in Spanish

Where to apply

Applications are made in person at the Spanish Consulate-General covering the applicant's UK address. London covers England and Wales (south); Manchester covers England north of Birmingham and Northern Ireland; Edinburgh covers Scotland. Appointments are booked online via the consulate's portal.

Processing time and cost

The consulate typically takes 1–3 months to issue a decision. The government visa fee is £516 visa fee (UK reciprocity rate) + £14.85 BLS service charge; residence-card/TIE fee extra. Additional costs include the FCDO apostille fee, sworn translation fees (typically €60–€120 per document), and legal assistance if used.

Renewal

Yes — initial 1 year, then renewable in 2-year blocks up to 5 years (then permanent residence). To renew, the holder must demonstrate continued income above the threshold and prove actual residence in Spain (more than 183 days in the year as a general rule). Renewal applications are filed at the Oficina de Extranjería in Spain.

Digital Nomad Visa

The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), introduced by Spain's Startups Law (Ley 28/2022), is for remote employees and freelancers who work exclusively or predominantly for employers or clients based outside Spain. Up to 20% of income may come from Spanish sources.

Requirements

The income threshold is €34,188/year (200% of SMI); ≈ €2,442–€2,849/month depending on payment-basis calculation. For employees, an employment contract confirming remote work and non-Spanish clients is required alongside payslips. For freelancers, client contracts and bank statements showing the required income are needed. The applicant must prove at least three months of continuous activity in the same profession or company, and that at least 80% of income is from non-Spanish sources.

Documents

• Valid UK passport
• Employment contract confirming remote work and non-Spanish clients, or freelance client contracts
• Bank statements showing €34,188/year (200% of SMI); ≈ €2,442–€2,849/month depending on payment-basis calculation from non-Spanish sources
• Company registration or self-employment evidence (3+ months of activity)
• UK police certificate apostilled by the FCDO
• Private health insurance or evidence of social security coverage
• Sworn Spanish translations where required

Where to apply

There are two application routes. The consular route is filed at a Spanish Consulate in the UK before arrival. The in-Spain route — available to those already legally in Spain — is filed at the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE) in Madrid and is typically faster.

Processing time and cost

Processing takes 15–45 days (in-Spain UGE-CE ~20 working days; consular route similar). The government fee is €73.26 government fee (Tasa 790-038) + ~€16–22 TIE card.

Renewal

Yes — in-Spain: initial 3 years then renewable 2 years; consular: 1 year then permit up to 3 years. After five years of cumulative legal residence, the holder may apply for long-term permanent residence.

Work permit — Highly Qualified Professional

The Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) route under the Ley de Emprendedores is the standard work permit for UK professionals with a job offer from a Spanish employer. It requires a qualifying job offer meeting the salary floor set annually by ministerial order.

Requirements

Job offer from Spanish employer + highly-qualified salary minimum (€41,356.36 per Order PJC/44/2026) + degree or 5+ years' experience. The employer initiates the authorisation at the UGE-CE in Spain before the applicant applies for the consular visa in the UK.

Documents

• Valid UK passport
• Spanish employer's job offer with salary at or above the HQP minimum
• Academic degree certificates or evidence of five or more years of professional experience
• UK police certificate apostilled by the FCDO
• Social security registration documents filed by the employer
• Sworn translations of non-Spanish documents

Where to apply

The employer submits the work authorisation to the UGE-CE. Once authorised, the applicant applies for the national visa at the Spanish Consulate in the UK. Processing time across both steps is ~20 working days (authorisation) + ~10 working days (visa).

Processing time and cost

Combined processing time: ~20 working days (authorisation) + ~10 working days (visa). Government fee: ~€73.26 residence-permit fee (Tasa 790-038) + consular visa fee (UK nationals: reciprocity rate).

Renewal

Yes — valid up to 2 years, renewable for 2 years; permanent residence after 5 years.

Family reunification

Family reunification allows a sponsor who is legally resident in Spain to bring eligible relatives to join them. Eligible relatives are: spouse or registered partner, dependent children under 18, and dependent parents over 65.

Requirements

Sponsor legally resident ≥1 year (with renewed permit) + adequate housing report + income ≥150% IPREM (first relative, +50% per extra). The housing report (informe de vivienda) is obtained from the local town hall and confirms the property is adequate for the number of people who will live there.

Documents

• Sponsor's TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) and evidence of one year of legal residence
• Municipal housing report (informe de vivienda) from the town hall
• Proof of income meeting the 150% IPREM threshold
• Family relationship documents apostilled and translated (marriage certificate, birth certificates)
• Valid passports for all applicants
• Police certificates for adult applicants

Where to apply

Family reunification is a two-step process. Step one: the sponsor files the reunification authorisation at the Oficina de Extranjería in Spain. Step two: once authorised, each family member applies for the national D-visa at the Spanish Consulate covering their address in the UK.

Processing time and cost

In-Spain authorisation ~4–8 months, then consular D-visa ~1–3 months. Government fee: Consular D-visa fee per applicant (UK nationals: reciprocity rate) + in-Spain Tasa 790-052 authorisation.

Renewal

Yes — permits renew with the sponsor's residence; reunified members over 16 get work authorisation.

Documents

Several documents appear across all four routes. A UK police certificate must be apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) before it is accepted by Spanish authorities. Documents issued in the UK and not in Spanish must be translated by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) recognised in Spain. Degrees and qualifications generally require the FCDO apostille for visa purposes, though formal homologation may be required later for regulated professions.

Private health insurance must meet Spanish visa-compliance standards: full coverage for the duration of the visa, no co-payments, no waiting periods, no deductibles, and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Not all policies sold in the UK as "international health insurance" meet this standard — the policy documentation must specifically confirm compliance with Spanish visa requirements.

Where to apply

Consular applications from the UK are made in person at one of three Spanish Consulates-General. The consulate with jurisdiction is determined by where the applicant is registered as resident in the UK:

• London: England (south and Midlands), Wales
• Manchester: England (north), Northern Ireland
• Edinburgh: Scotland

Appointments must be booked online via each consulate's portal. Attendance in person is required to submit biometrics and sign the application. For in-Spain routes (Digital Nomad Visa and HQP work permit), applications are filed with the UGE-CE in Madrid.

Processing times

• Non-Lucrative Visa: 1–3 months at the consulate
• Digital Nomad Visa: 15–45 days (in-Spain UGE-CE ~20 working days; consular route similar)
• HQP work permit: ~20 working days (authorisation) + ~10 working days (visa)
• Family reunification: In-Spain authorisation ~4–8 months, then consular D-visa ~1–3 months

These are published ranges, not guarantees. Consulate workload, appointment availability, and document queries all affect timelines. The TIE residence card is applied for in Spain after arrival, adding further time before a physical card is issued.

Renewal

Renewal applications are filed in Spain at the Oficina de Extranjería in the province where the applicant is resident, or via the Sede Electrónica online system. The application must be submitted before the existing permit expires — typically 60 days before. Each route renews under its own conditions: the Non-Lucrative Visa requires continued income proof and evidence of actual residence (183 days in Spain); the Digital Nomad Visa requires continued active remote work for non-Spanish clients; the HQP permit renews with the employer; family reunification permits renew with the sponsor's permit.

Permanent residency

Long-term residence (residencia de larga duración) is available after five years of continuous and legal residence in Spain. Short-stay, tourist and visa-free periods do not count toward the five years. Long-term residence is not route-specific — holders of Non-Lucrative, Digital Nomad, or HQP permits all qualify after five cumulative years of legal residence. Long-term residence status does not require the same annual income proofs as time-limited permits, though the applicant must show integration and absence of certain criminal convictions.

Citizenship

Spanish citizenship by naturalisation for UK nationals generally requires ten years of legal residence in Spain. The ten years must be continuous, legal, and immediately prior to the application. The applicant must also pass the DELE A2 Spanish language exam and the CCSE civic-knowledge exam, demonstrate good civic conduct, and renounce UK citizenship — Spain does not recognise dual nationality for UK nationals under standard rules.

Shorter residence periods apply to certain categories not including UK nationals: nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal qualify after two years; Sephardic Jews qualify after two years; spouses of Spanish nationals qualify after one year of marriage and residence.

Spanish citizens are EU citizens and hold the right to live and work in any EU/EEA member state. The citizenship application is filed with the Spanish Ministry of Justice; processing times have historically been long.

Frequently asked questions

This page covers visa routes only. The Spain hub covers cost of living, what the move costs, healthcare, tax, and practical setup.

This page provides general information and figures only. It is not immigration, tax, or financial advice, and nothing here is a recommendation or an assessment of your circumstances. Requirements change — always check the current official rules before you act.