Start with your situation
| Your situation | Where to start | What to establish |
|---|---|---|
| EU, EEA or Swiss citizen | EU-citizen registration | For a stay beyond three months, apply for registration within three months of arrival. Establish the applicable work, study, or resources-and-health-cover basis. |
| Non-EU citizen working remotely | International teleworker route | Check employment or professional eligibility, income evidence, qualifications or experience, and social-security arrangements with UGE or your consulate. |
| Non-EU citizen living without working | Non-lucrative residence | Review financial means and insurance requirements with your consulate. Do not use this route to carry on remote work. |
| Taking a job in Spain | Work and residence authorization | Confirm the employer’s role, the correct permit, and when you may legally start. |
| Moving to study | Study authorization | Ask your institution and consulate which authorization fits your course, duration and any planned work. |
| Joining a partner or family | The applicable family route | Your relative’s nationality, status and your documented relationship matter. Family of a Spanish citizen has its own published route. |
This is a route-finding overview, not an eligibility decision. British nationals moving now generally need to assess non-EU routes; people protected by the Withdrawal Agreement have a different situation.
Know what each document means
- NIE
- Your foreigner identification number. Having a number alone does not grant residence or permission to work.
- Visa / residence authorization
- The permission that applies to your stay and activities. Its terms, dates and renewal rules matter.
- TIE
- A physical foreigner identity card used for relevant non-EU statuses. It is different from the NIE number printed on it.
- EU registration certificate
- The registration document for qualifying EU, EEA and Swiss residents. It is not a photo ID; keep your passport or national ID available.
- Padrón
- Your registration at the town hall where you actually live. It records your address; it does not legalize an immigration status.
- Cita previa
- An appointment. Select the procedure and province carefully; an appointment for one task does not cover every task.
Prepare your document folder
- Identity: valid passports and the pages or copies requested by your procedure.
- Evidence for your route: employment, admission, income, insurance and family records as applicable.
- Foreign documents: check whether each needs an apostille or legalization, a sworn Spanish translation, and a recent issue date.
- Application records: retain the submitted application, appointment confirmation, payment receipts and official decision.
Read the checklist from the consulate responsible for your current address. Requirements from a different consulate can be a useful introduction, but should not become your submission checklist.
Once approved
Read your approval and visa conditions for entry, card collection and renewal deadlines. Book the correct local procedure, where required, and keep evidence of submission. Do not assume every permit has the same TIE deadline or that every visa can be applied for after entering as a visitor.
Go directly to the source
Official requirements, prices and availability can change. Open the relevant source before applying, booking or paying.