Residence for highly qualified professionals: visa and permit

What do you need to know?

If you are going to be hired as a highly-qualified professional, the contracting company or entity must apply for a permit so you can live and work in Spain.

Who does it apply to?

It applies to non-EU individuals with a job offer from a company duly incorporated in Spain and which require specific skills or qualifications, which can be proven with:

• A qualification from a university or recognised business school.
• A higher vocational education and training (VET) qualification.
• Exceptionally, demonstrable prior experience in a position similar to the one offered of a minimum of three years.  

What is your current status?

If you are outside Spain, the company or entity wishing to hire you must apply for the relevant permit online prior to the national visa to enter Spain.

If you are legally in Spain, the company or entity wishing to contract you must apply for the relevant permit online.

What requirements must be met to apply for the visa?

In order to apply for a national (long-stay) visa, certain general and specific requirements must be met, depending on the reason for travel.

General requirements

• Not being a citizen of an EU or EEA state or Switzerland, or a family member of individuals from those countries to whom the rules for EU citizens apply.
• Having no criminal record in Spain and in the countries where you have resided during the last five years.
• Not being forbidden to enter Spain or being listed as liable to be refused entry in the territorial area of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement to that effect.
• Paying the application fee for the national (long-stay) visa.

Specific requirements

You must have the permit for highly qualified professionals, the requirements for which are detailed below.

What requirements must be met to apply for the permit?

To apply for the permit, both the employee and the company must meet certain requirements.

Employee requirements

• Not being in an irregular situation in Spanish territory.
• Being over 18 years of age.
• Having no criminal record in Spain and in the countries where you have resided during the last five years.
• Not being forbidden to enter Spain or being listed as liable to be refused entry in the territorial area of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement to that effect.
• Having a university degree or equivalent or, where appropriate, at least three years' comparable professional experience.

Company requirements

• Having a certificate of cover (agreement with the social security system) or health insurance for the employee, taken out with an insurance company authorised to operate in Spain.
• Paying the fee for processing the permit.
• Presenting an offer of employment and description of the position offered to the worker, explaining why the company requires someone with that profile and qualifications and stating that a salary will be offered commensurate with the worker’s level. (The salary for technicians and specialists shall be at least €40,077 gross per year; for directors and managers, at least €54,142 gross per year. With regard to employees aged 30 or under, a reduction coefficient of 0.75 will be applied to the salary requirements).

How long is it valid for?

• Visa: The validity may be for up to a year.
• Permit: The validity is the same as the duration of the contract, with a maximum of three years.

Can I bring my family with me?

Yes.

Your family members may accompany you on your trip and they may jointly or at a later stage apply for a permit or visa. This condition applies to:

• Spouse or unmarried partner
• Children of the permit holder, or of their legal partner who are below legal age, or who are of legal age and depend on the holder or their partner financially and have not yet formed a family unit.
• First-degree dependent relatives of the holder or their legal partner.

What do you need to do?

• Visa: You can only complete the formality in person, going in person to the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Spain in your country of residence. Check with the relevant diplomatic mission or consular office about the specific procedure before starting the application.
• Permit: The company or entity hosting the worker in Spain must process the formality online at the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE).

What steps must you take to obtain a visa?

Step 1: You must obtain the permit

• In order to apply for the national visa, the employer must first process the residence and work permit for the highly qualified professional. Once this permit has been accepted and granted, you must apply for the visa, proving that you meet the stipulated requirements.

Step 2: Fill in the application form and gather the required documentation

• You must download, fill in and sign the national visa application form, specifying your reason for travel.
• The form is available in Spanish and sometimes the relevant consulate provides a version in the language of the country where the application is submitted. The application form is the same for all types of visa (except the Schengen visas)
• Before making the application, consult and prepare the documentation you will be required to provide.

Step 3: Request an appointment

• You must apply for the visa in person or through a duly accredited representative.
• In general, in order to apply for a visa at the diplomatic mission or consular office of your country of residence, you must make an appointment in advance, through their website or by e-mail.

Step 4: Pay the fee associated with the visa application

• In order to apply for a visa, the established fee must be paid.

Step 5: Go to the place indicated and hand over the documentation

• Go to the diplomatic mission or consular office of your country of residence to hand in the documents and to be able to apply for the relevant visa.

Step 6: Receive or collect your visa

• Once the documentation, fee payment and requirements have been validated, you will be notified if the visa is approved. Notification is normally sent by email. It may be delivered to your home along with your passport or you may have to go in person to the diplomatic mission or consular office in your country, so they can stamp the visa on your passport. You only have one month to collect the visa after notification; otherwise, your visa will be cancelled.
• If the visa has been refused, you will receive a notification to that effect.
• Once you have picked up your visa, remember that you must enter Spain in the following three months.

Step 7: Entry into Spain

Remember that once you are in Spain, depending on your profile, you may have to complete other related formalities (see the end of this file).

What steps must you take to obtain the permit?

Step 1: The company applies for the permit

• The company or entity that wishes to hire you must apply for a residence permit for highly qualified professionals. This application is processed at the Large Companies and Strategic Collectives Unit in Spain.
• To make it easier for the company to obtain the permit, consult the documentation required to have it prepared in case it is requested.

Step 2: Receive notification of the decision

• Within the maximum establish period, a decision will be made regarding your residence permit for highly qualified professionals. 
• The company will be notified of the status of the application at the email address given at the time of submission of the application. 

Step 3: If you are outside Spain, apply for your visa

• If you are outside Spain at the time the company submits the application, once the permit has been approved you must apply for a visa in order to be able to enter the territory.
• In order to find out about the procedure for obtaining the visa, consult the information on the formality, which contains all the details on how to obtain it.

Step 4: Entry into Spain

Remember that once you are in Spain, depending on your profile, you may have to complete other related formalities (see the end of this file).

Who can apply?

• Visa: Applications for the national entry visa must be made by the foreign national himself or herself. Only exceptionally, and for justified reasons, may the consulate allow the application to be submitted by a duly accredited representative
• Permit: The application must be made by the company or entity that wishes to hire the foreign national, or duly accredited company representative.

What documentation is needed?

In general, you must provide the original and a copy of the documents.

Remember that the documentation required may vary depending on your country of residence. In addition, each consulate may require any additional documentation it deems necessary for the purposes of the decision regarding the visa. However, the general documentation that you will have to provide is the following:

Employee documentation

• National visa application form, where applicable.
• Full copy of passport with minimum validity of six months and at least two blank pages.
• Criminal record certificate from the country or countries where you have lived for the last 2 years, for crimes under the Spanish legal system. Additionally, a responsible declaration of the absence of criminal records of the last five years will be presented.
• Decision on the permit, specifying its approval and duration.
• Updated curriculum vitae.
• Documentation providing evidence of the citizen’s degree-level or equivalent qualification (legalised, translated and officially recognised, depending on the type of profession) or certification of at least three years of professional experience.

Company documentation

• Documentation identifying the company applying for the permit:
• Signed employment contract with the minimum terms established for contracting highly qualified workers (salary, position).
• Proof that the company guarantees the necessary solvency.
• Certificate of social security or private health insurance.

How long does it take?

• Permit: Within a maximum of twenty working days, a decision will be made regarding your residence permit for highly qualified professionals. To notify you, the applicant company will receive the status of the application at the email address indicated at the time of submission of the application.
• Visa: Once the permit has been obtained, the fee paid and the requirements met, your residence visa for highly qualified professionals will be issued in a period of ten working days according to the law.

How much does it cost?

• Visa: The fee is €60 (in general, but may vary depending on the country, nationality and type of visa). If your application is refused, there is no refund of the fee.
• Permit: The fee is €73.26

Want to know more?

Body responsible for the formality

• Visa: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Government of Spain).
• Permit: Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) (Government of Spain).

Further information

You can consult the Invest in Spain website (available in English and Spanish) and the information sheet on highly qualified professionals in Spain (non EU citizens) available in different languages:

• Information sheet on highly qualified professionals in Spanish
• Information sheet on highly qualified professionals in English
• Information sheet on highly qualified professionals in Russian
• Information sheet on highly qualified professionals in Chinese
• Information sheet on highly qualified professionals in Portuguese

Important linked procedures

Below are some examples of formalities that you need to complete subsequently:

• Obtaining a social security number (NUSS)
• Registration with the social security system
• Identity card for foreign nationals (TIE)