Residence for professionals who wish to apply for an EU Blue Card: visa and permit

What do you need to know?

Highly qualified professionals with non-EU nationality can apply for the Blue Card to live and work in the European Union (EU).This entry route was established to attract foreign talent and facilitate internal mobility between EU Member States. It may be of interest to individuals whose occupation requires them to move around Europe, such as researchers or specialists in the ICT (information and communication technologies) sector.

The main advantages for individuals holding an EU Blue Card include:

  • The option to enter, re-enter and remain in the territory of the EU country that issued the card.
  • Access to highly qualified employment in the Member State that issued the card.
  • Receiving the same treatment as nationals in terms of working conditions, education, training, Social Security and access to services.
  • Applying for family reunification permits, which will have the same validity period as the holder's EU Blue Card.
  • Accumulating residence periods in different Member States in order to qualify for an EU long-term residence permit.

The EU Blue Card is very similar to the Residence permit for highly qualified professionals that exists in Spain, as both procedures were created to attract international talent. 

VERY IMPORTANT

There are two types of procedures related to the EU Blue Card:

  • for individuals who already hold an EU Blue Card issued by another European Union country, and
  • for individuals who do not yet hold an EU Blue Card and wish to obtain it for the first time in Spain.

Here we explain the latter: individuals who wish to obtain an EU Blue Card in Spain.

Who does it apply to?

It is aimed at highly qualified professionals who are not EU Blue Card holders, who wish to apply for an EU Blue Card in Spain and for which certain skills or qualifications are required, which must be demonstrated through:

  • A qualification obtained from higher education with a minimum duration of three years.
  • Exceptionally, demonstrable prior experience in a position similar to the one offered of a minimum of five years.
  • In the case of ICT professionals and directors, the minimum required duration of professional experience will be three years within the seven years prior to applying for the EU Blue Card.

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 residence permit for highly qualified professionals, the EU Blue Card, 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 Spain. 
  • Being at least 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, where appropriate, at least five years of professional experience (or three in the exceptional cases indicated) that can be considered equivalent.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPANIES

  • Have 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.
  • Pay the fee for processing the permit.
  • Show an offer of employment and description of the position offered to the worker, justifying the reason why the company requires someone with that profile and qualifications. The gross annual salary specified in the employment contract must be at least 1.0 times (€40,077) and at most 1.6 times the average gross annual salary set by current regulations and the applicable collective agreement. However, provided the contract complies with current regulations and the applicable collective agreement, the lower salary threshold will be 80% of the established amount, as long as it is not less than 1.0 times the average gross salary, in any of the following cases:
    1. For professions where there is a specific need for third-country national workers, such as technicians, specialists, or directors and managers.
    2. For third-country nationals who have obtained a degree-level qualification no more than three years prior to the submission of the EU Blue Card application.

How long is it valid for?

  • Visa: the validity may be for up to a year.
  • Permit: the validity will be the same as the duration of the contract, which must be at least six months, 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 partner.

What do you need to do?

  • Visa: you can only complete the procedure 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 complete the procedure online at the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE) website.

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 EU Blue Card holder. 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.
  • Forms are available in Spanish, and sometimes the relevant consulate makes available 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 email.

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 carry out other related procedures (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 EU Blue Card holders. This application is processed at the Large Companies and Strategic Collectives Unit (UGE-CE).
  • 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

  • A decision will be made on your residence permit for EU Blue Card holders within the established maximum period.
  • 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 procedure 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 carry out other related procedures (see the end of this file).

Who can make applications?

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

What documentation is needed?

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

VERY IMPORTANT

The documents provided must be translated into Spanish by means of sworn translation and be correctly legalised. In the case of multilingual standard EU forms, neither translation nor legalisation is required.

The form of legalisation will depend on whether the issuing country has signed the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 or not:

If the country issuing the public document is a signatory, the document will be recognised if it bears the Hague Apostille stamp. The certificate will be processed in the country of origin.

If the country issuing the public document is not a signatory, then the legalisation process will be carried out through diplomatic channels.

Get more information about document translation and legalisation.

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. Or permit 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/countries where you have lived in the last 2 years.
  • Moreover, you must submit a declaration of compliance that you have not had a criminal record in the last five years.
  • When applying for the visa: 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 five years of professional experience (or three in the exceptional cases indicated).

COMPANY DOCUMENTATION

  • Documentation identifying the company applying for the permit:
  • In the case of an individual entrepreneur: copy of the NIF (Tax ID number) or NIE (Foreigner ID number), or consent to check the identity data through the Identity and Residence Data Verification System.
  • In the case of a legal entity (SA, SL, cooperative, etc.):
  • Copy of the company's NIF (Tax ID number) and a copy of the deed of incorporation, duly registered with the relevant Registry.
  • Copy of the public document certifying that the signatory of the contract is a legal representative of the company.
  • Copy of the NIF (Tax ID number) or NIE (Foreigner ID number), or consent to check the identity data through the Identity and Residence Data Verification System of the person signing the application or contract.
  • Signed employment contract with the minimum terms established for contracting the worker (salary, position).
  • Proof of the necessary solvency of the company, through: income tax (IRPF) returns, VAT returns, corporate tax returns, or the company's employment history report (VILE) for the past three years. Additionally, a detailed description of the occupation to be carried out must be provided.
  • Certificate from the Social Security and the Tax Agency confirming that the company is up to date with its obligations.
  • Certificate of Social Security or private health insurance.
  • Detailed description of the job position and the responsibilities of the future employee. Main document of the dossier. A report must be submitted detailing (1) a brief history of the company, including its beginnings, activities, sales figures, departments, etc., and (2) a justification for the need to hire the employee (specifically, the need to have this particular individual in the offered position).

What is the deadline?

  • Permit: within a maximum of 20 working days, a decision will be made regarding your residence permit for EU Blue Card holders. 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 within 10 working days according to the law.

What is the cost?

  • Visa: the fee is 60 euros (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 euros.

Want to know more?

Body responsible for the procedure

More information

You can consult the Invest in Spain website (available in English and Spanish).

Important linked procedures

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

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The procedures tend to change frequently. Therefore, only what is provided by the regulations in force at the time of carrying out the procedure in question is applicable.