A mild climate, parties, excellent gastronomy and nice people. You can find all of this in Spain and that is why is one of the most tempting expatriation destinations, whether for studying or for working. For a successful moving to Spain, you will probably need a work visa. In this article, we will give you more information about the different types of work visas.
How to prepare for expatriation: work visas in Spain
If you are an EU or EEA citizen, you are lucky! You do not need visa, work visa nor confirmation of employment.
As well, if you are living in one of the new EU Member States, you do not need a visa neither. These citizens can apply for a residence visa in Spain, along with the NIE number. You need a NIE number for almost everything in Spain. You will end up by knowing better this number than your own name! Along with this number, you can stay in Spain for 90 days and, if you have not found any job, you can ask for an extension of your stay.
If you are not an EU or EEA citizen, you will probably have to apply for a work visa, a visa and an entry visa. Once you will have found a job, your employer has to ask your work visa. Do not forget that this visa must be renewed every year. Then, your work visa and your visa can be delivered. After five years there, you will need to apply for a type of visa. For more information, you can also read about the different types of work visas.
How to prepare for expatriation: tourist visas in Spain
Most of people are from abroad and then need a visa. However, some countries are excepted. Here is the list of the exceptions:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Israel
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Saint-Marinus
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
If you want to, you can read the complete list on the Spanish Foreign Affairs website.
If you do not live in one of these countries, you need to apply for a visa at the Spanish Embassy of your home country. There are two types of visas: the short-term visa (less than 90 days) and long-term visa (more than 90 days).
How to prepare for expatriation: study visas in Spain
EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland citizens do not need authorization nor a visa to live, study, or work in Spain. However, for all these nationalities, one has to apply for a student visa.
There are two types of student visas: short-term and long-term visas. The short-term visa allows people to study in Spain for a period of between 91 and 180 days. The long-term visa must be applied for if you plan to stay more than 180 days and you also have to apply for a student card within the month of your arrival. This process must be done at the Aliens’ Office of your new country.
To apply for a student visa, you need to complete formalities at the Spanish Embassy of your home country before leaving. We recommend you to visit the Embassy website, because conditions of demand differ from a country to another. Although there are perhaps slight differences in each country, prepare the following documents:
- The completed visa application form (you can download in on the Embassy website of your home country)
- Your passport
- Your ID
- A picture of you
- A certificate from the educational institution where you will be studying
- Plane ticket (a round trip, if you stay less than 180 days)
- Travel medical insurance
- Proof of accommodation
Price of a visa
Visa costs between $75 and $100 and has to be paid to the Embassy. The resolution period is usually between 7 and 15 calendar days.
For more information, we recommend you to consult the Consulate website after arriving in Spain. If you also need a certified translation of your diploma certificates, do not hesitate to contact us. We wish you a pleasant trip!
