01Which route fits you
Spain has no single 'immigration visa'. Each route has its own requirements, authority and timescale, and choosing the wrong one is the most common and most expensive mistake.
The main routes for people moving from outside the European Union are these. Each has its own page with the requirements and documents.
- Remote work for employers or clients abroad: the digital nomad visa or permit.
- Living on your own income without working: non-lucrative residence, applied for at the Spanish consulate.
- Senior, specialist or graduate jobs and company transfers: permits filed with the Large Companies Unit (UGE).
- Starting an innovative business: the entrepreneur route.
- Joining family: relatives of Spanish citizens, of EU citizens or of non-EU residents follow different rules.
- UK nationals who lived in Spain before 2021: the Withdrawal Agreement residence card.
02What it costs
There are three kinds of cost. Our first consultation costs €150 including VAT and is deducted from the rest of the fees if you instruct us. After studying your case we give you a fixed price in writing before any work starts, so the fee does not change halfway through.
Government fees are paid separately and are set by order of the Spanish government; our guide to immigration fees lists the current amounts. On top of that come translations, apostilles and, for some routes, health insurance or proof of funds, which depend on your country and your family.
03How long it takes
Timescales depend on the route and on where you apply. Applications made from Spain to the Large Companies Unit have a legal deadline of 20 days for a decision. Most other residence applications have legal deadlines of two to three months, and visas are decided by the consulate within its own deadline.
The legal deadline is not the whole story: gathering documents abroad, legalising them and getting appointments for fingerprints often takes longer than the decision itself. A good plan starts with that work.
04Lawyer or paperwork agency
Many applications can be filed by anyone, and administrative agencies (gestorías) also file them. What a registered lawyer adds is legal judgement: choosing the route, spotting problems before they cause a refusal, arguing your case when the authorities raise an objection and taking the case to court if needed, which only a lawyer can do.
Ask any provider who will actually handle your file, whether they are a registered lawyer and with which Bar, whether they hold professional liability insurance and what exactly the price includes.
05Online, wherever you live in Spain
Immigration applications are filed electronically, so where you live does not limit who represents you. We work by video call, phone and email, in English or Spanish, and file with the immigration office that corresponds to your province.
Only a few steps are personal by law: fingerprints for your residence card at a police station, the visa appointment at the consulate for routes that start abroad, and the exams and oath for citizenship. Our city pages explain the offices that apply where you live.
06What we promise
A reply from a lawyer within 24 hours, one lawyer from start to finish, your eligibility checked before you pay for the full service, a fixed price in writing and every document reviewed before filing.
No honest lawyer can promise approval, because the decision belongs to the Spanish authorities. We will tell you plainly if your case is weak before you spend money on it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to apply for residence in Spain?
It is not compulsory for most applications, but the route, the documents and the timing decide the outcome. A lawyer reduces the risk of a refusal and can appeal if one happens.
How much does an immigration lawyer cost in Spain?
With us the first consultation costs €150 including VAT and is deducted from the rest of the fees. After studying your case we give you a fixed price in writing for your procedure. Government fees and translations are paid separately.
Can you handle my case if I live outside Spain?
Yes. For routes that start with a visa we prepare the file with you, tell you where and how to apply, and handle the next steps once you arrive.
Do you work in English?
Yes. You can deal with us in English from the first message to the decision. Official documents are in Spanish, and we explain what each one says and what it asks of you.
Can you guarantee my application will be approved?
No. The decision belongs to the Spanish authorities, so no lawyer can guarantee it. We check that you qualify before you pay for the full service and file a complete, well argued application.
Who will handle my file?
David Peralta Rojas, a lawyer registered with the Seville Bar (ICAS no. 15.174), leads your strategy, with a case manager and an immigration lawyer of the firm following your file day to day.