By Camila Sánchez García · Immigration Lawyer at MoveWise · Last updated: 30 October 2026

💡 The short answer: To get Spanish residency as a non-EU national, you first need a residence authorisation or visa that fits your profile, such as the Digital Nomad Visa, the Non-Lucrative Visa, a work permit, a family route or long-term residence. Once it is granted, you must request your Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE) in person at the police within one month of entering Spain or of the grant. The card lasts as long as your permit.

Key facts for 2026

• Two steps, not one: the residence permit is decided first (by a consulate, the UGE-CE or an Oficina de Extranjería); the TIE card is issued afterwards by the Policía Nacional.
• One-month deadline: if your visa or authorisation allows you to stay for more than six months, you must request the TIE in person within one month of entry or of the grant (article 209, Real Decreto 1155/2024).
• Card validity = permit validity: the TIE expires when your authorisation expires. There is no standard "five-year card" for new residents.
• TIE fees (Orden PJC/617/2025): €16.08 for a first temporary residence card, €19.30 after a renewal, €21.87 for long-term residence, €12 for the EU registration certificate.
• NIE is a number, not a residence permit: the NIE identifies you; it does not prove or give residence.
• Golden visa closed: Spain removed the investor residence visa with effect from 3 April 2025 (Ley Orgánica 1/2025).
• New immigration regulation: Real Decreto 1155/2024 has applied since May 2025 and changed arraigo, renewals and several procedures.
• Long-term residence after five years: absences of up to six months at a time, and no more than ten months in total, do not break continuity.
• EU citizens are different: they register and receive a certificado de registro, not a TIE.

This guide is for non-EU nationals who want to live in Spain legally: remote workers, retirees, families, students and anyone trying to work out which permit leads to a Spanish residence card. It also covers EU citizens briefly, because the two systems are often confused.

By the end you will know which residency route matches your situation, what the TIE is, which documents to bring to the fingerprint appointment, what it costs and how to keep your status once you have it.

Every legal point is checked against the regulation, the Ministry of Inclusion information sheets and the official fee order, and reviewed by MoveWise's legal team.

The single biggest pitfall? Treating the card as the finish line. The card only reflects your permit. If you pick the wrong route, miss the one-month window or spend too long abroad, the card cannot protect you.

In this guide:

• What changed in 2026
• Is this guide right for you?
• Residence permit, visa, NIE and TIE: four terms people mix up
• The legal routes to residency in Spain for non-EU nationals
• EU citizens: the registration certificate is not a TIE
• The TIE: what it is and when you must apply
• Documents for your TIE appointment
• How to get your TIE, step by step
• Travelling before your TIE is ready
• Renewing, replacing and updating your TIE
• Timeline: what to realistically expect
• How much it costs
• Most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• Frequently asked questions
• How MoveWise can help

What changed in 2026

The core TIE rules did not change in 2026. Most changes that shape residency applications this year took effect in 2025, and one temporary programme ran in the first half of 2026.

• New Reglamento de Extranjería in force. Real Decreto 1155/2024 replaced the 2011 regulation and has applied since May 2025. Among other things, it reorganised arraigo into five types, reduced the general minimum stay for arraigo to two years, and sets two-year renewals for the Non-Lucrative Visa.
• Golden visa abolished. The investor residence visa in Ley 14/2013 was emptied of content with effect from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rules, and existing investor permits keep their validity.
• New fee order. Orden PJC/617/2025, published on 16 June 2025, sets the current amounts for TIE cards, the EU registration certificate, the NIE and the autorización de regreso.
• Extraordinary regularisation (2026). A one-off regularisation for people already in Spain before 1 January 2026 accepted applications until 30 June 2026, according to the government FAQ. The window has closed, and it was never a route for people planning to move to Spain.

Is this guide right for you?

Yes, if you are a non-EU national comparing routes or if you already have a permit and need to get your card. Use the list below to jump to the right place.

• ✅ You work remotely for companies outside Spain and want to live here: start with the Spain Digital Nomad Visa.
• ✅ You will live on savings, a pension or passive income without working: look at the Non-Lucrative Visa for Spain.
• ✅ You are unsure which of those two fits: read our comparison of the Non-Lucrative Visa and the Digital Nomad Visa.
• ✅ Your permit is approved and you need the card: go straight to "How to get your TIE, step by step".
• ✅ You have lived in Spain for close to five years: see the long-term residence section.
• ❌ You only want to visit for up to 90 days: you do not need residency, and this guide is not for you.
• ❌ You are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: you do not need a visa or a TIE; read the section on the registration certificate.
• ❌ You want residency by buying property: the golden visa no longer accepts new applications.

👉 Not sure which route fits your income, family and plans? Book a free consultation with a MoveWise Client Manager.

Residence permit, visa, NIE and TIE: four terms people mix up

A residence permit is the legal right to live in Spain; the visa is how you enter with that right; the NIE is your foreigner's number; the TIE is the physical card that proves your status. You need the first before you can get the last.

• Residence authorisation (autorización de residencia): the decision that allows you to live in Spain. It is granted by the UGE-CE for Ley 14/2013 routes, by an Oficina de Extranjería for most general-regime permits, or together with a consular visa.
• Residence visa (visado de residencia): a national visa stuck in your passport by a Spanish consulate. It lets you enter and live in Spain for its validity. For the Non-Lucrative Visa, the visa must be used to enter Spain within its validity, which according to the Ministry information sheet is never longer than three months.
• NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero): a personal, unique number. As the Spanish consulate's NIE page puts it, the NIE is not valid for residing in Spain and does not prove residence. Our guide to getting your NIE explains when you need it on its own.
• TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero): the plastic card with your photo, fingerprint, NIE and type of permit. It identifies you and proves your legal situation in Spain.

💡 Pro tip: your NIE does not change when you get the TIE. The number assigned at the start stays with you through renewals and long-term residence, so use the same one with banks, Hacienda and Social Security.

The legal routes to residency in Spain for non-EU nationals

Spain has no single "residency application". You apply for a specific permit, and each one has its own requirements, office and duration. These are the main routes for people moving from outside the EU.

Digital Nomad Visa (international teleworking, Ley 14/2013)

This route is for people who work remotely for companies located outside Spain, as employees or as freelancers. It is regulated in articles 74 bis to 74 quinquies of Ley 14/2013 and processed by the Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos (UGE-CE).

• You must be a graduate or postgraduate, or have at least three years of professional experience.
• The company you work for must have been operating for at least one year, and your work relationship must have existed for at least the last three months.
• Freelancers may work for Spanish clients, as long as that work is no more than 20% of their total professional activity.
• If you apply from abroad, the consular visa lasts up to one year. If you are legally in Spain and apply here, the authorisation lasts up to three years. Renewals are for two years.
• The law sets a maximum of 20 days for the UGE-CE to decide. If it does not decide in that time, the application is treated as approved by administrative silence.

Your spouse or partner, children and dependent parents can apply with you or later. For the full checklist, see our Digital Nomad Visa Spain requirements guide.

Non-Lucrative Visa

The Non-Lucrative Visa (residencia temporal no lucrativa) is for people who can support themselves without working in Spain, such as retirees or people living on savings or passive income. You apply at the Spanish consulate for your place of residence, not from inside Spain.

• The financial minimum is 400% of the IPREM per month for you and 100% of the IPREM per month for each dependant, calculated for the period of the permit (article 62, RD 1155/2024).
• You need public or private health insurance, a clean criminal record and the consular documents on the checklist.
• The initial authorisation lasts one year from your entry into Spain. Renewals last two years.
• To renew, you must have actually lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year (article 64).
• You cannot work, either as an employee or as a freelancer, while you hold it.

Our Non-Lucrative Visa requirements checklist lists every document.

⚠️ Common mistake: assuming you can spend most of the year travelling on a Non-Lucrative Visa. The 183-day rule is checked at renewal, so plan your travel with it in mind.

Other Ley 14/2013 routes: highly qualified professionals and entrepreneurs

Ley 14/2013 also covers highly qualified professionals (including the EU Blue Card), researchers, intra-company transfers and entrepreneurs. These are processed by the UGE-CE, which usually makes them faster and more predictable than general-regime permits.

• Highly qualified professionals: you need a job offer or contract in Spain for a role requiring higher education or equivalent professional experience, plus a salary threshold. The Blue Card is generally valid for three years, or for the length of the contract plus three months if the contract is shorter.
• Entrepreneurs: for people who will start or run a business activity in Spain that is considered innovative and of special economic interest. The authorisation lasts three years.

If one of these might fit you, raise it in your consultation.

Work permits under the general regime

If a Spanish employer wants to hire you, the general regime applies: the employer usually starts the procedure, and your visa is issued once the work and residence authorisation is granted. There is also a general-regime route for self-employed work in Spain.

These permits vary a lot case by case, so we only summarise them here.

From student to resident

A student visa is technically a "stay for studies" (estancia), not residence. If your studies last more than six months, you still get a TIE.

• The authorisation lasts as long as the studies, with a one-year limit except for higher-education degrees, which follow the official length of the course (article 55, RD 1155/2024).
• Under the new regulation, students can work up to 30 hours a week, as long as the work is compatible with their studies.
• Once you finish and obtain your qualification, you can switch to a residence and work authorisation, or to a residence permit without work, from inside Spain without a new visa (article 190).

💡 Pro tip: plan the switch before your student authorisation expires, not after.

Family routes

There are three main family routes, and choosing the wrong one is a common cause of delays.

• Family of a Digital Nomad or other Ley 14/2013 holder: your spouse or partner, children and dependent parents can apply with you, at the same time or later.
• Family reunification (reagrupación familiar): for relatives of a foreign resident under the general regime. According to the Ministry information sheet, the sponsor generally needs to have lived in Spain for at least one year and to have applied to stay for at least another year. The reunited relative must request the TIE within one month of entering Spain.
• Relatives of Spanish or EU citizens: these follow their own rules and have their own cards.

Our Spain family visa guide explains which route applies and what each family member must prove.

Arraigo (residence through ties to Spain)

Arraigo is a group of permits for people who are already in Spain and have built ties there. It is not a planned route for people moving from abroad, but you may come across it.

Since RD 1155/2024, there are five types: second chance, socio-labour, social, socio-training and family (article 125). The general requirement is two years of continuous presence in Spain, while family arraigo needs no minimum stay. Arraigo permits last one year, except family arraigo, which lasts five years.

This is general information only. Arraigo is very case-specific, so speak to an immigration lawyer before relying on it.

Golden visa: closed since 3 April 2025

The investor visa (golden visa) is no longer available. Ley Orgánica 1/2025 removed it from Ley 14/2013 with effect from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before that date can still be decided under the old rules, and existing investor permits remain valid for the period they were issued. Renewals of those permits follow the rules in force when the initial permit was granted.

If you were considering property investment as a residency route, the Non-Lucrative Visa is the most common alternative for people with enough financial means.

Long-term residence after five years

After five years of continuous legal residence, you can apply for long-term residence (residencia de larga duración). It is the closest thing Spain has to permanent residency.

• Continuity is not broken by absences of up to six consecutive months, as long as all your absences add up to no more than ten months over the five years (articles 176 and 183, RD 1155/2024).
• There are two versions: national long-term residence and EU long-term residence, which has extra conditions but gives certain mobility rights in other EU countries.
• The long-term TIE must be renewed after five years, then every five years until you turn 30, and every ten years after that (article 185).

The absence rule catches many people out. Here is how it works in practice:

• Year 1: six months abroad ✅ within the six-month limit for a single absence
• Year 2: six months abroad ✅ within the single-absence limit
• Year 3: six months abroad ✅ within the single-absence limit
• Year 4: six months abroad ✅ within the single-absence limit
• Year 5: six months abroad ✅ within the single-absence limit
• Total: 30 months ❌ well above the ten-month maximum over five years

Even though no single absence was too long, the total breaks continuity. Our long-term residence guide explains the documents and the application.

💡 Pro tip: start a simple travel log from your first day in Spain: dates out, dates in, boarding passes. Since the EU Entry/Exit System began, passports are often no longer stamped, so your own records may be the easiest way to show your absences.

Spanish citizenship by residence is a separate procedure under the Civil Code. The general rule is ten years of legal residence, with shorter periods for some nationalities.

EU citizens: the registration certificate is not a TIE

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a visa or a TIE. If they stay longer than three months, they register and receive a certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión, often called the "green certificate".

Under article 7 of Real Decreto 240/2007, you have a right to reside for more than three months if you work or are self-employed in Spain, have sufficient resources and full health insurance, or are a student with insurance and sufficient resources. You must apply in person within three months of entering Spain, using form EX-18. The fee is €12.

• The certificate shows your name, nationality, address, NIE and date of registration.
• It is not an identity document: carry your national ID card or passport with it.
• Non-EU family members of EU citizens get a different card, the residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.
• UK nationals who were living in Spain before the end of the Brexit transition have their own TIE under the Withdrawal Agreement. UK citizens moving now are non-EU nationals and need one of the routes above.

If someone tells you about the "Spanish green card", they usually mean this EU certificate. Non-EU nationals do not get it.

The TIE: what it is and when you must apply

The TIE is the identity card for foreigners with a visa or authorisation to stay in Spain for more than six months. Getting it is both a right and a legal duty, and you must request it in person within one month.

Article 209 of RD 1155/2024 sets the rules:

• Who: anyone granted a visa or authorisation to stay in Spain for more than six months.
• When: within one month of entering Spain (if you came with a residence visa) or of the authorisation being granted or taking effect (if you applied from inside Spain).
• Where: in person at the police station or police documentation office for your area.
• How long it lasts: exactly as long as the authorisation behind it.
• If your situation changes: a renewal or change of permit means a new card with the new validity.

For Ley 14/2013 permits such as the Digital Nomad Visa, article 76 of the law also says that you must apply for the TIE if the authorisation is valid for more than six months.

Your favourable resolution already has legal effect before the card arrives. The Ministry of Inclusion has asked immigration offices to state in their decisions that holding the resolution has full effects before the administration and third parties, and is not conditional on getting the TIE (Ministry announcement).

💡 Pro tip: keep a printed and a digital copy of your resolution. While you wait for your card, it is the document that proves your status to landlords, banks or employers. Some will still ask for the card, so be ready to explain.

⚠️ Common mistake: ignoring the deadline because appointments are hard to find. Missing it can lead to a sanction under the immigration law. Try to book as soon as your visa or resolution arrives, and keep screenshots showing that you tried if you cannot find a slot.

Documents for your TIE appointment

The core set is the same across Spain: the application form, your passport, a photo, the fee receipt and the document that grants your permit. Some police offices add requirements, so check your province's list before you go.

• Form EX-17, the foreigner identity card application (available on the Ministry's general forms page), completed and signed.
• Passport, valid, original and a copy. The Policía Nacional's TIE checklists ask for the original and a complete copy (example police checklist).
• One recent colour photograph meeting the Spanish DNI photo standards.
• Tasa modelo 790, código 012, paid at a bank or online, with the correct box ticked for your type of card.
• Your resolution (if you applied from Spain) or your passport with the residence visa (if you entered with a visa).
• Proof of address, where requested. Many offices ask for a recent certificado de empadronamiento. See our padrón registration guide.
• Proof of Social Security registration, if your permit only takes effect after registration. Police check this before issuing the card.

💡 Pro tip: if your padrón certificate is more than three months old, get a new one before the appointment. Recent certificates cause fewer problems, and some police instructions refer to a three-month limit.

⚠️ Common mistake: personal details that do not match. If your application lists a different place of birth, spelling or nationality from your passport, the police may refuse to take your fingerprints until the immigration office corrects the record. We have seen this happen. Check your resolution as soon as it arrives and ask for a correction of a material error straight away if anything is wrong.

How to get your TIE, step by step

Here is the full sequence, from the decision on your permit to the card in your hand.

1. Get your permit. Wait for the favourable resolution, or collect your residence visa from the consulate and enter Spain within its validity.
2. Note your deadline. Count one month from your entry date or from the grant. If you entered with a visa, keep your boarding pass or other proof of your entry date.
3. Register at your town hall. Get your empadronamiento at the address where you live. This helps with the proof of address many police offices ask for.
4. Book the fingerprint appointment. Use the cita previa system for immigration procedures, choose your province and select the police procedure for fingerprinting and card issue. Slots are released at different times in different provinces.
5. Pay the fee. Fill in the 790-012 form, tick the box for your type of card (first grant, renewal, long-term and so on) and pay it at a bank or online before the appointment.
6. Prepare your folder. EX-17 form, passport and copy, photo, paid fee receipt, resolution or visa, padrón certificate and any extra documents your province lists.
7. Attend the appointment. The officer checks your documents, takes your fingerprints and gives you a receipt (resguardo) showing when to collect the card.
8. Collect your card. Go back on the date given, or at a new appointment if your province requires one. Bring your passport and receipt. Check every detail on the card before you leave.
9. Set your renewal reminder. Note the expiry date, and the date two months before it, which is when renewal windows usually open.

👉 Approved but stuck on appointments, documents or the one-month deadline? Talk to a MoveWise Client Manager about your next steps.

Travelling before your TIE is ready

You can usually leave Spain before your card is issued. The question is how you get back in.

• If you entered with a residence visa that is still valid, the visa is generally your travel document for re-entering Spain.
• If you applied from inside Spain (for example for the Digital Nomad Visa), you have no visa in your passport. Until you have your TIE, re-entering depends on your normal short-stay rights, so you need Schengen days available.
• Autorización de regreso (return authorisation): article 5 of RD 1155/2024 allows it when your permit is being renewed, when your TIE has been lost or stolen and you have applied for a duplicate, and, exceptionally, after a favourable initial decision if the trip is due to a genuine need.
• It lasts up to 90 days, allows several entries and exits, and is only valid for entry through Spanish border posts. The fee is €10.72.

⚠️ Common mistake: booking an urgent trip before checking your Schengen days. If you applied from Spain and your card is not ready, work out your remaining days first. A return authorisation for an initial grant is only for genuine need, so do not count on it for holidays.

Once you have the TIE, your card and passport let you travel to other Schengen countries for short stays. It does not give you the right to live or work in another EU country.

Renewing, replacing and updating your TIE

Your TIE is renewed when your permit is renewed. If you lose it, you get a replacement with the same expiry date. If your address changes, you must tell the police within one month.

Renewals

• When your authorisation is renewed, you get a new card with the new validity and pay the renewal TIE fee (€19.30).
• Ley 14/2013 permits, including the Digital Nomad Visa, are renewed for two years at a time. Our Digital Nomad Visa renewal guide explains the documents.
• Non-Lucrative Visa renewals must be filed in the two months before expiry. Filing up to three months after expiry still extends your status, but you can be fined.
• Filing on time generally keeps your previous permit valid until the renewal is decided.

Lost, stolen or damaged card

A replacement card is not a renewal. It is issued at your request and valid only for the time left on the old card (article 209.9). If this happens during your renewal window, both procedures are handled together. If you need to travel in the meantime, you can apply for a return authorisation once you have requested the duplicate.

Changes of address, nationality or civil status

You must report changes of nationality, usual address and civil status to the police within one month (article 213, RD 1155/2024). Bring documents proving the change, such as a new padrón certificate.

Moving on to long-term residence

After five years, apply for long-term residence instead of another temporary renewal. You get a new card at the long-term fee (€21.87).

Timeline: what to realistically expect

Legal deadlines are fixed. Real waiting times depend on the office, the province and the time of year, so treat these as reference points, not promises.

• Digital Nomad Visa from Spain: the law gives the UGE-CE 20 days to decide; after that, silence counts as approval. Requests for more documents pause the clock, and the formal resolution can arrive later.
• Non-Lucrative Visa: after the consulate sends your file, the immigration office has one month to decide on the authorisation, and silence counts as refusal. You must then collect the visa in person within one month of being notified.
• Non-Lucrative Visa renewal: the regulation sets three months to decide; after that, silence counts as approval.
• TIE request: within one month of entry or grant. Waiting times for appointments and collection vary widely by province.
• Long-term residence: five years of continuous legal residence first.

💡 Pro tip: if you need your card for a job start date, a lease or a family trip, build in a generous buffer.

How much it costs

These are the official fees for the card itself, set by Orden PJC/617/2025. The order allows annual updates through the State budget, so always check the amount shown on the 790-012 form when you pay.

• TIE for a first temporary residence, stay or cross-border work authorisation: €16.08
• TIE after a renewal of temporary residence or extension of stay: €19.30
• TIE for long-term or EU long-term residence: €21.87
• TIE for temporary residence of relatives of Spanish nationals: €12
• EU registration certificate, EU family member card or Brexit TIE: €12
• Return authorisation (autorización de regreso): €10.72
• NIE assigned at your request: €9.84

Separate fees apply to the permit itself. The Non-Lucrative Visa authorisation is paid with form 790 code 052, and the consular visa has its own fee. Ley 14/2013 applications have their own fee forms. Check the current amount on the official form or with the consulate.

Other costs depend on your case and are not set by the government: sworn translations, apostilles, criminal record certificates, private health insurance, photos and professional fees if you use an adviser. Our guide to apostilles for Spanish applications explains which documents need one.

Most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Most residency problems start before the application or right after approval. These are the patterns we see most often.

• ❌ Choosing a route by its reputation rather than your profile. ✅ Check your income source, employer location and family first, then pick the permit.
• ❌ Confusing the NIE with residence. ✅ The NIE is a number; only a permit, then the TIE, makes you a resident.
• ❌ Missing the one-month TIE window. ✅ Book the appointment as soon as the visa or resolution arrives and keep proof of your attempts.
• ❌ Paying the wrong 790-012 box. ✅ First grant, renewal and long-term cards have different amounts. Tick the one that matches your resolution.
• ❌ Mismatched personal data. ✅ Compare your resolution with your passport line by line and get errors corrected before the fingerprint appointment.
• ❌ Assuming the card lasts five years. ✅ It lasts as long as your permit. Diary the renewal window.
• ❌ Spending too long abroad. ✅ For the Non-Lucrative Visa, live in Spain more than 183 days a year. For long-term residence, keep absences to six months at a time and ten months in total.
• ❌ Forgetting to report a move. ✅ Tell the police about a change of address within one month.
• ❌ Mixing up immigration and tax residence. ✅ Spending more than 183 days in Spain is also one of the tests for tax residence. Read our guide to tax residency in Spain and speak to a qualified tax adviser about your situation.
• ❌ Giving up after a refusal. ✅ Many refusals can be appealed or fixed with a new application. Our guide to appealing a visa refusal explains the options and deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Can a non-EU citizen get residency in Spain?

Yes. You need a residence authorisation or visa that matches your situation, such as the Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers, the Non-Lucrative Visa for people with savings or passive income, a work permit, a family route or, after five years, long-term residence. Once your permit is granted, you request your TIE card from the police.

Is the TIE the same as the NIE?

No. The NIE is your personal foreigner's identification number and, on its own, it does not prove residence. The TIE is the physical residence card that shows your NIE, photo, fingerprint and type of permit. Your NIE stays the same when you get the TIE and through later renewals.

How long do I have to apply for my TIE?

One month. Under article 209 of Real Decreto 1155/2024, you must request the card in person within one month of entering Spain with your residence visa, or of your authorisation being granted or taking effect if you applied from Spain. It applies when your visa or permit covers more than six months.

How much does the TIE cost in 2026?

€16.08 for a first temporary residence card, under Orden PJC/617/2025. A card issued after a renewal costs €19.30 and a long-term residence card costs €21.87. You pay with form 790 code 012 before your appointment. Amounts can be updated, so check the figure shown on the official form when you pay.

Is the Spanish residence card valid for five years?

No, not for new residents. The TIE has the same validity as the permit behind it: up to one year for a first Non-Lucrative Visa, up to three years for a Digital Nomad authorisation granted in Spain, and so on. Long-term residence cards are renewed every five years, and every ten years once you are over 30.

Is there a Spanish green card?

No, not in the American sense. People often call the EU citizen registration certificate the "green certificate", but it is only for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. For non-EU nationals, the closest equivalent to permanent residency is long-term residence, available after five years of continuous legal residence in Spain.

Can I travel while I wait for my TIE?

Yes, but plan your return. With a valid residence visa you can generally re-enter with it. If you applied from inside Spain, you need available Schengen days to come back until you have the card. A return authorisation valid for up to 90 days exists for renewals, lost cards and, exceptionally, urgent travel.

Do I need to be registered on the padrón to get my TIE?

Yes, in most cases you should be. The regulation does not list the padrón as a general requirement, but many police offices ask for a recent padrón certificate as proof of address. Registering with your town hall soon after you arrive avoids a wasted appointment and is required for many other procedures too.

What happens if I lose my TIE?

A new card is issued at your request, valid only for the time left on the old one. It is not a renewal. If it happens during your renewal window, the two procedures are handled together. If you must travel before the replacement is ready, you can request a return authorisation once you have applied for the duplicate.

Can I apply for residency from inside Spain?

Yes, for some routes. If you are legally in Spain, you can apply for the Digital Nomad authorisation and other Ley 14/2013 permits from Spain. The Non-Lucrative Visa, family reunification and most work permits start at a consulate abroad. Arraigo is only for people who already live in Spain.

Does Spain still offer a golden visa?

No. The investor residence visa was removed from Ley 14/2013 with effect from 3 April 2025 by Ley Orgánica 1/2025. Applications filed before that date can still be decided under the old rules, and existing investor permits stay valid for the period they were issued.

How MoveWise can help

MoveWise is an immigration consultancy that specialises in Spain's Digital Nomad Visa and Non-Lucrative Visa. Our Legal Managers prepare applications every week, from the first eligibility check to the response to requests for documents.

• Free consultation: a MoveWise Client Manager reviews your situation and tells you which route fits.
• Module 1, eligibility assessment: a Legal Manager checks your profile against the requirements and gives you a tailored document list.
• Module 2, full preparation and submission: we prepare and review every document, coordinate sworn translations, file your application and handle any request for more documents.
• Renewals: we support approved clients through their renewals.
• After approval: our Residency Setup package covers practical steps after the permit, and our partners can help with procedures such as the return authorisation.
• Refund: a full refund of our fee if your application is refused, under the conditions of our service agreement.

We have more than 500 client reviews on Trustpilot. We do not give tax advice: for tax questions, we point you to a qualified adviser.

👉 Ready to choose your route and get your residence card without guesswork? Book your free consultation with a MoveWise Client Manager.

Sources and legal references

• Real Decreto 1155/2024, Reglamento de Extranjería (BOE, consolidated text): articles 5, 55, 61 to 64, 125 and 126, 176, 178, 183, 185, 190, 209 and 213
• Ley 14/2013, de apoyo a los emprendedores y su internacionalización (BOE, consolidated text): articles 62, 74 bis to 74 quinquies and 76; investor provisions repealed by Ley Orgánica 1/2025 with effect from 3 April 2025
• Real Decreto 240/2007, EU citizens' entry and residence (BOE): article 7
• Orden PJC/617/2025, immigration fees (BOE, 16 June 2025)
• Ministry of Inclusion, information sheet 6: initial Non-Lucrative residence
• Ministry of Inclusion, information sheet 8: family reunification
• Ministry of Inclusion, information sheet 65: EU citizen registration certificate
• Ministry of Inclusion, complete list of information sheets
• Ministry of Inclusion, general forms (EX-17, EX-18, EX-15)
• Ministry of Inclusion, resolutions have full effect before the TIE is issued
• Policía Nacional, TIE requirements checklist (example)
• Spanish Consulate in Miami, Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE)
• La Moncloa, FAQ on the 2026 extraordinary regularisation

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules and consular practice change frequently; the information was verified on 30 October 2026. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified professional.

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While the requirements for obtaining a visa for Spain are straightforward, preparing the necessary documents and navigating the application process can be challenging. Mistakes or incomplete paperwork could put your application at risk.

If you have any doubts or questions about the process, you can book a free consultation for the following visa types, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way:

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