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Residence and work visas enable you to reside and work in Spain.  There are different types of residence and work visas: residence and work visas, employment and self-employment visas, residence and work visas within the framework of transnational services and residence visas with the exception of authorization of job.

Residence and work visa

It enables its owner (over 16 years old) to reside temporarily in Spain (for a period exceeding 90 days) and to exercise a lucrative, labor or professional activity, on behalf of others. The employer must have previously obtained in the Delegation / Subdelegation of the competent Government or, where appropriate, before the competent autonomous body a residence and work authorization.
The process is relatively easy. Once you have obtained your job in Spain, your employer must request authorization – the work permit – in order you to be able to work in Spanish territory.  This will be granted if the job is listed as a for a determinate time and has been advertised and there are no other candidates in the Spanish territoy or in the EU. Once authorization to work has been obtained, which will be joined to your residence permit, then you may apply for a visa.

Your company must present an application for a work permit to the provincial office of the Ministry of Labour (Delegación Provincial del Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración) on your behalf.

While this is being processed, you’ll be sent a copy of the application with the stamp from that office and file number. You can send it onto the Spanish embassy or consulate as part of your application for a work and residence visa. The embassy will inform the regional labour office that it has your application and the labour office will start to process your application.

The process may take several months. Once the labour office has approved the work permit, the Spanish embassy or consulate will then provide you with  your work and residence visa.

A work permit is valid for one year and is renewable as long as you still fulfil the conditions.

Permits are granted for specific sectors, so it’s usually possible to change jobs as long as you’ll be working in the same field. After five years you can apply for long-term residence .

Residence and self-employment visa

It enables its owner (over 18 years of age) to reside temporarily in Spain (for a period greater than 90 days) and to exercise a lucrative, labor or professional activity, on your own.

Residence visa and research work

It enables its holder to reside temporarily in Spain (for a period greater than 90 days) and to carry out research projects, within the framework of a reception agreement signed with a research body (natural or legal person, public or private , with main or secondary establishment based in Spain, which carries out research and technological development activities and has been authorized to sign host agreements). The research organization that has signed a reception agreement with a foreigner who is not resident in Spain must have previously obtained a residence and work authorization for investigation in the Delegation / Subdelegation of the competent Government or, where appropriate, before the competent autonomous body.

Residence and work visa for highly qualified professionals holding a blue-EU Card

It enables its holder to reside temporarily in Spain (for a period greater than 90 days) and to perform a work activity for which it is required to have a qualification of higher education or, exceptionally, to have a minimum of five years of experience professional who can be considered comparable to said qualification, related to the activity for which the authorization is granted. The employer must have previously obtained in the Delegation / Subdelegation of the competent Government or, where appropriate, before the competent autonomous body an initial authorization of temporary residence and work. It will not be necessary to obtain a residence visa and previous work in cases of exercising the right to mobility, after having been holder of one of these authorizations in another Member State of the European Union.

Residence and work visa in the framework of transnational services

It enables its holder (over 16 years old) to reside temporarily in Spain (for a period exceeding 90 days) and to exercise a lucrative, labor or professional activity, within the framework of a transnational provision of services to an established company in a State not belonging to the European Union or the European Economic Area (see requirements).

Residence visa with the exception of work authorization

It enables its owner (over 16 years old) to reside temporarily in Spain and to carry out an activity with the exception of work authorization (see the possible beneficiaries in requirements: researchers, professors, artists, religious, etc.). The applicant does not need an initial authorization for temporary residence and work to obtain this visa.

Residence visa for investors, entrepreneurs, highly qualified professionals, researchers and workers who carry out intra-business movements (beneficiaries of the provisions of Law 14/2013, of September 27, supporting entrepreneurs and their internationalization.  GOLDEN VISA.

Click here to know more about the Golden Visa.

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