How to get a residence permit in Spain in 2025
If you are going to change your place of residence and your choice fell on Europe, we suggest going to Spain. It is a sunny country with hospitable people who treat foreigners well and are happy to welcome them on their land. In any country, for permanent residence, you need to apply for the status of a legal immigrant, since illegal stay can not only be dangerous, but will also make your move useless.
The content of the article:
- Advantages of a residence permit in Spain
- Types of residence permit
- Grounds for obtaining
- List of required documents
- How to get a residence permit in 2025 for Russians?
- What to do in case of refusal?
Advantages of a residence permit in Spain
It is quite difficult to obtain a residence permit in Spain in 2025, as the country has strict laws. However, it is quite possible to become a legal immigrant, and everyone has several ways to obtain a residence permit. Of course, many people have a question, why waste their time and draw up documents officially. Official status gives a lot, but the most important thing is that having a residence permit in one of the European countries opens the rest of Europe for you.
Legal status provides the following advantages:
- you can stay in Spain legally and this right can apply to all family members;
- you have the opportunity to work in Spain or study in any of the EU countries;
- there are no restrictions when traveling in Europe;
- with a residence permit, you can open your own business and be the director of your company or engage in investments and consulting.
In the future, there is an opportunity to obtain citizenship and become a full member of the European Union with all the privileges that are due.
Types of residence permit
In Spain, a residence permit for foreigners in 2025 can be issued in different ways. The country offers several types of such status, and each option has its own characteristics.
Without the right to work
This is the easiest way to get a residence permit in Spain 2025, as you will be required to provide a minimum of documents. In this case, there is a law according to which a resident of any country who has the necessary funds can apply for permanent residence in Spain. This method is considered the easiest, since you do not need to invest large sums or purchase real estate to obtain documents. However, the main feature will be that you do not get the right to work.
Basic requirements:
- no criminal record;
- housing in Spain, which can be owned or rented;
- minimum deposit in the bank from 28 thousand euros; at
- legality of income for the last three years;
- medical insurance.
This scheme is suitable for legalizing the whole family and dependents, but the amount of the contribution directly depends on the number of people who will receive the status under this program. There are family and individual registration, which differ in amounts. With an individual account, it is enough to open a bank account in the amount of 28 thousand euros. In the case of a family deposit, the amount of the deposit is calculated depending on the number of people to be issued. For the next family member after the applicant, the final figure is increased by the same amount, for each subsequent one we add 7 thousand euros.
Residence permit by investment
With large capital, you can quickly become a legal resident of the country. This option for obtaining the status is quite common in Europe and is popular with foreigners.
If you follow this scheme, you can purchase real estate worth half a million euros or make an investment. For those who decide to buy a house, it is important to keep in mind that the amount in the contract must be at least the declared 500,000 euros. In the event that you are looking for a house of greater value, you can use borrowed funds, but only on the condition that 500,000 euros will be paid out of your funds. In other words, the property may cost more than the stated limit, but not less! From 2025, an investment residence permit is issued immediately for 3 years and subsequently extended for 5 years. It is also important to note that this is the only type of residence permit in which a resident does not have to acquire a tax residence in Spain, as he does not have the obligation to stay in the country for a long time. The investor must stay in the country for only 1 day annually and retains the tax residence of his country of main residence. It is worth noting that Spain in 2025 is the only country in the EU that issues this type of investor residence permit for the purchase of real estate from 500 thousand euros for 3 years at once.
If you decide that you don't need your own house, you can get the right of residence by investing in the economy. In this case, your investments must meet the following requirements:
- government loan bonds in the amount of EUR 2 million or more;
- shares in Spanish companies in the amount of 1 million euros or more;
- a deposit in a bank in the amount of one million euros or more;
- investments in the scientific or social fields.
In addition to investing in other companies, there is an opportunity to register your own business. Quite often, after receiving the documents, applicants transfer money to the account of the company, which they register under their name. In order to obtain a residence permit in Spain in 2023 and run your own business, you need not only to stock up on the right amount of money, but also to develop a business plan. A detailed description of the future company is considered by specialists, the economic effect of your activities is evaluated, which will benefit the country's economy. At the same time, in some areas, foreign investment is prohibited at the legislative level - you will not be able to become the owner of a share in companies that are engaged in the field of telecommunications, solve defense issues or work in the banking environment.
Do not think that if you have a large amount of money, the registration of the status will go without hassle. Among other things, the applicant must have no criminal record, have the necessary funds for living, take out health insurance and have a place to live in the property or enter into a lease agreement.
Grounds for obtaining
Residence permit Spain 2025 is issued not only if you have property or start a business. There are a number of situations when documents are drawn up without attracting investments and large expenses:
- Family reunification. If you have a residence permit, your family members have the right to apply for legal status. To register, it is enough to have an official job, study or provide data on the availability of sufficient funds for living. By the way, it is not prohibited if the applicant has the legal status of any EU country.
- Exceptional circumstances. This is a separate category of citizens who received their status for an exceptional reason. For example, a foreigner lived in Spain illegally for several years, but then got an official job or started a family. Also, such a status is issued in the case when a foreign citizen assisted law enforcement agencies and helped to solve a crime.
- Student visa. In this case, you are not issued a full-fledged residence permit, but a study visa with a minimum period of 90 days. Most often, a student visa is issued for 1 year. For registration, you must confirm that you are going to study at a higher educational institution, and provide documents on the availability of sufficient funds for living. After three years, if all the rules are followed, you will be able to apply for a residence permit and apply for it in accordance with the general procedure.
A residence permit in Spain for Russians in 2025 can also be issued under an employment contract when you are invited to work by a local employer. The basis will be confirmed employment, and your family members can apply for a residence permit, get a job or study at a higher educational institution.
List of required documents
If you are seriously thinking about how to get a residence permit in Spain for a Russian in 2023, we advise you to prepare a list of basic documents:
- a photocopy of the passport;
- three photographs measuring 3.5 by 4.5;
- proof of your residence in Spain;
- certificate of no criminal record;
- health certificate;
- documentation confirming that the applicant has sufficient funds for living.
This set sometimes changes depending on which type of Spanish visa you are applying for. In any case, we recommend that you prepare and check what you already have and what still needs to be issued.
How to get a residence permit in 2025 for Russians?
In order to obtain the right to enter and reside, you need to contact the Spanish consulate in your country. After studying all the conditions and collecting documents, you can contact a representative of a European country and start applying for a residence permit. The average processing time is between 2 and 4 months, after which you can travel to your chosen city for permanent residence.
you are invited to work in Spain, the paperwork is handled by the employing company. These terms of cooperation are negotiated when concluding an employment contract, so you do not have to waste time communicating with bureaucrats of another country.
In most cases, investment types of residence permits in Spain in 2025 are issued by specialized services that work in this direction. An employee will contact you to tell you about all the nuances and help you collect everything you need. At the same time, your participation in the process of obtaining a residence permit will be minimal, so this method is considered the most convenient.
What to do in case of refusal?
Each application is reviewed by the staff of the relevant department, the decision to issue or refuse is made by mail or the applicant is notified in another way specified earlier. A residence permit can be refused for several reasons, depending on which category of visa you are applying for.
Student
Visa refusal is often related to the educational institution you have chosen. If a university has not been accredited in accordance with the laws of the Ministry of Education, studying at such a university is not considered a sufficient basis for obtaining legal status.
Without the right to work
If you have violated the visa regime in the past, most likely, you will be denied a residence permit. Also, the reason for refusal will be an insufficient amount of funds for living in the country.
Investor's residence permit
In this category, the refusal is associated with the presence of outstanding tax debts. For example, you purchased real estate a few years ago, but you took care of obtaining legal status only now. If tax payments have not been made for several days, there are problems with legalization.
In terms of investment, there are also many pitfalls that can put an end to your desire to change citizenship. For example, the transaction of transfer of investments or purchase and sale was carried out incorrectly.
In most cases, refusals come due to incorrectly executed papers. So, incorrect filling out of forms or providing certificates for another time period may be the reason for refusal. However, in such situations, the problem is easy to fix and obtain a residence permit legally and quickly.
If you are refused, do not despair and forget about your dream of living in one of the EU countries. You have the right to appeal within 30 days of receiving a formal denial. The appeal is submitted to the Consulate, the processing period is 30 days.
When filing an appeal, you have the opportunity to eliminate the reason for the refusal and resend the documents for consideration. At the same time, each applicant retains the right to apply for a residence permit at any time, regardless of whether the previous application was refused.
Another way to properly appeal the decision is to appeal to the Supreme Court of Madrid. But few go this way, since the period for considering the appeal in some cases is delayed for several years.
If you receive a refusal, you should not give up, because most mistakes are easy to correct. First of all, you need to find out why your application did not receive a positive response, and then correct the situation. So, in some cases, student visas are not issued due to the insufficient number of study hours in the program. This problem is easily eliminated if you choose a different program or apply to another university.
Despite the difficulties, bureaucratic delays and high cost, a residence permit in Spain is in well-deserved demand. An excellent climate, a growing economy and the status of an EU country are enough factors to think about moving.
