Visa approval does not automatically mean Beckham Law
The immigration route and Article 93 LIRPF are separate tests. Eligibility should be checked against the actual employment or professional structure.
English-speaking immigration lawyers in Spain
Immigration Lawyers in Spain: Visas, Residency & International Moves
Law Cappital is a Madrid-based Spanish immigration and tax law firm advising international clients who are moving to Spain. We coordinate the residence route with Spanish tax residence, Beckham Law eligibility and Social Security where relevant, so the immigration decision is not analysed in isolation from the financial consequences of the move.
7+ years in international tax & global mobility
Former Grant Thornton & Vialto Partners
Madrid Bar Association · ICAM nº 135311
Direct lawyer access
Start With Your Profile
Which Spanish immigration route normally fits your situation?
The correct route depends on nationality, current residence status, the source of income, employer or client structure, family circumstances and where the application can legally be filed. This is a practical starting map, not a substitute for an eligibility review.
| Your profile | Route usually analysed first | What should be checked alongside it |
|---|---|---|
| Remote employee of a foreign company | Digital Nomad Visa | Employment structure, Social Security and possible Beckham Law eligibility. |
| Freelancer with foreign clients | Digital Nomad Visa or another self-employed route | Client mix, Spanish activity, Social Security, IRPF and VAT position. |
| Executive or specialist hired by a Spanish company | Highly Qualified Professional or other employment route | Role, salary, qualifications and possible impatriate-regime eligibility. |
| Retiree or financially independent applicant | Non-Lucrative Visa | Financial means, health insurance and Spanish tax residence consequences. |
| Non-EU family member of a Spanish or EU citizen | Applicable family residence route | Family relationship, sponsor status and whether EU or Spanish national rules apply. |
| Non-EU resident already living legally in Spain | Long-Term Residence or modification/renewal | Continuity of residence, absences, current permit and filing timing. |
Immigration + Tax + Social Security
The visa is only one part of the move to Spain
A residence permit can be legally correct and still create an unexpected tax or Social Security outcome. Our approach is to identify those interactions before the client commits to the route, employment arrangement or business structure.
Residence permission and tax residence are different questions
A non-lucrative permit does not itself determine tax residence, but the move can place the applicant within Spain's tax-residence tests.
Spanish employment can affect the tax route from day one
The employment permit, payroll, Social Security and possible impatriate-regime position should be coordinated before or at the start of the move.
Moving the owner can move part of the tax risk
Foreign-company owners may need to assess permanent establishment, place of effective management, remuneration and cross-border reporting issues.
Immigration status does not replace tax and Social Security registration
Where Spanish self-employment applies, RETA, IRPF, VAT and invoicing obligations need their own analysis.
One family's immigration route can create several tax positions
Spouses and dependants can have different tax-residence, employment and reporting consequences even when relocating together.
Spanish Visa & Residence Routes
Immigration services for international clients moving to Spain
We advise on the principal Spanish immigration routes used by remote workers, employees, retirees, students, families and internationally mobile professionals. Where the case has tax or Social Security consequences, those issues are flagged as part of the same strategy.
Digital Nomad Visa
For qualifying remote employees and professionals whose core activity is linked to businesses outside Spain.
View requirements →Non-Lucrative Visa
For applicants who can support themselves without carrying out work or professional activity in Spain.
View requirements →Retirement in Spain
Retirees commonly use the Non-Lucrative route, with pension, savings, healthcare and tax residence analysed together.
View requirements →Long-Term Residence
For qualifying non-EU residents after the required period of legal and continuous residence in Spain.
View requirements →TIE Card
The physical foreigner identity card required in many residence situations after the underlying status is granted.
View the TIE process →EU / Spanish Family Residence
For qualifying non-EU family members, with the correct EU or Spanish national family regime identified first.
View family guidance →Student Authorisation
For qualifying studies and training in Spain, with work rights depending on the authorisation and compatibility with the studies.
Discuss a student case →Post-Study Job Search
A specific in-country residence route for eligible higher-education graduates; it is not a general visa available to every job seeker abroad.
Check eligibility →NIE Number
A foreigner identification number used for many tax, property, banking and administrative procedures; it is not by itself a residence permit.
Ask about an NIE →Highly Qualified Professional
For qualifying managers and specialists employed in Spain under the mobility framework in Law 14/2013, subject to the applicable professional and employment requirements.
Check the HQP route →Legal Breakdown
Spanish immigration routes we advise on
Thresholds, documentary requirements and filing practice can change. We therefore rely on the current legal framework and official guidance and confirm the relevant figures and procedure before submission.
Digital Nomad Visa / International Teleworker Residence
Spain's international teleworker regime is aimed at third-country nationals who work remotely through computer and telecommunications systems for businesses outside Spain. Employees may work only for businesses located outside Spain. Independent professionals may also carry out professional activity for a business located in Spain, provided that Spanish activity does not exceed 20% of their total professional activity.
- Legal framework: Law 14/2013, arts. 74 bis–74 quinquies
- Residence authorisation: up to 3 years when the statutory conditions are met
- Tax: Beckham regime must be analysed separately; it is not automatic
Non-Lucrative Visa
The Non-Lucrative route is designed for non-EU nationals who wish to reside in Spain without carrying out work or professional activity. The current regulation requires sufficient financial means and qualifying health insurance. The statutory financial test is linked to IPREM: 400% for the main applicant and an additional 100% for each qualifying family member.
- Work: no work or professional activity under this residence route
- Means: 400% IPREM + 100% IPREM per qualifying family member
- Initial authorisation: 1 year under the current regulation
Retirement in Spain
Spain does not have a separate immigration category called a “retirement visa”. Retirees commonly use the Non-Lucrative Visa where they can meet the financial and healthcare requirements without working. Pension income, savings, tax residence and treaty treatment should be reviewed together before moving.
- Immigration route: usually Non-Lucrative Residence
- Evidence: financial means + qualifying health insurance
- Tax: Spanish residence and pension treaty analysis may follow
Permanent / Long-Term Residence
National long-term residence generally requires five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain. Under the current regulation, continuity is not broken by absences of up to six consecutive months where the total does not exceed ten months during the five-year period; a higher aggregate limit can apply to qualifying work-related absences. The residence authorisation itself is indefinite, although the physical TIE must still be renewed periodically.
- General period: 5 years of legal, continuous residence
- Authorisation: indefinite once granted
- TIE: physical card still requires periodic renewal
TIE Card
The Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE) is the physical identity card issued to foreign nationals in residence situations where the card is required. It records the holder's NIE and immigration status. The card step is separate from the decision granting the underlying visa or residence authorisation and normally requires an in-person fingerprint appointment.
- Separate step: approval and card issuance are not the same procedure
- In person: fingerprints are normally required
- NIE: the TIE displays the holder's foreigner identification number
EU Citizen Family Member Residence
Non-EU family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can fall within the EU free-movement residence framework where the relevant family relationship and residence conditions are met. The route for relatives of Spanish nationals must now be checked separately because the current Spanish immigration regulation contains a specific national family regime.
- EU framework: Royal Decree 240/2007
- Spanish nationals: separate national family rules may apply
- Evidence: relationship + residence/status conditions
Student Visa / Long-Duration Study Authorisation
Non-EU nationals admitted to qualifying studies or training in Spain may need a long-duration study authorisation. Under the current regulation, certain study authorisations can include work rights automatically where the activity is compatible with the studies; as a general rule, the work activity may not exceed 30 hours per week.
- Key issue: type and duration of studies
- Work: subject to the applicable authorisation and compatibility rules
- General cap: 30 hours/week where the current regulation applies
Post-Study Job Search Residence
Eligible graduates who completed qualifying higher education in Spain can apply for a specific residence authorisation to look for employment appropriate to their studies or to develop a business project. Under the current official guidance it may last up to 24 months and, importantly, it does not itself authorise work during that search period; a corresponding work/residence authorisation is required once the qualifying activity is found.
- Who: eligible graduates from qualifying higher education in Spain
- Maximum period: 24 months under current rules
- Work rights: the search authorisation itself does not authorise work
NIE Number
The Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) is an identification number assigned to foreigners who have an economic, professional or social connection with Spain in the cases provided by law. It is used across many tax, property, banking and administrative procedures, but obtaining an NIE does not by itself grant residence rights.
- Function: foreigner identification number
- Common uses: tax, property, banking and administrative procedures
- Not residence: NIE alone does not confer immigration status
Highly Qualified Professional Residence
Law 14/2013 provides a mobility route for qualifying highly qualified professionals employed in Spain. Eligibility depends on the role, qualifications or professional experience, employer and applicable salary/position criteria, and the application is handled within the specialised mobility framework rather than the ordinary work-permit route.
- Legal framework: Law 14/2013, art. 71
- Applicant profile: qualifying managers, specialists and highly qualified professionals
- Tax: Spanish tax residence and impatriate-regime eligibility require separate analysis
Why Law Cappital
International mobility experience beyond visa processing
Law Cappital combines immigration work with international tax and global mobility experience. The aim is not simply to obtain a permit, but to understand how the move interacts with the client's employment, business, tax and Social Security position.
Immigration + tax strategy
Where relevant, we coordinate the residence route with Spanish tax residence, Beckham Law, Social Security and foreign-company exposure.
Direct lawyer access
Clients deal directly with the legal team handling the matter rather than a call centre or a purely administrative visa platform.
Cross-border client profiles
Our work is designed for internationally mobile employees, founders, remote professionals, retirees and families with assets or businesses outside Spain.
Primary-source legal review
Immigration guidance is checked against current legislation and official government guidance rather than copied from generic visa content.
Professional background
7+ years
Jorge Lacasa Alesón has more than seven years of professional experience across international tax, global mobility and cross-border advisory. His previous roles include Grant Thornton and Vialto Partners before leading Law Cappital.
- International tax: cross-border individuals, businesses and globally mobile clients.
- Global mobility: immigration, tax and Social Security issues arising from international relocations.
- Professional background: former Grant Thornton and Vialto Partners.
- Professional status: Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) nº 135311.
How We Work
From eligibility review to residence card
The procedure differs by route, but the legal work follows the same discipline: confirm eligibility first, build the documentary record, file through the correct channel and manage the post-approval steps.
Eligibility Review
We map nationality, current status, work or income, family circumstances and timeline against the available immigration routes before recommending a filing strategy.
Document Strategy
We identify the documents, legalisations, apostilles and sworn translations required for the specific consulate or Spanish authority handling the case.
Filing & Follow-Up
Where representation is available, we prepare and file the application and respond to formal requests for additional evidence.
TIE, Tax & Social Security
After approval, we coordinate the card or NIE steps and flag any Spanish tax or Social Security action triggered by the move.
Professional Review
Immigration content legally reviewed by Law Cappital
Jorge Lacasa Alesón
Managing Partner · Spanish Tax & International Lawyer
Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) · nº 135311
Former Grant Thornton · Former Vialto Partners
Last legal review: September 2026
This page provides general information and does not replace advice on a specific immigration, tax or Social Security position.
Primary Sources
Official legal framework
- BOE · Law 14/2013 — international mobility, Highly Qualified Professionals and international teleworkers.
- BOE · Royal Decree 1155/2024 — current immigration regulation under Organic Law 4/2000.
- BOE · Royal Decree 240/2007 — EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and qualifying family members.
- BOE · Article 93 LIRPF — special impatriate tax regime; eligibility must be analysed separately from the visa.
- Ministry of Inclusion · Immigration guidance — official procedural information and current information sheets.
Questions International Clients Ask
Spanish immigration, tax and relocation: practical answers
Which Spanish visa is usually considered for remote workers?
Qualifying third-country remote employees and independent professionals commonly analyse Spain's international teleworker or Digital Nomad route. Eligibility depends on the employment or professional relationship, the foreign business activity, professional background, income, Social Security position and the filing route. It should not be assumed that every remote worker qualifies.
Does getting a Spanish residence permit automatically make me Spanish tax resident?
No. Immigration residence and tax residence are different legal concepts. Spanish tax residence is determined under the applicable tax rules and, where relevant, a double tax treaty. A residence permit can coincide with Spanish tax residence, but one does not automatically determine the other.
Does a Digital Nomad Visa automatically qualify me for the Beckham Law?
No. Immigration status and the special impatriate tax regime are separate legal analyses. Certain international teleworkers can fall within Article 93 LIRPF if all statutory requirements are met, but a Digital Nomad Visa by itself does not guarantee the tax regime.
How much money do I need for a Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain?
The current regulation uses a formula rather than a permanently fixed euro amount: the main applicant must generally show monthly means equal to 400% of IPREM, plus an additional 100% of IPREM for each qualifying family member. Because IPREM and consular practice can change, the euro figure should be confirmed for the year and consulate of filing.
What is the difference between the NIE and the TIE?
The NIE is an identification number assigned to a foreigner; it can exist without Spanish residence. The TIE is a physical identity card issued in residence situations where a card is required, and it displays the holder's NIE. The two concepts should not be treated as interchangeable.
When can I apply for long-term residence in Spain?
National long-term residence generally requires five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain. Absence limits and the treatment of particular periods of stay must be checked against the current regulation. Once granted, the residence authorisation is indefinite, although the physical TIE still has renewal cycles.
Can I work for Spanish clients on a Digital Nomad Visa?
The answer depends on whether the activity is employment or independent professional activity. An employee under the international teleworker regime may work only for businesses located outside Spain. An independent professional may also provide professional services to a business in Spain, provided that Spanish activity does not exceed 20% of the professional's total activity.
Can students work while studying in Spain?
Certain long-duration study authorisations under the current regulation can include work rights where the activity is compatible with the studies. As a general rule, the work activity may not exceed 30 hours per week, although the exact conditions depend on the type of studies and authorisation.
Is Spain's post-study job-search authorisation a general Job Seeker Visa?
No. It is a specific residence route for eligible people who completed qualifying higher education in Spain. Current official guidance provides for a maximum non-extendable period of 24 months to seek suitable employment or develop a business project, and the search authorisation itself does not authorise work.
Can an immigration lawyer in Madrid assist with applications elsewhere in Spain?
Many Spanish immigration procedures can be prepared and managed remotely, although the competent authority, filing route and any required in-person step depend on the particular procedure. Law Cappital is based in Madrid and advises international clients on Spanish immigration matters across Spain.
Does Law Cappital advise in English?
Yes. Law Cappital advises international clients in English and Spanish and coordinates immigration matters with related Spanish tax and cross-border issues where those questions form part of the relocation.
Planning a move to Spain?
Tell us your nationality, current country of residence, work or income situation, family members and intended move date. We can identify the immigration routes that need to be analysed and flag the Spanish tax or Social Security issues that should be considered before filing.