30 octubre 2026
Desde Estados Unidos
Moving to Spain from the US: Which Visa to Choose in 2026
Updated October 30, 2026
Quick answer. If you are a US citizen or live legally in the United States, there are five main ways to move to Spain: the digital nomad residence if you work remotely (€2,849 a month in income in 2026), the non-lucrative residence if you live on savings or passive income (€28,800 a year), a student stay, the highly qualified professional residence, and the entrepreneur residence. If your spouse or partner is Spanish or an EU citizen, you have a separate route with no financial means requirement. The Golden Visa has been closed since April 3, 2025.
Everything you need to know about moving to Spain from the US
Who this is for. US citizens, green card holders and people with a valid US visa. If you have lost your status, read our other guide: moving to Spain from the US without papers (in Spanish).
Which visa. It depends on how you will live in Spain: working remotely, on your savings, studying, hired by a Spanish company or running your own project.
Where to apply. The non-lucrative visa and the student stay, at the Spanish consulate for your area in the US. Digital nomad, highly qualified and entrepreneur applications can be filed online with the UGE-CE.
In practice. US citizens can visit Spain visa-free for up to 90 days, but to live here you need one of these permits. With a green card, it depends on your passport.
Do you need a visa to enter?
For a visit, it depends on your passport, not on where you live:
- With a US passport you can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). To live in Spain longer, you need a residence or stay permit.
- With a green card and another passport, the green card does not exempt you from a Schengen visa. Check your nationality in our visa table by nationality (in Spanish). Most Latin Americans do not need a visa; citizens of Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Bolivia do.
- Entry/Exit System (EES). Since October 2025, your fingerprints, photo and dates are recorded each time you enter or leave the Schengen area, instead of stamping your passport. That is how the 90 days are counted exactly.
Entering as a tourist and then applying for residence from Spain does not work for the non-lucrative visa or the student stay. Those are applied for at the consulate before you travel.
Which visa fits you
| Your situation | Route | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| You work remotely for companies or clients outside Spain | Digital nomad | Income of €2,849 a month (200% of the Spanish minimum wage). The company must have been operating for at least one year, and your work relationship for at least three months. If you are self-employed, no more than 20% of your billing can come from Spanish clients. |
| You live on savings, a pension or passive income and will not work | Non-lucrative | €28,800 a year (400% of the IPREM) for one person. Work is not allowed. It lasts 1 year and is renewed for 2; to renew it you must have lived in Spain more than 183 days a year. Private health insurance with no co-payments is required. |
| You are going to study | Student stay | Admission to a school. In higher education, vocational training (FP) or specialized health training you can work up to 30 hours a week with no extra paperwork. It does not count as residence for citizenship. |
| A company in Spain hires you with a good salary | Highly qualified professional or EU Blue Card | For the Blue Card, a gross salary of at least €41,356.36 a year, or €33,085.09 if you are a recent graduate or work in a shortage occupation. Legal processing time: 20 days, though in practice it can take longer. Valid for up to 3 years (if your contract is shorter, its length plus 3 months). |
| You want to launch an innovative business project | Entrepreneur | A favorable report from ENISA. Valid for 3 years and renewable for 2. |
| Your spouse or partner is Spanish or from another EU country | Family member of a Spanish or EU citizen | A separate route with no financial means requirement if your spouse or partner is Spanish. Other relatives, such as parents, must prove they are dependent on the Spanish citizen. |
| You wanted to invest in property | Golden Visa | Closed since April 3, 2025. Existing holders keep it and can renew it. |
Torn between the three most common options? We compare them in digital nomad, highly qualified or non-lucrative (in Spanish).
How much money you need to show
Almost every requirement is a percentage of the Spanish minimum wage (SMI: €1,221 a month in 2026, Royal Decree 126/2026) or of the IPREM (€600 a month, €7,200 a year).
| Route | One person | Couple | Couple with one child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital nomad (monthly income) | €2,849 | €3,917 | €4,273 |
| Non-lucrative (yearly funds) | €28,800 | €36,000 | €43,200 |
The full calculation, including tourist stays and other cases, is in how much money do I need to move to Spain (in Spanish).
Where and how to apply
- At the consulate. The non-lucrative visa and the student stay are filed at the Spanish Consulate General that covers the state where you live. US consulates usually require legal residence in their jurisdiction. Some take applications through an outside service provider, so check your consulate’s website for how to book an appointment.
- Online. Digital nomad, highly qualified and entrepreneur applications can be filed with the UGE-CE, from the US or from Spain if you are here on a regular stay. If you apply from the US, once the permit is granted you request the visa at your consulate.
- When you arrive in Spain. You have one month to apply for your TIE (foreigner ID card), with your fingerprint appointment at the Police.
Documents you will need from the US
- A valid passport.
- A criminal background check. In the US, the FBI report, apostilled by the Department of State.
- Proof of funds or income, depending on the route.
- Health insurance. For the non-lucrative visa, private and with no co-payments.
- A medical certificate, for the routes that require it.
- A sworn translation into Spanish of any documents that are not in Spanish.
Each consulate publishes its own checklist and changes it without notice. Before you book your appointment, we go over your consulate’s current list with you.
Taxes: what changes when you move
If you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain, you will generally become a Spanish tax resident. If you are a US citizen, the US still requires you to file a return while living abroad, so plan ahead with the US-Spain tax treaty. You should also look at the impatriate regime (the Beckham Law) and Form 720 for assets abroad. We explain it in taxes when moving from the US to Spain (in Spanish).
If you are moving with US-born children, read American children and moving to Spain (in Spanish).
Frequently asked questions
Can a US citizen live in Spain without a visa?
A US citizen can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. To live in Spain longer, you need a residence or stay permit, such as the digital nomad, non-lucrative or student permit.
I have a green card. Do I need a visa to go to Spain?
It depends on your passport, not on the green card. If your nationality needs a Schengen visa, you must apply for one even if you live legally in the US.
What is the easiest visa to move to Spain from the US?
If you work remotely, the digital nomad permit is usually the most direct and lets you work. If you will not work and have savings, the non-lucrative visa. The right one depends on your income, your family and whether you will work in Spain.
Does the Golden Visa still exist?
Not for new applications: it has been closed since April 3, 2025. Existing holders keep it and can renew it.
Can I apply for residence once I am in Spain as a tourist?
The non-lucrative visa and the student stay are applied for at the consulate before you travel. Some routes under Law 14/2013, such as the digital nomad permit, can also be applied for while you are in Spain on a regular stay. We review your case before you buy your ticket.
Do I still have to file US taxes?
If you are a US citizen, yes: the US taxes its citizens even when they live abroad. The tax treaty prevents you from paying twice on the same income, but you must file correctly in both countries.
Let’s talk about your case
Shall we find the right visa for you from the US?With your income, your family and your US status on the table, in one session you will know which visa fits you and what to prepare before booking your consulate appointment.
Book a video callBook at the officeBook a SaturdayJust have a quick question? Write to us and we will point you in the right direction at no cost
Félix José España González · Lawyer registered with the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM), no. 127450Legal framework
- Law 14/2013, of September 27, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization: international remote work, highly qualified professionals and entrepreneurs.
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, of November 19, implementing Organic Law 4/2000: non-lucrative residence and student stays.
- Organic Law 1/2025: abolition of residence by investment (Golden Visa).
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806: countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement.
- Royal Decree 126/2026: Spanish minimum wage for 2026.
Keep reading (guides in Spanish)
How much money you need to moveCifras oficiales de 2026: SMI, IPREM y la solvencia que exige cada vía para emigrar a España desde EE. UU. Calcula cuánto dinero necesitas en tu caso.Read more →
Taxes when moving from the USImpuestos al mudarte de Estados Unidos a España en 2026: residencia fiscal, Ley Beckham y modelo 720, explicados por un abogado experto en fiscalidad.Read more →
US-born children moving to SpainTus hijos nacidos en EE. UU. siguen siendo ciudadanos tras Trump v. Barbara (2026). Colegio, sanidad, impuestos y papeles en España. Consúltanos.Read more →
Nomad, highly qualified or non-lucrativeVisado de nómada digital, profesional altamente cualificado o residencia no lucrativa: ingresos exigidos en 2026, plazos, trabajo, fiscalidad y cotización.Read more →España Abogados
Despacho español · Extranjería, nacionalidad y fiscalidad · Madrid
ICAM 127450
Somos un despacho español, no una gestoría ni una agencia, dirigido por Félix José España González, abogado colegiado nº 127450 del Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid, y tramitamos ante la Administración española desde España. Atendemos por videollamada en horario de Estados Unidos: Este, Centro y Pacífico.
Qué tramitamos en España
Arraigo
- sociolaboral
- social
- socioformativo
- de segunda oportunidad
- familiar
Visados y residencia
- teletrabajador internacional
- no lucrativa
- estancia por estudios
- búsqueda de empleo
- cuenta ajena
- cuenta propia
- emprendedores
Familia
- tarjeta de familiar de ciudadano de la UE
- reagrupación familiar
Protección internacional
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Mantener la residencia
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Nacionalidad española
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Recursos
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Fiscalidad
- residencia fiscal
- régimen de impatriados (Ley Beckham)
- convenio España-EE. UU.
- modelos 720 y 721
Cómo armamos tu plan migratorio
- Analizamos tu situación personal, familiar y tus ingresos.
- Elegimos la vía que de verdad encaja con tu caso.
- Calculamos la solvencia económica que te van a exigir.
- Ordenamos y te solicitamos toda la documentación necesaria: apostillas, traducciones juradas y antecedentes.
- Fijamos el calendario de cada trámite, desde la residencia hasta la nacionalidad.
Ámbito de este contenido
España Abogados es un despacho español. Nuestra habilitación profesional y nuestra experiencia están en el ordenamiento jurídico español, en extranjería, nacionalidad y fiscalidad, y tramitamos ante la Administración española. No somos abogados de inmigración de Estados Unidos ni asesoramos sobre el ordenamiento jurídico estadounidense.
Cuando en este artículo explicamos normas de Estados Unidos es para que entiendas qué está en juego antes de decidir, nunca como asesoramiento sobre tu caso allí. Todo lo relativo a tu situación migratoria en Estados Unidos debes consultarlo y verificarlo con tu abogado de inmigración de confianza en Estados Unidos, que es el único que puede analizar tu expediente y actuar ante USCIS, EOIR o los tribunales estadounidenses. Trabajamos de forma coordinada con él.
Despacho de extranjería dirigido por el abogado Félix José España González (ICAM 127450), experto en emprendimiento y fiscalidad y miembro de la Asociación Española de Asesores Fiscales, con un equipo de expertos en extranjería, nacionalidad española y tramitación. Consolidados con el objetivo de atender, guiar y asesorar a todo extranjero que desee estudiar, trabajar y vivir en España.
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