Getting residency after Brexit
If you are not going to be working for a Spanish company, you will need to apply for a Non-Lucrative residency visa and the following income requirements apply:
Main applicant - €2316.08 per month or equivalent in a foreign currency.
Second applicant - €579.02 per month or equivalent in a foreign currency.
Dependants - €579.02 per month extra for each one or equivalent in a foreign currency.
Spanish private health insurance covering each person.
The income would need to be generated from:
Pensions
Investments
Income from a UK company
Alternatively, if the total monthly requirement x 12 has been intact in bank accounts for at least 6 months prior to the application and can be demonstrated as such, that will also suffice.
These lump sum figures represented for the above are then €27,792.96 for the main applicant and €6948.24 for each subsequent applicant.
In addition, you may be required to demonstrate you have a valid rental contract or own a property in Spain and to have either, you will need to have already obtained your Foreign Identity Number (NIE - Numero de Identidad de Extranijero).
An NIE number can be arranged in person in Spain or in the appropriate application centre in the UK (see below).
The initial period that the Non -Lucrative Visa is granted for is 1 year and it can then be renewed for a period of 2 more years.
It should be noted at renewal, as this is for a fixed period of 2 years, you will need to demonstrate that you have twice the amount that you needed for the first year if you are relying on a lump sum option. Obviously a monthly income is not required to double in value.
At the end of year 3, a further 2-year extension is required and then after 5 years of continual residency, permanent resident status is granted.
In order to get this visa and/or an NIE number) you will need to attend your local Spanish Visa application Centre in the UK which are located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
It will then be stamped into your passport after which you will have 1 month to enter Spain and collect your residence card.
If you are going to be working for a Spanish company, then you need a work permit (por cuenta ajena).
There are 2 options for this:
If you will be earning more than €40,000 per year in which case this can be applied for while in Spain.
If you will be earning under €40,000 a year, in which case the application for the visa must take place at one of the centres listed above, however there are only a certain few category of jobs that will be accepted under this option, the details of which will be advised to you by the appropriate centre staff.
If you are investing more than €500,000 in a property, or you possess shares in a Spanish company valued at over €1 million or have shares in Spanish Public debt worth over €2million then you may qualify for a Golden Visa.
You will then, in addition, need €30,000 in a bank account also.
€10,000 for each additional relative will be required also.
Full private Spanish health insurance for each applicant will also be required.
If you have a relative who is an EU citizen, then you will be able to apply for residency as a family member of an EU Citizen.
The residency lasts for 5 years and can be applied for in Spain.
After 5 years of continual residency in Spain, permanent residence status will be granted.
If you have Spanish residency and have lived in Spain for a minimum of 12 months (and if you have been granted residency after Brexit, have renewed your residency at least once) then you can apply for residency for a spouse, fiancé, unmarried children under 18, dependent grandchildren or a dependent adult that you are the legal guardian of, under 18 or parents over 65 who cannot live independently, children who are aged between 18 and 21 if wholly dependent on their parent for finance or will be in full time education.
The person with residence in Spain is the one who needs to make the application and must have a monthly income of €868.53 in order to successfully obtain residency for one family member to live with them.
A further €289.51 will be needed as provable income per eligible family member thereafter.
The following will need to be demonstrated:
A Criminal records certificate showing no convictions within the previous 5 years for each person wishing to gain residence over the age of 18
A valid passport for each person
Proof of adequate housing for the total family such as a rental contract by the existing resident
Private Spanish Health insurance covering each member
Proof of family relationship such as birth certificates/marriage certificates
Sworn statement of truth that the existing resident is not cohabiting with another person
Proof of income by the existing resident
Once the application has been granted in Spain each family member has 2 months to attend in person the appropriate Spanish Visa Centre in the UK to apply for their visa.
The whole process could take up to 6 months.
Once the visa has been granted, the relative has up to 3 months to travel to Spain.
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