Every residence application calls for its own strategy. Our work consists of analysing your situation, choosing the right route, preparing the documentation rigorously and supporting you throughout: from the first assessment to actually settling in Spain and, if that is your goal, all the way to Spanish nationality.
Although non-lucrative residence is one of the most common routes for financially independent individuals and families, we apply the same methodology of oversight, analysis and follow-up to other international mobility procedures: international telework (digital nomad visa), highly qualified professionals, entrepreneurs, and family members of holders of these permits.
The process begins with an initial consultation by video call, via Zoom, Google Meet or WhatsApp Video. If the client is already in Spain, an in-person meeting may also be arranged. This first session is free of charge and lasts approximately 30 minutes.
In this meeting we listen to you and gather the information needed to assess the case together with our team of specialists: nationality, country of residence, family composition, previous immigration status, financial means, background, goals in Spain and any personal or financial constraints.
Please note that it is not always possible to give a definitive answer in that same session. Some cases require internal review before we can give a well-founded opinion. When this happens, we send you a short written note with our assessment by email or WhatsApp in the following days. The aim is never to sell a particular route, but to establish whether a reasonable option exists and what risks should be taken into account before any application is started. If the case is not viable or needs preliminary preparation, we will tell you so clearly.
The initial consultation is free and without obligation. If, after this first assessment, the case requires a second meeting to explore the strategy in greater depth, this is offered as an extended consultation, with fees communicated in advance.
After the initial consultation, we carry out a first feasibility assessment and define the most suitable immigration strategy. In some cases, non-lucrative residence will be the natural route; in others, it may make more sense to consider international telework, a permit under Ley 14/2013 (the Spanish Entrepreneurs Act), a highly qualified professional permit or a phased plan.
This assessment takes into account both the legal requirements and the applicant's financial reality. Where the case requires it, we provide a written feasibility report setting out the main recommendation, the critical requirements, the documents to be prepared and any relevant warnings. Fees are assessed case by case and communicated through a fixed-fee quote before any work begins.
Document preparation is one of the most important stages. We tell the client which documents to gather according to the chosen route, the country of residence, the competent consulate and the family composition. For non-lucrative residence, for example, we pay particular attention to passports, criminal record certificates, medical certificate, health insurance, financial means, family ties, sworn translations, apostilles and forms.
Not all documents are equally difficult to obtain. Some certificates expire, others require legalisation or an apostille, and others must be issued with specific wording. The financial dossier deserves a review of its own: income, savings, liquidity, pensions, investments, returns, assets and source of funds are organised into a coherent explanation. For complex profiles, this financial work can be as important as the legal side of the application.
For non-lucrative residence, the application is normally submitted to the competent Spanish consulate in the applicant's country of residence. This stage requires a review of how that particular consulate operates: appointment system, submission format, additional documents, payment methods, indicative timeframes and practical criteria.
We can work in three ways. In some countries, a local partner firm can assist with in-person submission. In particularly complex cases, a member of our team may travel when necessary and feasible. In other cases, we prepare a comprehensive guide so that clients can submit the application themselves, with clear instructions and properly ordered documents. The choice depends on the country, the consulate, the profile and the complexity of the case.
Once the application has been submitted, the follow-up stage begins. The consulate may decide directly, ask for additional documents or request clarifications. Our work consists of monitoring the status of the application, reviewing any communication received, preparing responses to requests for additional documents and coordinating corrections where necessary.
If the application concerns a family unit, we make sure that all members progress in an orderly manner and that no inconsistencies arise between documents, dates or declared information. Follow-up also serves to prepare the next steps: approval is not the end of the process — the visa must be collected, entry into Spain organised and the TIE application anticipated.
After the visa is granted and you enter Spain, a practical stage begins that is often underestimated. The client must turn a granted permit into an effective, well-organised residence: housing, municipal registration (empadronamiento), health insurance, opening a bank account, school enrolment for children, setting up basic utilities and coordination with tax professionals.
For families, this stage requires particular care: the choice of neighbourhood, schools, healthcare coverage and arrival schedule has a direct impact on how the family adapts. For high-net-worth or high-income profiles, it is advisable to review the possible tax implications of the move well in advance. Our role is to coordinate, guide and organise this transition; not every client needs the same level of support.
Once in Spain, the next milestone is the application for the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE), the foreign national identity card. This procedure must be completed within the relevant deadline and requires an appointment, documentation, municipal registration where applicable, payment of a fee and the applicant's personal attendance. Mishandling this stage can lead to unnecessary delays.
We also plan the renewal schedule from the outset. Renewal requires proving the requirements again, particularly financial means, health insurance and continued compliance with the applicable conditions. A well-managed case must plan for continuity: renewal, modification of the permit where appropriate, residence for family members, changes in circumstances and monitoring of expiry dates. Residence in Spain should be planned as a long-term project, not as a one-off procedure.
For many clients, the ultimate goal is not residence but Spanish nationality and a Spanish passport. It is the final milestone of a journey that may take years, and one worth keeping in mind from the very first application, because decisions taken at the start determine what will be possible later on.
The most common route is nationality by residence, which requires proof of a period of legal, continuous residence immediately preceding the application. That period varies according to the profile: ten years as a general rule; five years for those who have been granted refugee status; two years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and for people of Sephardic origin; and one year in certain cases, such as having been born in Spain or having been married to a Spanish national for one year without being separated. There are also other routes, such as nationality by option or by naturalisation letter (carta de naturaleza), each with its own requirements.
The application requires proof of good civic conduct and integration into Spanish society and, as a general rule, passing the CCSE test of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge and the DELE A2 Spanish language exam, except in exempt cases. It also requires criminal record certificates from the country of origin, duly legalised or apostilled, birth certificates and documents proving the period of residence.
Our work at this stage consists of verifying that the residence period counts correctly, preparing the documentation well in advance, coordinating the tests where applicable and submitting the application. If the decision is unfavourable, we are able to appeal through administrative channels and, where appropriate, before the courts.
The initial consultation is free of charge. In 30 minutes we can identify the right route for your case.
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