NIE in Spain: what it is and when it is needed
Understand what the NIE identifies, what it does not authorize and when a separate application may be necessary.
NIEEssential documentsEU
7 min readReviewed 25 July 2026
Read guide ExpatPlanner Guides
Guides for moving to Spain
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Explore clear guides covering visas, residency documents, work, study and taxes in Spain.
TIE in Spain
Learn when a non-EU resident may need a physical Foreigner Identity Card after receiving an authorization.
TIENon-EUAfter approval
7 min readReviewed 25 July 2026
Read guide Empadronamiento in Spain
Understand how municipal registration records your habitual address and how it can connect with later procedures.
EmpadronamientoArrivalEU
7 min readReviewed 25 July 2026
Read guide EU Registration Certificate in Spain
A practical guide for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens planning to live in Spain for more than three months.
EU certificateEUResidence
8 min readReviewed 25 July 2026
Read guide Digital Nomad Visa in Spain: routes, conditions and documents
How the international teleworking route works in Spain, the difference between the consular visa and the residence authorization, and what employees and self-employed professionals must prove.
Digital NomadVisaRemote work
10 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide Non-Lucrative Visa in Spain: residence without working
How the non-lucrative residence route works, who it fits, the financial-means basis, health insurance and the steps from consulate to TIE and renewal.
Non-Lucrative VisaResidenceNon-EU
9 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide Student visa and study authorization in Spain
Short stays versus long-duration studies, how to apply from abroad or from Spain, what admission and financial evidence is needed, and when studies can be combined with work.
Student VisaStudyNon-EU
9 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide Work permits in Spain: choosing the right route
An overview of the main authorization routes that allow work in Spain, how employment, self-employment, highly qualified and telework files differ, and how to change from another status.
Work permitEmployerSelf-employment
10 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide Residence in Spain for non-EU family members of EU citizens
How a non-EU family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen applies for a residence card in Spain, what the sponsor must prove, and how the route differs for family of Spanish nationals.
FamilyEUResidence card
9 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide How to obtain residence in Spain: choosing your route
A route-selection overview of Spanish residence: EU versus non-EU, short stays versus long stays, which purpose leads to which procedure, and how NIE, visa, authorization, TIE and tax residence differ.
ResidenceOverviewEU
9 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide NIE, TIE and visa: understanding the difference
A fast side-by-side comparison of the NIE number, the visa, the underlying authorization, the TIE card, the EU registration certificate and the padrón.
NIETIEVisa
4 min readReviewed 3 August 2026
Read guide TIE after your visa is approved
What normally happens between an approved authorization and holding the physical TIE card, and how to avoid losing time between the steps.
TIEAfter approvalNon-EU
8 min readReviewed 3 August 2026
Read guide TIE for students
How the physical residence card works for holders of a Spanish study authorization, from arrival to renewal, without repeating the full student visa guide.
TIEStudentNon-EU
8 min readReviewed 3 August 2026
Read guide Working while studying in Spain
When a Spanish study authorization can be compatible with employed or self-employed activity, the general 30-hour limit, and the risks of getting it wrong.
StudentWorkNon-EU
6 min readReviewed 3 August 2026
Read guide Highly qualified professional route in Spain (Law 14/2013)
How the highly qualified professional authorization under Law 14/2013 works, who assesses it, how it differs from the general work permit, the EU Blue Card and intra-company transfers.
Work permitHighly qualifiedLaw 14/2013
9 min readReviewed 4 August 2026
Read guide Family reunification in Spain for non-EU residents
How a non-EU legal resident brings a spouse, children or dependent ascendants to Spain: sponsor conditions, housing and resources, how the process works and the documents that cause delays.
FamilyReunificationReagrupación familiar
9 min readReviewed 4 August 2026
Read guide Health insurance requirements for Spanish residence routes
What immigration authorities usually mean by qualifying health coverage, how it differs by route, and what to check in the policy for the route you are applying under.
Health insuranceNon-lucrativeEU registration
8 min readReviewed 4 August 2026
Read guide Tax residence in Spain: the basics before you move
How Spanish tax residence is determined, why it is separate from your visa or TIE, the 183-day and centre-of-interests tests, treaty tie-breakers and what to document before moving.
Tax residenceIRPF183 days
9 min readReviewed 4 August 2026
Read guide Spain's special tax regime for inbound workers (Beckham Law)
What the Article 93 special IRPF regime is, who may qualify, how the option is exercised with Model 149 and declared with Model 151, and why it does not always reduce tax.
Beckham LawTaxIRPF
9 min readReviewed 27 July 2026
Read guide A real immigration lawyer
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