Entrepreneur Visa

Spain's Entrepreneur Visa (Visado para Emprendedor) enables non-EU nationals to reside and work in Spain to launch or manage an innovative business of special economic interest to the country. Established under Ley 14/2013 on Support for Entrepreneurs and enhanced by the 2022 Startup Law (Ley 28/2022), the program targets startup founders, technology entrepreneurs, and business innovators whose ventures are validated through a favorable report from ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación). Following the abolition of Spain's investor visa (Golden Visa) in April 2025, the Entrepreneur Visa has become one of the principal remaining business-oriented residence pathways for non-EU nationals.

• Non-EU national intending to carry out innovative entrepreneurial activity in Spain
• Business plan approved by ENISA against eight criteria: degree of innovation, market attractiveness, development stage, business model scalability, competitive differentiation, entrepreneurial team capability, third-party dependencies, and client base
• Sufficient financial means: 100% of IPREM (€600/month or €7,200/year at 2026 rates) for the main applicant, plus 50% of IPREM (€300/month per family member). The IPREM remains frozen at the values established by Ley 31/2022 because no new General State Budget has been approved for 2024, 2025, or 2026.
• Valid health insurance contracted with an insurer authorized to operate in Spain
• Clean criminal record from countries of residence in the last 5 years
• Must be over 18 years of age

No specific educational requirements are mandated. ENISA evaluates the entrepreneurial team's relevant training, professional experience, and project involvement as part of the business plan assessment.

For the ENISA favorable report:

• Professional profile (training, experience, project involvement)
• Business plan with project description (timeline, location, legal form, economic impact, job creation projections)
• Product/service description with innovative aspects
• Market analysis (valuation, competitors, consumers, supply/demand)
• Funding details (investment required, sources, financial plan)
• Added-value proposition emphasizing innovation

For the residence authorization and visa:

• Completed application form (MIT form for residence; national visa application form for consular submission)
• Valid passport (minimum 1-year validity, 2 blank pages)
• ENISA favorable report
• Proof of financial resources (bank statements, regular income, or asset documentation)
• Health insurance certificate
• Criminal record certificate from countries of residence in the last 5 years, apostilled and sworn-translated into Spanish
• Fee payment receipt (Tasa 790, Código 038)
• Passport-size colour photograph (white/light background)

The entry visa is valid for 1 year. The residence authorization lasts 3 years, renewable for additional 3-year periods provided the business remains operational and continues to meet its original objectives. Renewal requires updated business performance documentation and viable future projections. After 5 years of continuous legal residence, holders may apply for long-term (permanent) residence (residencia de larga duración). Spanish citizenship may be sought after 10 years of legal residence, subject to DELE A2 language and CCSE cultural knowledge examinations.

Spouse or unmarried partner (registered or with proof of a stable relationship), dependent children under 18 (or over 18 if financially dependent), and dependent ascending relatives may accompany the entrepreneur or apply later for family reunification. Family members receive their own residence and work authorization for the same duration, permitting them to work throughout Spain without the National Employment Situation requirement. Each family member requires their own passport, criminal record certificate, health insurance, and proof of the family relationship (birth or marriage certificates, apostilled and translated).

Entrepreneurs spending more than 183 days per year in Spain — or whose centre of economic interests is in Spain — become Spanish tax residents and pay progressive personal income tax (IRPF) on worldwide income at combined state and regional rates of approximately 19% to 47%. Qualifying startups under the 2022 Startup Law benefit from a reduced 15% corporate tax rate for the first four years, deferral of corporate tax payments for two years without interest or guarantees, exemption from quarterly installment payments during the first two years, and an enhanced stock option exemption of €50,000 per year. Self-employed entrepreneurs of qualifying startups receive a 100% bonus on the minimum self-employed contribution base for three years. Entrepreneurs who have not been Spanish tax residents in the prior 5 years may opt into the Beckham Law (régimen de impatriados) special tax regime, allowing taxation at a flat 24% rate on Spanish-source income up to €600,000.

The process has three stages:

1. ENISA evaluation. Submit the business plan online through ENISA's platform (enisa.es). ENISA has up to 3 months to issue its favorable report, assessed against the eight criteria in Orden PCM/825/2023, and sends it directly to UGE-CE.
2. Residence authorization. Submit the residence application electronically through the UGE-CE electronic headquarters (using a digital certificate or Cl@ve) or in person at UGE-CE offices in Madrid. Processing takes 20 business days, with positive administrative silence — automatic approval — if no decision is issued and all documents are complete.
3. Entry visa. Applicants outside Spain then apply at their nearest Spanish consular office. The consular fee is approximately €80, varying by nationality due to reciprocity (some consulates charge the equivalent of €190). Processing takes 10 business days, and the visa must be collected within 1 month of notification.

Upon arrival in Spain, the holder must register with the municipal census (empadronamiento), apply for a Foreigner Identity Card (TIE) within one month, register with the Social Security system as self-employed (autónomo), and register for the Economic Activities Tax (IAE).

Spain's Golden Visa was abolished effective April 3, 2025, by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, strengthening the Entrepreneur Visa's position as one of the principal remaining business-oriented pathways. Immigration fee amounts were updated by Orden PJC/617/2025 in June 2025. In March 2026, the Secretaría de Estado de Industria signed new agreements expanding the CIRCE network of Puntos de Atención al Emprendedor (Entrepreneur Service Points), facilitating company formation procedures. In January 2026, Orden PJC/44/2026 established the salary reference threshold for highly qualified professional (EU Blue Card) residence authorizations under Ley 14/2013. Real Decreto 316/2026 (April 2026) does not directly amend the entrepreneur regime, which retains its specific procedural rules. In 2026, ENISA unified its previous financing lines into a single "Startups y pymes" line under the FEPYME mechanism, with a 2025–2026 budget of approximately €303 million. As of May 2026, the IPREM remains frozen at the values established by Ley 31/2022.