You need a visa.
There's no visa-free travel between British passport holders and Spain for family. British citizens apply at the Spain embassy or visa application centre before travelling. Plan ahead — appointments and processing both take time.
Schengen EES (Entry/Exit System) is now operational
All non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area now have biometrics (fingerprints + facial photo) registered at the border on first entry. Adds 5–15 minutes to your border crossing on first arrival; subsequent crossings within 3 years use the stored data.
1 additional warning is folded into the result card below.
The story of United Kingdom → Spain
British citizens travel visa-free to Spain under Schengen 90/180 (ETIAS from late 2026, EES biometric tracking from late 2025). Long-stay routes: Non-Lucrative Visa (UK pensioner-favourite, €2,400+/month proven passive income, no work), Digital Nomad Visa (€2,762/month proven income from UK remote employer — 2023 launch), Highly Qualified Worker (€40,000+ salary). Spain's post-Brexit handling of British residents was generous — those resident on 31 December 2020 retained rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. ~300,000 British citizens live in Spain (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Mallorca, Madrid).
Family visas have major life consequences.
Long-stay visa decisions affect your right to live, work, study, or remain with family. Always verify with a qualified immigration adviser or the destination's embassy before making travel, employment, or relocation decisions.
Your visa options
13 routes availableUnique visa pathways
Do this next
application timelineWhat you'll need
Family visa for Spain
Specific to British passport holders.
Start ~0–4 weeks before your intended travel date.
Order these first — they have the longest lead time
Evidence of genuine relationship
Relationship2–4 weeksJoint financial accounts, lease/mortgage in both names, photos across the relationship, communication logs, statements from family/friends — every modern partner visa requires this.
How: Self-compile over time. Most routes want 12+ months of co-habitation evidence; some accept communication-only for long-distance.
Medical examination
Medical1–4 weeksConducted by a panel physician approved by the destination's immigration authority. Includes chest X-ray, blood tests, and an interview.
How: Book directly with a panel physician — find them on the destination's immigration website.
Valid passport
Identity1–3 weeksMost countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, with two or more blank pages.
How: Renew at gov.uk/renew-adult-passport — 3 weeks standard, 1 week premium (£177).
Police certificate
Background0–2 weeksA criminal-record clearance from every country you've lived in for 6+ months in the past 10 years. Universally required for work, study, family and PR routes.
How: ACRO Police Certificate — apply at acro.police.uk. 10 working days standard, 2 working days premium (£105).
Apostille / certified document copies
Credentials1–5 daysHague Apostille on civil documents (birth, marriage, education certificates) for countries that recognise the convention. Other countries require consular legalisation instead.
How: FCDO Legalisation Office at gov.uk/get-document-legalised — standard 2 working days, premium same-day in person.
Then gather these
Marriage / civil-partnership certificate
Relationship1–4 weeksOriginal or certified copy of the marriage or civil-partnership registration, apostilled if applicable.
How: Issuing registry office of the country where the marriage was registered.
Birth certificate (and children's)
Relationship1–4 weeksFor family and dependent-child routes. Original or certified copy, apostilled if applicable.
How: Vital records office of the country of birth.
Biometrics (fingerprints + photo)
Background1–4 weeksCaptured at a Visa Application Centre (VFS, BLS, TLScontact). Walk-in is rarely possible — appointment slots fill up.
How: Book on the VAC website after submitting your online application.
Sponsor's income evidence
Financial1–3 weeksLast 6–12 months of payslips, employment letter, or tax returns from the citizen-sponsor in the destination country.
How: Sponsor supplies. Tax returns may need an IRS / HMRC / CRA transcript, which takes a few weeks to order.
Certified translation of documents
Credentials1–2 weeksIf your documents are not in the destination's official language, you may need a sworn or certified translator.
How: ATA-certified (US) / ITI-qualified (UK) translators, or a sworn translator registered with the destination's consulate.
Proof of funds (long-stay)
Financial1–2 weeksCountry-specific minimum savings — e.g. ~CAD 14,000 (Canada study/work permits, single applicant), ~£1,334/month + £8,000 reserve (UK family), proof of income for digital-nomad routes.
How: Bank statements stamped and signed by the bank, plus HMRC SA302 or P60 for proof of income. Some destinations also accept the gov.uk Tax Summary download.
Passport-style photograph
Identity1–3 daysA recent biometric photo to the destination's specifications. Most consulates require their own dimensions, not your home country's.
How: Any high-street photo studio, or app-based services that meet ICAO 9303 spec.
Online visa application form
Application1–3 daysThe destination's online form (DS-160 for US, gov.uk for UK, IRCC portal for Canada, ImmiAccount for Australia, e-Visa portal for most others).
How: Apply directly on the destination government website — never via a third-party paid service.
Application fee payment
Application1 dayPayable to the destination government directly. Fees range from ~$25 (e-Visas) to $2,500+ (US EB-1).
How: Card payment on the destination's portal. Receipt required for the application.
What carries weight in the application
★ hand-written for this routeSpain caseworkers weight 4 things heavily for british family-visa applicants. Get these right and you almost certainly get the visa; get any one wrong and you waste money on a refused application that haunts every future Spain attempt.
Non-Lucrative Visa (Visado de No Lucrativo) — popular retirement route for Brits post-Brexit
Post-Brexit (January 2021), British citizens no longer have EU freedom of movement to Spain. Non-Lucrative Visa is the primary retirement route — for those with passive income (pension, investments, savings) >€28,800/year per applicant + €7,200/year per dependent (~€36,000 total for couple in 2024). Renewable every 2 years. Cannot work in Spain. After 5 years, can apply for permanent residence (Permiso de Residencia de Larga Duración).
Digital Nomad Visa (Visado Nómada Digital) — for remote-working Brits
Launched January 2023, Spanish Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers earning >€33,600/year (2024 minimum, 200% of Spanish minimum wage) to live in Spain while working remotely for non-Spanish employers / clients. 12-month initial visa renewable for 5 years total, with 3-year resident card option. Special tax regime (Beckham Law-equivalent) — 24% flat tax on first €600,000 income for 5 years.
Golden Visa alternative — restricted from April 2025
Spanish Golden Visa (Visado de Residencia para Inversores) was restricted from April 2025 — real estate investment (€500,000) route abolished; only €1M Spanish company investment, €2M government bonds, or €1M Spanish business creating jobs remains. For wealthy British retirees, Non-Lucrative or Digital Nomad routes now preferred.
Padron + NIE + Empadronamiento — practical settlement requirements
Upon arrival, register at local Padrón (municipal census) — required for everything from NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero — foreigner ID) to opening Spanish bank account to driving licence exchange. Empadronamiento certificate from your Spanish Ayuntamiento (town hall) is essential. NIE is your tax + administrative number; obtain from Oficina de Extranjería or Spanish Embassy/Consulate before arrival.
How to save money
10 tipsNon-Lucrative Visa fee EUR 60 + Spanish-side card fee EUR 16-22 — apply at Spanish Consulate London / Edinburgh / Manchester
Digital Nomad Visa fee EUR 73-80 + card fee — apply via Spanish Embassy London
Don't pay 'Spanish retirement consultancies' GBP 3,000-10,000 for what is straightforward consular application
UK State Pension upgrading in Spain post-Brexit: confirmed via 2020 UK-Spain bilateral agreement — pension increases annually like in UK
Spanish Empadronamiento at Ayuntamiento: FREE — required for everything
NIE at Spanish Police Office or Oficina de Extranjería: EUR 9.84 — don't pay agents EUR 200+
Spanish-side private healthcare insurance (Sanitas, ASISA, DKV, Adeslas) for visa application: EUR 600-1,500/year per person — significantly cheaper than UK private medical
Convenio Especial with INSS for Spanish public healthcare after 1 year residence: EUR 60-160/month per person — alternative to private
Use Wise GBP/EUR, Revolut, HSBC Expat for currency transfers and ongoing income
Spanish Embassy London / Edinburgh / Manchester consulates process Non-Lucrative + Digital Nomad applications — typically 1-3 months
Personal-statement skeleton
4 sectionsFill each section with your own facts, dates and circumstances. The structure mirrors what Spain caseworkers expect to find — copying the order makes their decision faster, which is good for you.
- 01
Your visa route — Non-Lucrative, Digital Nomad, or other
State explicit visa category: Non-Lucrative (passive income >€28,800/year, no work in Spain), Digital Nomad (remote work for non-Spanish employer >€33,600/year), Family Reunification (spouse / child / parent of Spanish-resident British), Golden Visa (post-April 2025 restricted to €1M+ investment routes).
- 02
Financial requirements + income source documentation
Document income: UK State Pension + private pension + investment income + savings. UK pension recipients benefit from UK-Spain Social Security Agreement (1974) — UK pension paid in Spain with UK uprating (post-Brexit retained). Spanish residency tax considerations: tax-resident if >183 days/year in Spain; UK-Spain Double Taxation Convention (2013) prevents double-tax.
- 03
Housing + integration plan
Document Spanish rental contract or property purchase deed (escritura de compraventa). British retirees concentrate in Costa del Sol (Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola), Costa Blanca (Alicante, Benidorm), Mallorca, Tenerife. Spanish language plan via Cervantes Institute or local academies. Healthcare: private (Sanitas, ASISA, DKV, Asisa, Adeslas) or convenio especial with INSS Spanish public system.
- 04
Family + long-term plan — Spanish residency, retain UK citizenship
Spain permits dual citizenship with Latin American + Sephardic + Filipino + Portuguese; UK citizens must renounce UK citizenship if naturalising Spanish. Most British retirees retain UK citizenship and accept permanent Spanish residency. Family reunification: spouse + dependent children + dependent parents all eligible.
When to DIY · when to hire a lawyer
honest triage- Standard Non-Lucrative Visa with documented passive income
- Standard Digital Nomad Visa with remote work contract evidence
- Family reunification application via Spanish-resident sponsor
- Permanent residence application after 5 years legal residence
- Annual visa renewal in Spain
- Post-April 2025 Golden Visa with €1M+ investment route
- Tax residency split (UK vs Spain >183-day test)
- Spanish citizenship application (rare for British given dual-citizenship requirement)
- UK criminal record affecting Spanish residency
- Complex pension portability scenarios
- Spanish property purchase / inheritance affecting visa status
- Past Schengen entry ban or Spanish overstay
- Family reunification of non-British spouse / step-children
- Spanish Golden Visa under previous (pre-April 2025) real estate route — vested rights questions
- Pre-Brexit Spanish residency (TIE / Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) — different track under Withdrawal Agreement
This guidance is general — not legal advice. For high-stakes routes (refusal history, criminal record, complex finances), spend the money on a qualified immigration adviser regulated by your destination (UK: OISC / SRA; AU: MARA; US: bar-admitted attorney).
Save £500–£3,000 on lawyer fees
Write your partner-visa personal statement yourself — we'll show you how.
Six-section skeleton caseworkers actually want, copy-paste AI prompt for Claude / ChatGPT to neaten your draft, the exact legal phrases each authority looks for, and a clear list of when you SHOULD pay a lawyer instead.
Open the DIY guide
Where to apply in person
Find a Spain embassy or VAC near you
Most long-stay applications need an in-person appointment. We can't book it for you — but we can point you to the right physical place in one click.
Nearest embassy / consulate
Where you'll attend in person to submit documents and biometrics. Embassies handle long-stay visa applications directly.
Open in Google Maps
Visa application centre
Outsourced VAC (VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS International) that collects fees + biometrics for many embassies.
Open in Google Maps
Immigration medical clinic
Designated panel physician for Spain-immigration medicals. Required for most long-stay work, family, and skilled-migration visas.
Open in Google Maps
Passport photo provider
Walk-in pharmacy or photo shop that prints to Spain-spec dimensions and background colour.
Open in Google Maps
Need a curated provider list instead? See our biometrics directory, medical-check panel physicians, or passport-photo services.
For United Kingdom applicants specifically
Your documentation process at a glance.
What the generic requirements above actually mean for you in United Kingdom — the exact agency, fee, and processing time for each.
Police / background check
ACRO Police Certificate
ACRO Criminal Records Office
Fee: £59 (Standard, 10-day)
Processing: 10 working days standard; 2 working days premium (£99)
Covers Police National Computer + force records. Required for most Schengen long-stay, Australian PR, Canadian Express Entry, NZ residence, US adjustment of status.
Official site →Apostille / legalisation
Hague Apostille (single-step)
FCDO Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
Fee: £45 (Standard, 2-day) / £75 (Premium same-day)
Processing: 2 working days standard; same-day premium at Milton Keynes office
UK joined Hague Apostille 1965. Documents must be notarised by a UK solicitor / notary public FIRST, then sent to FCDO. Online tracking + courier return available.
Official site →Tax records / income proof
SA302 Tax Calculation + Tax Year Overview
HMRC
SA302s download free from HMRC online portal. Most consulates accept the SA302 + Tax Year Overview pair as proof of self-employment income for the last 3 years.
Official site →Certified translation
ITI / CIOL Member or sworn translator for the destination's legal system
Sworn / certified translator
For Spanish NLV, Italian Elective, Portuguese D7, French long-stay: use a translator on the destination consulate's approved list (consulado.uk / it.esteri.it / lisbon.gov.uk). For US: ATA-certified translator OR certified statement of accuracy.
Standard civil documents you'll often need: Full UK passport (not provisional) — issued within 10 years for Schengen entry; UK driving licence or BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) for non-UK-born residents; Council tax bill / utility bill in your name (address proof, within 3 months); Bank statements (UK high-street bank, certified copy if asked); Original birth certificate (long-form, with parents' details — for citizenship-by-descent applications); …
Fees on the destination's visa page are typically quoted in the destination currency. Your preferred currency for budgeting: GBP. Where to apply: Most embassies in London (Belgravia / Mayfair). Spanish + Italian + Portuguese have additional consulates in Edinburgh + Manchester. Australian + NZ + Canadian use VFS Global / TLScontact centres.
Post-Brexit British applicants are 'third-country nationals' for EU long-stay routes — no preferential treatment vs Americans, Australians etc. Some EU member states still offer streamlined processing for British applicants (Spain, Portugal, France in particular).
Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
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Alternative routes
If this visa doesn't work for you — adjacent passports, related destinations, second-best routes.
Other visa types for this route
We also have data on these visa categories between GB and ES.
Tourism
2/10Schengen short-stay (Annex II — visa-exempt)
2 options · See details
Business
7/10Schengen Type C Business Visa — Spain
1 option · See details
Work
8/10Spain Digital Nomad visa (Ley 28/2022)
6 options · See details
Study
10/10Long-Stay Student Visa (Visado de Estudios) — Spain
2 options · See details
More for British travellers
Other places to go and other reasons to go to Spain.
Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
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Sources & verification
Every claim above traced to an official government source.
Sources & references
Every link below is a primary government source. We aggregate; the source is the authority. If anything on this page disagrees with a link below, the link wins.
Where this page's data came from
- Visado de Reagrupación Familiar (Family Reunification) — Spainextranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
- Schengen short-stay (Annex II — visa-exempt)eur-lex.europa.eu
- Visa-free (90 days)exteriores.gob.es
- Schengen Type C Business Visa — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Spain Digital Nomad visa (Ley 28/2022)exteriores.gob.es
- Non-Lucrative Visa (Visado de Residencia No Lucrativa) — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Spain Golden Visa — REAL ESTATE ROUTE CLOSED 2025extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es
- Startup Law Entrepreneur Visa — Spainempresas.sepe.es
- Long-Stay Student Visa (Visado de Estudios) — Spainexteriores.gob.es
- Visado de Estudios (Student) — Spainuniversidades.gob.es
Your country's foreign-affairs ministry
Independent travel advisories
While you're here
Practical next steps
Useful links for travel to Spain
Official government and authority links only. Commercial provider slots (travel insurance, international health insurance, passport photos, registered immigration advisers) are coming soon — we're shortlisting the first cohort. Get featured here →
Required vaccinations & shots
All providers →Up-to-date guidance from the CDC, NHS Fit for Travel, and other national health bodies on required and recommended vaccinations for your destination. Yellow Fever certificates are mandatory for entry from some routes.
NHS Fit for Travel (UK)
OfficialUK National Travel Health Network's country-by-country vaccination + malaria advice. Authoritative for UK residents; covers routine, recommended, and certificate-mandatory shots.
Australian Smartraveller
OfficialDFAT travel health guidance for Australians, with country pages covering required and recommended vaccinations plus health-system risk levels.
CDC Yellow Book (US)
OfficialAuthoritative US CDC guidance: required + recommended vaccinations and prophylaxis by destination, plus advisories on outbreaks, food/water safety, and traveller's diarrhoea.
Informational only. A valid visa permits entry subject to officer discretion at the border. Always verify with the destination's embassy or official source before travel, employment, or relocation.