The current US political climate has sent many people scrambling to get passports and find an escape route if the country descends into fascism.  Same, girl, that’s why I’m already gone.  For most americans, Canada is an obvious choice to move to, but like many countries, Canada uses a “Points System” to decide if someone is up to their standards.  They give points for age, education, marital status, and income to determine if they want you.  You can play with their points calculator and see how it works.  https://ircc.canada.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp

This can be prohibitive to a lot of people. But don’t dismay, there are new visa schemes in lots of countries that are making it more possible all the time. The most common visas are for digital nomads, students, retirees, or investors.  The bad news is it’s a process that takes several months overall.  The good news is there’s a lot you can start doing today! 

I chose to move to Spain because, well it’s incredible, the cost of living is low, it’s a progressive society, and the healthcare is excellent.  For simplicity, I’m going to focus on a single person and the Non-Working (Non-Lucrative) Visa because it has all the basic steps that are applicable to nearly all situations.  This visa requires that you have sufficient funds in the bank to live in Spain for one year because you won’t be allowed to work in Spain.  Digital nomad or employment (including self-employment) have some additional steps but it’s essentially the same process.

First and foremost, and I can’t stress this enough, an immigration attorney is invaluable!  Yes, you can go it without one, but they will help you in ways you can’t even imagine yet.  They can call the consulate directly and get answers much easier than you can.  Immigration laws and procedures are constantly changing and consulates may be slow to update their websites.  An attorney stays apprised of these changes and knows the inner workings much better than you ever will.  And you’re getting peace of mind that everything is being done correctly. 

After a lot of research, I chose Carbray International because they’re well established, they have great reviews, and they offered a free, no obligation video consultation.  They offer their prices upfront, there were no surprises, and they continue to provide help even after you’ve moved because there’s still more to do.

An immigration attorney doesn’t do the work for you, they guide you through the steps and help with any hiccups.  You still have to do the work.  The steps for this visa are at the Spanish consulate’s website and are pretty straightforward. But if you’re like me, it all makes sense until it doesn’t. What the eff is an apostille? How do I get health insurance in Spain? Which official translator should I pick?

I did everything I could do on my own and once I got stuck, I reached out to Carbray for help.  So here’s how you can get started…

1.      Get or renew your passport.  You should always have a valid passport anyway in case you need to flee your country for any reason. 

2.      Get your visa application picture taken. I took their handy sample page to Walgreens for my picture but any place that does passport pictures can do it.  I wish I had known that this was going to be the picture that followed me on every piece of ID in Spain.  So look your best.  Get 4 copies.  One will be glued (not stapled) to the application and the other can go loose with your last name on the back. You’ll need at least one more later.

3.      You can get your FBI background check at the post office!  Follow the online process at the FBI first then go into the post office for the final fingerprinting.  It’s all done electronically and you’ll have your rap sheet within 48 hours.  I had mine before I even got home from the post office. 

4.      You’ll need a certificate of good health. Bring this template to your doctor to fill out, stamp, and sign.  This original and a copy will be sent to the consulate.  (I accidentally sent them 2 copies and they wouldn’t accept it.  I had to rush to get the original sent to them, which was a panic moment because I initially didn’t understand what was wrong and I wasn’t in the country to resolve it.  The team at Carbray knew how to get an extension, they handled it easily which gave me the time to fix it.  I wouldn’t have even known that was an option if I were doing it on my own.)

5.      Write a letter.  This isn’t technically necessary, but it’s a good idea, and my attorney helped me craft it.  Introduce yourself.  Say why you want to live in Spain and what you love about it.  Mention your hobbies and passions, and what you plan on doing while you’re here.  I mentioned that I wanted to volunteer with a cat rescue (and I do now!) and learn Spanish cooking (work in progress). 

6.      Make a photocopy of both sides of your driver’s license or state ID.  You’ll submit this to show the consulate that you live it its jurisdiction.  You’ll be submitting your application to one of the nine consulates according to this map.

7.      You’ll need to be able to demonstrate that you have financial means to support yourself.  You’ll have to get a notarized ORIGINAL of a bank statement to prove this.  Furthermore, they will want a copy of your last 1 to 3 years of tax returns and three months of bank statements.  Start making copies. For this visa, you have to have a minimum amount of money in the bank.  There are variations to this such as if you have investment income or collect a pension.  The IPREM is the minimum they think a person needs to live for a year and they want you to have 4x that.  Just look up the current IPREM and do the math. 

This was as far as I could get without help. By the time I contacted Carbray, I had these steps either completed or in the works. But the rest of it confused me and I wanted to be sure it was done right the first time.

​Visa Application form 2024.pdf​.  Easy enough.  Oh, you don’t speak Spanish?  That’s why you have an immigration attorney.  They’ll fill this out for you.  There is a version in English online, but you’ll have to have it translated later and that will cost more money. If you speak Spanish, this form will be a breeze for you.

Formulario EX01 - solicitud residencia temporal no lucrativa.pdf.  Your attorney will help with this, too, but you’ll need an address in Spain.  If you have a friend or someone who will let you use their address, do that.  The consulate website says you can just put the city and province, but when I was applying, they wanted a real address.  An AirBnb won’t be accepted and your attorney can’t provide an address for you.  Also indicate the date you plan to move, that’s the date your visa will start.

Form 790 code 052.  The last form to fill out.  You have to pay the $12 application fee either online at the link, or include a money order.  You’re going to have to get a money order anyway so there’s no advantage either way.

Payment of the visa fee.  Here’s where you need the money order.  The visa fee is $140 so if you didn’t pay the application fee online, you’ll need a MO for $152 made out to the CONSULATE GENERAL OF SPAIN.

Health insurance.  This was the part in the process where I realized I needed to find an immigration attorney.  Carbray was able to refer me to a private insurance broker because as a non-working immigrant, you won’t qualify for socialized healthcare.  The process was pretty simple, my coverage is excellent, includes DENTAL AND TRANSGENDER CARE, and is more affordable than equivalent coverage in the US.  You’ll get an insurance certificate from the company you choose.  Make sure it includes “repatriation” which, in case you didn’t know, means returning your body to the US if you die in Spain.

Your FBI background check will have to be Apostilled.  It’s kind of like a notary for federal documents, it’s an international standard that many countries recognize.  This is to prevent fake background checks.  What happens is you send the background check to the Office of the Apostille and the federal government affirms that it is a true and correct copy.  For me, this was the longest wait of the entire process - a little over 3 weeks.

​Then ANY and ALL of the documents that are in English will have to be translated into Spanish.  There are lots and lots of official translators to choose from, but your attorney will likely have someone they can call on for speedier service.

You can’t apply for a visa while you’re in Spain, you MUST submit your application from the US.  This whole package along with your passport goes with a self-addressed and pre-paid Express Mail envelope for your passport return.  And then you wait.  After I dealt a little wrinkle of the health certificate, it only took 3 weeks to get the package from them.  I was SO excited but then immediately disappointed when I found that all they had done was return the passport to me.  However, three hours later I realized that the visa is glued to a page INSIDE the passport!  And yes, the awful Walgreens photo is on it.

The visa is good for 3 months from the date you stated your entry would be. This gives you time to move and get settled, because within 30 days of your arrival, you’ll need to go register your address and get your residency card. Carbray was awesome in setting this up for me, because there are local offices you’ll have to go to, and more steps to complete. I can’t imagine having to figure it all out without their help, I wouldn’t have known where to go, how to make the appointments, or what to bring with me. But it’s not difficult, and once you have that residency card, you’re good for a year. For a small fee, Carbray will help with the renewal as well, so this is something you may want to ask a prospective immigration attorney.

That, in a nutshell, is the process for getting residency to move to Spain. Of course, other countries will have different forms and different procedures but the process is basically the same. Wait times can fluctuate so if you’re serious about moving, get started now. I’ve been living abroad for many months now and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer! Or if you have helpful tips, leave them below!