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Spain's start-up visa: a residence permit for entrepreneurs

A 3-year residence permit on an ENISA report. There is no investment or hiring threshold.

Price from

$14,500

Best for

Teams of two founders

Timeline

5–6 months

An ENISA report is a mandatory condition rather than a formality

The report is requested by UGE-CE itself, but everything starts with the form at enisa.es. The report can be unfavourable: the agency refuses if the business model raises doubts over reputational, regulatory, ethical or speculative risks. Without a favourable report the permit is not granted.

The 3-year term has applied since 23 December 2022

Before that date Ley 14/2013 gave no term at all for an entrepreneur's permit. The three years, and renewal for two, were written into Article 69.1 by Ley 28/2022 — the law on support for the start-up ecosystem.

The conditions of the status have to be maintained for the whole term

Any change is reported to UGE-CE within 30 days, otherwise the permit is cancelled. The visa and the permit are withdrawn if a person threatens public order, public security or public health — Article 62.7 of Ley 14/2013 as amended by Ley 11/2023, in force since 10 May 2023.

The choice

The start-up visa or the digital nomad visa

The difference is where the income comes from. The entrepreneur builds a business in Spain, and everything turns on the ENISA report about how innovative the project is: the law sets no minimum investment and no obligation to hire. The remote worker is employed by companies outside the country, and there the checks are on income, track record and the contract. The money threshold is the same for both — 200% of the minimum wage, €2,849 a month in 2026.

	Start-up visa	Digital nomad
Basis	Your own business in Spain — Article 70 of Ley 14/2013	Remote work for companies outside Spain — Article 74 bis
What the state checks	An ENISA report on how innovative and scalable the project is	Income, the length of the relationship with the employer, and the company trading for at least a year
Living funds	€2,849 a month; no investment or hiring threshold	€2,849 a month
Working in Spain	You may run your own business	An employee may not; a self-employed applicant may take a Spanish client for up to 20% of their activity
Term of the status	3 years, renewed for 2 years	Up to 3 years: the term follows the employment relationship
Price of the service	From €8,900; a project from scratch — €14,900	From €3,500

Compare with 9 programmes: special and combined routesRequirements, timelines and the right to work across every country on this ground.

Packages

You have your own start-up

The project is ready: we describe the model against the ENISA criteria and file

from$14,500

You have no start-up of your own

We develop the project from scratch through to UGE-CE approval

from$16,700

Second founder

A partner on the same project applies together with you

from$12,200

We fix the exact package after reviewing your case. You pay the expert directly.

Residence permit in Spain: comparing the options

The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.

Option	Best for	Timeline	Price
Digital nomad visa for Spain	Remote IT workers	2–4 months	from $3,920
Residence permit in Spain for financially independent people	Pensioners, people living on investment income	3–6 months	from $4,370
Residence permit in Spain through language courses	Those who need status in Spain for a year, those learning Spanish before applying for another status, families where the adults apply separately	3–4 months	from $6,720
Spain's start-up visa: a residence permit for entrepreneursyou are here	Founders with a finished product or a prototype, teams of two founders, those who so far have only a business idea	5–6 months	from $14,500

What the service includes

Scope: a tick means included in the price, a cross means not included
	Drawing up a business plan against the ENISA criteria
	The ENISA form and filing the application with UGE-CE
	Support through to the decision and receipt of the card
	The fee for the permit — €70.40, and for renewal — €75.60 under Orden ESS/1571/2014; the amounts are index-linked, and the final figure is shown by form 790— billed separately
	The national D visa at the consulate — €90— billed separately
	The TIE foreigner's card — €16.08— billed separately
	Health insurance and sworn translations of documents— billed separately

Documents and programme requirements

1Aged 18 or over; on the day of filing you may not be in Spain unlawfully — Article 62.3 of Ley 14/2013
2A favourable ENISA report on the innovative character of the project: without it the permit is not granted (Article 70.1)
3Funds for yourself — 200% of the minimum wage, €2,849/month in 2026
4For the second family member a further 75% of the minimum wage is added, and another 25% for each one after that
5Health insurance — public, or private with an insurer licensed in Spain, for the whole term of the permit
6A criminal record certificate for the countries of residence over the last 2 years, and a declaration covering 5 years
7There is no minimum investment sum and no mandatory number of jobs

How the process runs

5–6 months

Step 1We fill in the ENISA form: we register at enisa.es and describe the project — the product, the model, the team, the market.
Step 2We prepare the documents: the application form, the fee under model 790, the passport in full, proof of funds, insurance.
Step 3We file the application through the UGE-CE electronic office using a certificate or Cl@ve.
Step 4ENISA prepares its report within 10 working days. It can be favourable or unfavourable.
Step 5UGE-CE decides within 20 days. Silence from the authority means consent.
Step 6If you are abroad, we go to the consulate for a D visa: a decision in 10 working days, a visa for a year or for the term of the permit.
Step 7In Spain we obtain the TIE card. For the first six months a passport is enough for registration with the Seguridad Social.

Frequently asked questions

Can I file the application while already in Spain?

Yes. Article 69.1 allows filing by those who hold a visa or a permit to stay or to reside. Such applicants do not need to travel to a consulate, and the filing itself preserves the current status until the case is decided.

How does the start-up visa differ from the digital nomad visa?

For the nomad it is the remote work that is checked: an employee works only for companies outside Spain, while a self-employed applicant is allowed a Spanish client if it takes up no more than 20% of their professional activity. For the entrepreneur the key condition is a different one — a favourable ENISA report. There are no investment or hiring thresholds, and the permit is granted for 3 years straight away.

Is Spanish required?

No. Neither Ley 14/2013 nor the ministry's Instrucción DGM 1/2023 sets any language requirement. Documents may be filed in English, but the authority can request a sworn translation.

What taxes does the holder of the status pay?

An entrepreneur under Article 70 of Ley 14/2013 may opt for the special regime of Article 93: 24% on income up to €600,000 and 47% on the excess. Dividends, interest and capital gains are taxed separately — from 19% to 30% on a scale. The condition for entry: not having been a Spanish tax resident for the previous 5 years.

What exactly does ENISA assess?

Innovation is looked for in the business model, the product, the processes, proprietary technology or patents. State R&D funding over the last 3 years, a regional innovation award, the Pyme Innovadora seal and an AENOR certificate all count. Scalability is assessed separately: the market, the stage of the project, the team, competitors and customers.

Can a spouse and children come as well?

Yes. A spouse or partner, minor children, dependent adult children and dependent parents file their documents together with the applicant. Where they file at the same time, the decisions are issued at the same time.

How long is the status granted for, and what comes next?

The permit is valid for 3 years across the whole of Spain, and renewal is for 2 years. After 5 years of continuous residence, long-term residence under Article 32 of Ley 4/2000 becomes available. Citizenship by naturalisation requires 10 years.

Sources

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