Young, British, And Want To Live In Spain? Here’s How

The holidays are over, and it’s clip to caput backmost location to bad upwind and everyone griping astir nan authorities of nan world. But, what if you could unrecorded and activity successful Spain? Since Brexit, it has been impossible, right? Not so.

Despite free activity being taken distant by nan determination to time off nan European Union, location whitethorn beryllium situations nether which you could alteration your life and summation ineligible residency successful Spain. But, it won’t beryllium a locomotion successful nan park. This article provides a concise guideline connected really young Brits tin legally activity and unrecorded successful Spain, including options for staying semipermanent done arraigo (residency by societal ties) aft 2 years.

Working successful Spain: Visa options for British citizens

Post-Brexit, British citizens are considered third-country nationals, meaning you’ll request a visa to unrecorded and activity successful Spain beyond nan 90-day Schengen limit. Here are nan main pathways:

• Non-Lucrative Visa: Ideal for those pinch savings aliases distant income. You tin unrecorded successful Spain but cannot activity for European employers. Remote activity for a UK-based institution is allowed, for example, online.
• Work Visa: Requires a occupation connection from a Spanish employer. Options include:
  • Highly Qualified Professional Visa: For skilled roles pinch a minimum net (around €40,000/year).
  • General Work Visa: Employer must beryllium nary different suitable EU/EEA campaigner exists (rare). If you were looking to beryllium a individual trainer, aliases waiter, hide it. There are already thousands.
  • Intra-Company Transfer Visa: For transfers wrong a institution to a Spanish branch. For this, nan employer would request to beryllium your unsocial skills are indispensable to nan Spanish branch’s operations. An progressively communal 1 pinch world companies.
• EU Blue Card: For highly skilled roles successful fields for illustration tech aliases engineering, requiring a occupation connection and a net of astir €33,000 to €45,000. While plumbing mightiness not beryllium mostly considered “highly skilled”, nan scenery is decidedly changing, truthful watch this space.
• Digital Nomad Visa: Perfect for young freelancers aliases distant workers employed by non-Spanish companies. Requires nan expertise to show a unchangeable income (at slightest €2,646/month successful 2025).
• Self-Employment Visa: For starting a business aliases freelancing successful Spain, requiring a coagulated business plan. “I’m opening a bar,” mightiness not trim it. Think retired of nan container for this one, and consult a Spanish business advisor.
• Student Visa: Allows constricted activity (up to 30 hours/week) alongside studies. This 1 is very absorbing arsenic it would let clip to study nan language, culture, and to determine if Spain really is for you. However, you would request to show you person capable income to enactment while you are studying, earlier you find a job. So, get saving!
• Family Reunification: If you’re joined to aliases successful a semipermanent business pinch an EU/EEA national surviving successful Spain (including Spanish) aliases a Brit pinch pre-Brexit residency rights, you tin summation residency and activity rights.

Key Requirements:

• Valid passport, wellness insurance, cleanable criminal record, and impervious of accommodation.
• Apply via nan Spanish consulate successful nan UK; processing takes 1–3 months.
• Obtain a TIE (residence card) wrong 30 days of arriving successful Spain. This tin beryllium done if you person moved to Spain nether 1 of nan supra conditions.

For details, it is worthy consulting a qualified migration lawyer successful Spain.

Staying long-term: Arraigo Options

Once you’ve managed to unrecorded successful Spain for 2 years (legally aliases irregularly), you whitethorn perchance suffice for “arraigo”, a residency licence by exceptional circumstances. This is simply a game-changer for young Brits wanting to enactment long-term. Here’s really it works:

Types of Arraigo

Arraigo Social: Requires 2 years of continuous residence successful Spain and a occupation connection aliases impervious of societal integration (e.g., organization ties). You’ll request a activity statement for astatine slightest 20 hours/week, gathering nan minimum costs aliases corporate statement standards. Multiple part-time aliases seasonal contracts are accepted if they adhd up to 20 hours. Check www.inclusion.gob.es for much details.

Arraigo Sociolaboral: Similar to Arraigo Social but focuses connected employment. Requires a occupation statement (minimum 20 hours/week) and 2 years of residence. Your employers must beryllium up to day pinch your payments to nan taxation agency and societal security, truthful cash-in-hand jobs  won’t trim it here.

Arraigo Socioformativo (introduced May 2025): For those pursuing acquisition aliases training. Requires 2 years successful Spain and enrolment successful approved courses, specified as: Secondary education, vocational training, aliases master certificates (e.g., successful hospitality, IT, aliases healthcare). This 1 covers 26 master fields, from arts to transport. Consult an migration lawyer for much details.

Arraigo Familiar: No two-year requirement. Eligible if you’re a genitor aliases guardian of an EU/EEA/Swiss insignificant successful Spain, aliases support an EU/EEA/Swiss national pinch a disability, surviving pinch them and gathering parental/support obligations.

Arraigo de Segunda Oportunidad: Requires 2 years of residence and is for those who’ve mislaid anterior residency status, offering a chance to regularise.

Key arraigo requirements

Two-Year Rule: For each isolated from Arraigo Familiar, you must beryllium you person continuously resided successful Spain for astatine slightest 2 years. Absences totalling much than 90 days successful this play disqualify you automatically. Proving that you person been successful Spain continuously for 2 years tin beryllium amazingly easy. Bank statements that show you regularly shop astatine Mercadona, aliases different shop, for illustration would beryllium a bully form. Bills, gym membership, enrolment successful a course, for illustration are others. Any dated archive pinch your sanction pinch your sanction connected it is good. The much nan better!

No Criminal Record: In each cases of residence application, this is essential. And, yes, nan Spanish constabulary are successful touch pinch nan UK police. A cleanable grounds successful Spain and countries of residence for nan past 5 years, aliases don’t fuss trying, I’m afraid.

Application Timing: Manage your timing well. Apply only aft completing 2 years and 1 day. Early applications are denied without appeal, forcing you to restart nan process.

Why arraigo matters

Arraigo offers a pathway to ineligible residency (typically 1 year, renewable) for those who’ve built a life successful Spain, moreover if a small irregularly. It’s perfect for young Brits who initially get connected short-term visas aliases overstay nan 90-day Schengen limit but merge done work, study, aliases family ties. Deliberately trying to outstay your welcome, is decidedly not recommended though.

Tips for young Brits wanting a life successful Spain

• Plan Ahead: Secure a occupation connection aliases enrol successful a qualifying people for arraigo socioformativo to fortify your case.
• Document Everything: Keep records of your clip successful Spain to beryllium residency for arraigo.
• Learn Spanish: Language skills will boost occupation prospects and integration, particularly for arraigo social.
• Check Regulations: Consult a Spanish migration lawyer for updates.
• Network Locally: Join expat aliases section communities to find occupation leads and integration opportunities.

Moving to Spain arsenic a young Brit is still achievable pinch immoderate difficult activity and nan expertise to show you really emotion Spain. In immoderate case, consult an migration lawyer successful Spain pinch immoderate scheme you determine on.