In short
US citizens can visit Spain visa-free for 90 days in any 180 (Schengen) but cannot work. Retirees and people with passive income use the non-lucrative visa: €2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) in 2026 plus €600 per dependant, insurance without co-payments and no work, not even remote. Remote workers use the digital nomad visa: €34,188 a year (about €2,849 a month), and they can apply inside Spain for a 3-year permit. The golden visa closed on 3 April 2025. New residents who move for work can choose the Beckham regime — 24% on salary up to €600,000 for 6 years. Long-term residence comes after 5 years; citizenship after 10, with A2 Spanish and a civics test. A single person spends about €2,150 a month including central rent in Madrid, and about €1,500–2,050 in Seville, Valencia or Málaga.
Moving to Spain: key facts
Last verified 28 September 2026| Visits | US citizens can stay visa-free up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, without working; entries are registered in the Entry/Exit System (fully running since 10 April 2026)# Source: Entry/Exit System (EES) – European Commission Migration & Home Affairs |
|---|---|
| Non-lucrative visa | Passive income or savings of 400% of IPREM — €2,400 a month or €28,800 a year in 2026 — plus €600 a month (€7,200 a year) per dependant; no work of any kind, including remote work# Source: Consulate General of Spain in New York – Non-Working Residence Visa · Consulate General of Spain in Chicago – Non-Lucrative Residence Visa |
| Digital nomad visa | Gross income of at least 200% of the minimum wage — €34,188 a year in 2026 (about €2,849 a month; US consulates quote €2,442 × 14) — plus 75% of the minimum wage for the first family member and 25% for each other; a degree or 3 years of experience; at least 3 months with your employer or clients, an employer operating for 1 year, and freelancers may earn up to 20% from Spanish clients# Source: Consulate General of Spain in Washington – Telework (Digital nomad) Visa · Consulate General of Spain in Houston – Telework Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) |
| Digital nomad permit length | Visa from a consulate for up to 1 year, or a residence permit of up to 3 years applied for inside Spain at the UGE (also during a visa-free stay), decided in 20 working days; renewals of 2 years with no overall cap# Source: Regulación de la residencia de nómadas digitales (Sepin) · Consulate General of Spain in Houston – Telework Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) · Consulate General of Spain in Washington – Telework (Digital nomad) Visa |
| Golden visa | Closed: Organic Law 1/2025 repealed the investor visa from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before that date are decided under the old rules, and existing holders can renew# Source: Inversores – Unidad de Grandes Empresas (Ministerio de Inclusión) |
| Beckham regime | 24% on employment income up to €600,000 (47% above) for the year of arrival plus 5 years, if you were not resident in the previous 5 years and move for a job, remote work (incl. the digital nomad visa), a directorship or an innovative business — not for non-lucrative visa holders. Optional: file Modelo 149 within 6 months of starting work# Source: Artículo 93 Ley del IRPF (Iberley – consolidated text) · Modelo 149 – Instrucciones para cumplimentar la comunicación (Agencia Tributaria) |
| Long-term residence | After 5 years of continuous legal residence (no absence over 6 months, 10 months in total), with health insurance and sufficient resources; card renewed every 5 years# Source: Hoja 50 – Autorización de residencia de larga duración UE (Ministerio de Inclusión) |
| Citizenship | 10 years of legal, continuous residence for Americans (2 for Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea; 1 if married to a Spaniard), plus the DELE A2 Spanish and CCSE civics exams# Source: Código Civil (BOE) arts. 22–23 · Instituto Cervantes – Nacionalidad española (DELE A2 y CCSE) |
| Dual citizenship | Americans must declare that they renounce US citizenship when naturalising, but the US does not treat that declaration as loss of citizenship — that needs a formal renunciation at a US consulate# Source: 7 FAM 1220 Developing a Loss-of-Nationality Case (US Dept of State) |
| Healthcare | Workers and the self-employed are covered by the public SNS; others can buy in through the Convenio Especial after 1 year on the padrón — €60 a month under 65, €157 from 65# Source: Convenio especial de prestación de asistencia sanitaria (Ministerio de Sanidad) |
| US Social Security | Under treaty article 20 the US may tax it, and Spain taxes it as your country of residence with a credit for US tax# Source: Convenio US–Spain income tax treaty text (IRS) |
| US–Spain Social Security agreement | In force since 1 April 1988 — avoids paying into both systems (posted workers up to 5 years) and lets you combine credits; it does not cover health care# Source: POMS RS 02001.455 – Effective Date – U.S.-Spanish Agreement (SSA) |
Not American?
Canadians, Australians, Brits and other non-EU citizens: the same rules apply
Spain's residence routes are the same for most non-EU citizens. A few points differ:
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- South Korea
- + other visa-free countries
| Citizenship | Americans, Canadians, Brits and Australians need 10 years; citizens of Ibero-American countries, Portugal, Andorra and the Philippines need 2 and can keep their nationality. |
|---|---|
| EU citizens | Need no visa — they register as EU residents after 3 months. |
| Home-country tax | US citizens remain taxable in the US on worldwide income; most other nationals who move are taxed only where they live. |
| Documents from abroad | Need an apostille; the US, Canada (since 11 Jan 2024), the UK, Australia and NZ issue them. Add an official Spanish translation.Source: HCCH: Apostille Convention status table |
Country Overview
Spain at a Glance
Key facts Americans need before deciding.
Madrid
3.5 million people in the city, 7.1 million in the region. See our Living in Madrid guide.
Spanish
Plus Catalan, Galician and Basque in their regions. Citizenship needs A2 Spanish.
Euro (€)
NATO since 1982, EU since 1986, Schengen since 1995, euro since 1999.
Nonstop
Iberia flies to Madrid from 8 US cities; American, Delta, United and Air Europa add more.
SNS + private
Workers join the public SNS; others buy in for €60 a month (€157 from 65) after a year, or use private cover.
49.8 million
July 2026 — about 7.4 million foreign nationals, and about 50,600 Americans.
10 years
For Americans, with DELE A2 and the CCSE civics test.
84 years
Among the highest in the EU (2024).
Pathways to Residency
Which Visa Route is Right for You?
US citizens can visit visa-free for 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. Most routes start with a visa from the Spanish consulate for your US state, but the digital nomad, entrepreneur and highly qualified permits can also be requested inside Spain during a visa-free stay.
Non-Lucrative Visa
€2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) in income or savings, plus €600 a month per dependant; Spanish-authorised insurance with no co-payments; no work, not even remote.
- Min. income
- €2,400/month
- Permit
- 1 year, then 2
Digital Nomad Visa
€34,188 a year (about €2,849 a month) from employers or clients outside Spain — freelancers may earn up to 20% in Spain. A degree or 3 years of experience.
- Min. income
- €34,188/year
- Permit
- Up to 3 years
Golden Visa — Closed
Repealed from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before then are decided under the old rules, and existing holders can renew.
- New applications
- None since Apr 2025
Entrepreneur Permit
An innovative business with a favourable ENISA report; permit of up to 3 years from the UGE, decided in 20 working days.
- Report
- ENISA
Work Permit & Blue Card
A Spanish job offer. The Blue Card needs €41,356 a year (€33,085 for graduates and shortage jobs).
- Blue Card
- €41,356/year
Long-term Residence & Citizenship
Long-term residence after 5 years. Citizenship after 10 years, with DELE A2 and CCSE; you declare renunciation of US citizenship, which the US does not treat as loss.
- Citizenship
- 10 years
Cost of Living
What Does Life in Spain Actually Cost?
Madrid and Barcelona are the dearest; Valencia and Málaga have caught up fast, while Seville and Alicante remain cheaper.
| Item | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment, Madrid centre | about €1,332 |
| 1-bedroom apartment, Madrid outside centre | about €1,066 |
| 1-bedroom apartment, Valencia / Málaga centre | about €1,270–1,315 |
| 1-bedroom apartment, Seville centre | about €831 |
| Everyday costs without rent (single person, Madrid) | about €820 |
| Utilities (85 m²) + internet | about €130–200 |
| Monthly public transport pass (subsidised 2026) | about €23–35 |
Estimates from Numbeo (October 2026). Source: Numbeo: Madrid · Numbeo: Valencia · Numbeo: Seville
A single person spends about €2,150 a month in Madrid including central rent — about the same as Lisbon and 60% less than New York. The non-lucrative minimum of €2,400 a month covers this, but not much more for a couple in a big city.
Why Spain
What Americans Love About Spain
Beyond the visa — the real reasons expats choose Spain.
Long, Healthy Lives
Life expectancy of 84 years, one of the highest in the EU.
Trains and Flights
High-speed trains link Madrid with Valencia in under 2 hours and Barcelona or Seville in about 2.5; nonstop flights to many US cities.
Fast Internet
Fibre to the home reaches about 96% of households — good news for remote workers.
A Visa for Remote Work
The digital nomad permit can be requested inside Spain and leads to long-term residence after 5 years.
Variety
Big-city Madrid and Barcelona, Mediterranean Valencia and Málaga, Andalusian Seville, the Canary and Balearic Islands.
US Social Security Agreement
The 1988 agreement prevents paying into both systems and lets you combine credits.
Where to Live
Life in Spain's Top Expat Locations
From the capital to the coast.
Madrid
The capital — jobs, culture, the US Embassy and the most US flights. See our Living in Madrid guide.
Barcelona
Spain's second city and start-up hub — about €2,320 a month including central rent, with rent caps in force.
Valencia
Mediterranean beaches and a big new expat community; about €2,005 a month.
Málaga and the Costa del Sol
Sunshine (over 2,900 hours a year) and a growing tech scene; about €2,040 a month in Málaga.
Seville and Alicante
The lowest totals of the cities we checked — about €1,525 and €1,635.
How It Works
From Decision to Your Spain Residence Permit
We guide you through every step — from first consultation to settled life in Spain.
Free consultation
We assess your income, work and family and confirm the right route — non-lucrative, digital nomad, entrepreneur or work.
Documents
FBI check, insurance and proof of income — apostilled and translated into Spanish.
Visa or in-country application
At the consulate for your US state, or for digital nomads and founders at the UGE in Spain during a visa-free stay.
Arrive, register and get your TIE
Register on the padrón at your town hall and apply for the TIE card within 1 month.
Settle in
Decide on the Beckham regime within 6 months of starting work, and keep up your US filings.
Free Tools
Plan Your Move with Our Calculators
Built specifically for Americans considering a European move.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best visa for Americans moving to Spain?
Retirees and people living on passive income use the non-lucrative visa (€2,400 a month in 2026). Remote workers use the digital nomad visa (€34,188 a year). Founders use the entrepreneur permit, and employees a work permit or Blue Card.
Did Spain's golden visa end?
Yes. Organic Law 1/2025 repealed it from 3 April 2025 — no new applications. Applications filed before then are decided under the old rules, and existing holders can renew.
What is the Beckham Law?
An optional regime for people who move to Spain for a job, remote work, a directorship or an innovative business and were not resident in the previous 5 years — 24% on employment income up to €600,000 for 6 years. You must file Modelo 149 within 6 months of starting work. It does not apply to the non-lucrative visa.
Can Americans keep US citizenship if they become Spanish?
Spain asks Americans to declare that they renounce their US citizenship, but the US does not treat that declaration as loss — only a formal renunciation at a US consulate ends it.
How long does it take to become a Spanish citizen?
10 years of legal, continuous residence for Americans, plus the DELE A2 Spanish and CCSE civics exams. Long-term residence is possible after 5.
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