Eligibility check

Confirm you have a non-Spanish remote employer OR 80%+ non-Spanish clients
Verify you meet the income threshold: €2,849/month (€34,188/year) in 2026
Confirm your professional profile: university/postgraduate degree OR 3+ years of experience in the field
If W2 employee: confirm your home-country employer can provide a Social Security Letter of CoverageRequired under bilateral Convenios. US: SSA Form USA/E 101. UK: HMRC CA3822. Canada: Service Canada Certificate of Coverage.

Documents to gather

Valid passport (1+ year remaining validity)
Employment contract or freelance contracts (3+ months tenure)
12 months of income proof (payslips, tax returns, bank statements)
Apostilled criminal record certificate (every country lived in for 6+ months in past 5 years)
Sworn translation (traducción jurada) of all foreign documents into Spanish
Spanish-authorized private health insurance (no copays, full coverage)
Proof of company existence (registration / certificate of good standing)
Apostilled degree certificate OR work certificates documenting 3+ years experience
Letter of Coverage from home-country Social Security (optional)W2 / PAYE / equivalent employees only.

Pay Modelo 790 (Code 052), ~€80
Submit through the UGE portal (from inside Spain) OR Spanish consulate (from home country)
Wait 20 business days for decisionSilencio positivo: deemed approval if no response.

Empadronamiento at your local Ayuntamiento (town hall)Register your Spanish address. Required for almost everything else.
Apply for your TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) at the Oficina de Extranjería
Register with Social Security (TGSS) — if autónomo
Open a Spanish bank account
File Modelo 149 to opt into the Beckham LawCRITICAL: 6-month deadline from Social Security registration. Missing this loses Beckham eligibility permanently.