How Many Days Can I Stay In Spain As A Non Resident?
Many foreigners have the same question. If I move to Spain, how long can I live in the country without actually applying for residency? Which is the legal length I am allowed to stay without many times long and tedious residence permit application? In this article we are going to solve this doubt once for all! In order to answer this question we are going to use the 90-day rule.
This rule simply states that you can live in Spain without residency for a maximum of 90 days. After those 3 months, you need to either obtain a residence permit, or leave the country. And that is because the shortest stay option is the tourist (or Schengen) visa , which lasts exactly for 90 days.
That is, if you plan to visit the country for tourism, business, studies, or for any other reason that will take less than 90 days, you must apply for a tourist visa in order to enter Spain. But if you plan to stay longer than that, a residence permit is required.
Here you can find a list of all the different residence permits in the country. Each has its own requirements, and the best option entirely depends on your particular situation. Nevertheless, bear in mind that according to your country of origin, you may not need to apply for a Schengen visa in order to stay for a maximum of 90 days in Spain.
So you could freely enter the country without any prior application. Here you will find a list of all the countries that need to apply for one.
Can I stay in Spain for 180 days?
What is the 90 day rule? – Also known as the 90/180 day rule, the ‘ 90 day rule ‘ is an EU regulation. It states that, without a visa, non-EEA (European Economic Area) nationals are only allowed to spend 90 days – within a total period of 180 days – in any EU member country.
- You can choose to use the 90 days however you wish;
- For example, you could arrive on January 1 st and stay for 90 days in a row (until March 31 st );
- Or you could take several short breaks between January 1 st and June 29 th – spending a different length of time in Spain each time;
But either way, once you reach your 90 day quota, you must leave the country immediately – as there are strict penalties in place for outstaying the 90 day limit. And from that point, you cannot return to any country within the Schengen zone until another 90 days have passed.
Can I live in Spain for more than 90 days?
If you are a non-EEA national (including British) and wish to stay in Spain for longer than 90 days, you will need a visa. You should apply for the visa that suits your purpose from a Spanish Consulate in your home country. When your visa application is approved and you have the visa stamp in your passport, you may travel to Spain to apply for a residence permit.
When can I go back to Spain after 90 days?
When can I return to Spain after 90 days? – The first thing to keep in mind is that these 90 days are counted within a period of 6 months (1 semester). In other words, they are 90 days added together, they do not have to be consecutive, and must be considered in any 6-month ruling period.
What are the rules for staying in Spain?
As a result of Britain’s decision to leave the EU , Britons are now treated as third-party nationals when visiting Spain. This means that Britons can only spend 90 days out of every 180-day period in any EU country ( commonly known as the 90-day rule ). Many Britons are keen to circumnavigate this rule, and spend longer than 90 days in Spain in any given period, which is why Britons who are married to EU nationals are wondering whether this will enable them to extend their stays.
- If you are married to a spouse with an EU passport and you are travelling with them, can you spend longer than 90 days in Spain? Here’s everything you need to know: Understanding the 90-Day Rule The 90-day rule applies to all non EU-nationals who are visiting either the EU or Schengen zone;
It doesn’t matter what the reason for your visit to Spain, you cannot spend more than 90 days in the country at any one period of time without a visa. This rule applies to holidays, visiting a second home, or spending time with family who reside in Spain.
- The 90-day rule applied to Britons from January 1 st 2021, when the UK officially left the EU;
- This rule has been applied to visitors from Canada, America, Australia and other third-party countries for a much longer period of time;
If you want to work, study, or undergo vocational training in Spain then, even if your stay is for less than 90 days, you may still be required to apply for a visa. The 90-day rule means that you can spend 90 days in Spain out of each 180-day period: this can either be in one block of time, or in several smaller stays.
- This means that, provided you don’t do it all in one block, you can spend six months a year in the EU;
- You cannot spend 90 days in Spain and then 90 days in another EU country: you must leave the whole Schengen area in order to ensure you don’t fall foul of the law;
Can Being Married to an EU Citizen Extend Your Stay? If you’re married to an EU citizen then this can be very helpful when you come to apply for residency or other immigration requirements within the EU, but sadly it won’t help you to circumnavigate the 90-day rule.
- That’s because the EU’s immigration requirements are very clear: as a non-EU passport holder you can spend 90 days living in a European country with your spouse without a visa, but then you must apply for either a residency card or a visa, depending on the length and purpose of your stay;
It’s not all bad news though: as the spouse of an EU passport holder, applying for the visa or residency document that you need will certainly be easier, but you will still need to complete the application process. Applying For a Residency Permit in Spain As the partner of an EU national in Spain, you can apply for a family member residency card, which is called the tarjeta de residecia de familiar de ciudadano de la UE.
This is one of the easiest residency permits to apply for as, provided your spouse is already living and working in Spain, you won’t need to demonstrate proof of financial means to secure your residency.
Instead you will just need to show that your partner is registered in the country’s labour system, and makes contributions to social security. This same residency permit will also be available to any dependent children that you have. If your spouse has an EU passport but is not a resident of Spain, that wouldn’t mean that you could move to Spain independent of your partner: you would both have to move to Spain together, and your spouse would have to demonstrate that they have the financial means that they need to support both of you during your time in the country.
How many days can UK citizens stay in Spain?
UK citizens in Spain will be able to remain for a period of 3 months at a time, staying longer than this will require a visa. To spend more than 90 days in Spain in a period of 6 months Brits will need to acquire a Spanish Schengen visa. This can be obtained from a Spanish embassy or consulate in UK.