Spain

Spain is a member of the European Union and has the most LGBT-friendly laws in Europe, according to the LGBT Equality Index. It is also a lower-cost option in the EU.

Why Spain?

Legal gender recognition

In 2023, Spain passed the most progressive transgender rights law in the EU, the Ley Trans. It allows anyone 16 or older to self-identify with any gender, including a nonbinary gender option. Children 12 or 13 years can update their gender with a judge's approval, while children 14 or 15 can update their gender with their parents' approval.

Anti-discrimination laws

Spain has laws preventing discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in work and housing.

Public healthcare

Spain has a strong public healthcare system that ranks pretty highly.

Immigration pathways

Spain has immigration options for digital nomads, retirees, and skilled workers (see below).

Spain's aging population is causing a high demand for labor, even leading the government to give amnesty/regularization for immigrants who arrived before Dec 31, 2024.

English Language

Basic English is spoken widely in major cities.

Many expats

Spain is one of the more popular choices due to its climate, seaside towns, and visa options. It's also popular with Latin American nationals as Spain offers them a quicker path to residency and citizenship.

Why not Spain?

Like other European countries, the far right has been ascendant, represented by the Vox party. Meanwhile, the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) has been split between trans rights supporters and anti-trans feminists. In December 2024, the PSOE updated their party's platform to push for banning trans female athletes.

Legal issues

Spain seems to thrive on bureaucracy so navigating government forms, applications, and requirements will be challenging. For example, it may take a longer time than the legal maximum year of waiting to receive residency. Consider hiring an immigration lawyer or local.

Housing issues

The major cities are all facing housing shortages. Finding a rental in Barcelona, for example, requires renters to jump on listings as soon as they come available.

Visa issues

Spanish visas require an extra level of bureaucracy as all application documents need to be apostilled and translated by translators officially recognized by the government.

The residence registration (TIE/NIE) process once you arrive is also a bit complicated (see Spain/Arrival).

Political Situation for Trans People

While Spain's 2023 gender law is the most progressive in Europe (and perhaps the world), the far right has of course been pushing to eliminate it, the center-right (PP) party wants to curtail many rights, and the center-left (PSOE) socialist party is falling for the "protecting women in sports" story.

Rights for trans folks will vary a bit by autonomous community as well. Catalonia has consistently been on the forefront for LGBT protections and is currently one of the communities banning conversion therapy.

Spain has elected a few trans politicians. Carla Antonelli is Spain's first openly trans senator. Jimena González is a trans assembly member from Madrid.

Access to Trans Healthcare

Spain has a robust public health system, free of charge for residents.

Many people also get private insurance. The advantage of having private insurance is being able to see a specialist on-demand and to also have a dedicated primary care provider.

Immigration policy

Regardless of your immigration path, a key piece of advice from seasoned expats is, "bring or acquire a printer - you will be printing many documents as part of immigrating."

Temporary Residence Visas

All visa applications from the US are handled by BLS International. Once you have the appropriate documentation, you must book an appointment with BLS where they will review your application and send it to the local Spanish consulate.

Study Visa

Known in Spain as an "Auxiliar de conversación." It is for stays exceeding 90 days for studies, training, internships or voluntary work. This visa may also be issued for stays for au pairs and for conversation class assistants.

Job-Seeker Visa

If you graduate from a Spanish university you may apply for a job-seeker visa that allows you to stay and look for work for up to a year.

Highly Skilled Worker / Company Transfer Visa

Visa for Spanish companies to hire highly qualified workers and for intra-company transfers from a branch abroad. You must be a highly qualified professional, member of senior management personnel meeting certain criteria, or as a graduate or post-graduate of a prestigious university and/or business school.

In this process, your company will first submit an application to the Ministerio de Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones / Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos (Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration's Large Business and Strategic Groups Unit), aka UGE. They will require your CV (translated to Spanish), your diploma (Apostilled by your institution's state and translated), and a copy of your entire passport. In return you will get an initial Autorización de Residencia (residence permit) which assigns you an NIE. Contributor Aster received her permit after 11 business days.

Once the UGE either approves your application or fails to respond after 20 business days (considered a "positive" assent) you can then apply for your long term Schengen visa at your local Spanish consulate. The visa will take up to 10 business days to process.

If you have any family members (spouse, children) accompanying you, they will each apply for a family reunification visa with you listed as their sponsor.

All Documents Required

• CV/Resume translated to Spanish
• Proof of skills, which is either:
  • Diploma Apostilled and a sworn translation
  • Letters of recommendation from your employers with sworn translations
• Copy/scan of all pages of your passport
• Police_Clearance_Certificates apostilled with a sworn translation

EU Blue Card

Spain's version of the EU Blue Card has very similar criteria to the Highly Skilled Worker visa. If you find a job in Spain you will need to ask your employer to apply for this type of visa for you. It allows you to transfer residence to another EU country if your job in Spain ends. It is typically valid for up to 3 years and can be renewed. This visa requires a minimum annual salary of €38,844.

Telework / Digital Nomad

Nationals of third countries who travel to Spain to carry out a remote work or professional activity for companies located outside Spain, through the exclusive use of computer, telematics and telecommunication media and systems.

For this visa you need to prove that you make the equivalent of ​€2,368/month. You will also need a letter from your employer stating that you are allowed to work remotely.

You can apply for this visa either from your home country or from within Spain. If you apply from outside Spain the permit is only valid for a year (with the option to renew) but if you apply from within Spain your visa will be valid for 3 years (with option to renew). However, this may come with some risk, see Spain#Applying for Visas Within Spain

Non-working/Non-lucrative Visa

Visa to reside in Spain without carrying out any gainful (work or professional) activity, provided that the applicant has sufficient and guaranteed means to live on. You won't be able to work for any Spanish company.

North American Language and Culture Assistants Program NALCAP

Teach English in Spain in partnership with the Spanish embassy.

Family Reunification

​For those with a spouse, children or parents who are Spanish residents. These visas require a sponsor who is a Spanish citizen or foreigner with a temporary or permanent residence permit.

Spouses will need to provide a marriage license, apostilled with a sworn translation. Children will need to submit birth certificates with their sponsor's name matched to the parents listed (also apostilled/translated). Partners in domestic partnerships can also prove their relationship without a marriage license.

Long-Term Residence Permit

If you have lived in Spain/EU for at least 5 years, you can apply for EU Permanent Residency. Once approved, you will get a Tarjeta Comunitaria Permanente (permanent residency card).

Applying for Visas Within Spain

In some cases, you can enter Spain on a tourist visa and then apply for a work/residence permit. For example, in theory, you could enter Spain on a tourist visa, then get a job as a highly skilled worker. Once your company's application for your visa is approved by the UGE and you are given an NIE, you would then get your TIE within Spain, which grants you temporary residence.

However, this path can be risky, as:

• Your initial entry into Spain may be rejected if they think you intend to stay permanently without having a prior visa (i.e. a tourist visa on entry may need proof of exit/accommodations)
• You will need your TIE card on every entry back into Spain
• It is extremely difficult to book timely appointments to get your TIE

The standard procedure is to apply for a visa from your local consulate and they will attach a multiple-entry Shengen visa to your passport. This frees you from having to have your TIE at the border.

Paths to Citizenship

See wikipedia for detailed laws.

Naturalization

You can apply for citizenship if you have lived in Spain for 10 years (2 years if you are a national by birth of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal or are of Sephardic Jewish origin). You will need to pass language and civics/history tests.

Citizenship by Descent

You can claim citizenship if you were born outside Spain to a father, mother, grandfather or grandmother, originally Spanish and who, having suffered exile for political or ideological reasons, beliefs or sexual orientation and identity, lost or renounced their Spanish nationality.

Medical Inadmissibility

Some types of visas (particularly around family reunification) require medical certificates from a doctor declaring that the applicant "does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions to public health according to the specifications of the International Health Regulations of 2005."

Apostilles and Sworn Translations

Spain recognizes Hague Apostilles meaning your FBI background check will need to be apostilled by the US State Department and other state-level documents will need to be apostilled by their respective home states.

Furthermore, every document needed must include a sworn Translation by a translator recognized by the Spanish consulate. Here is a directory of approved translators

LGBTQ+ Friendly Cities

• Barcelona
• Madrid

Top Trans-friendly Cities

• Barcelona
• Madrid - considered a LGBT capital of Spain, however, Madrid's autonomous community government has less robust protections for LGBT and especially trans folks.

Cost of Living

• The cost of living in Spain is relatively low but incomes are also lower. The average annual income is €28,000
• Rent varies by city but in Barcelona you can expect to pay €700-€1100 for a studio/1BR
• Public transport is great in the cities, all connected by high speed rail.
• Healthcare is free. Most higher-paid professionals get private insurance in addition to the public system.
• Grocery prices
• Education

Housing Access & Cost

• TBD

Arriving in Spain

If you are arriving on any non-tourist visa or via citizenship, you must register for your TIE/NIE/NUSS. See Spain/Arrival for details.

Law Enforcement ("How bad are the cops?")

Be prepared to always have your Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE card) and/or passport on you as police frequently stop and check people for their papers. This will be especially more "random" for people of color.

Recent incidents:

• Catalonian police admit to racist attack but avoid jail time

Ease of Travel to Other Countries

Spain is well connected to Portual and France. It is in the Shengen Area, which means in theory it has no border controls with other countries within that agreement. However, in June/July of 2025, Spain is temporarily instituting border controls at all land, most air and some sea borders for the Fourth UN International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville

The southern border with Gibraltar and Morocco is heavily policed.