Entrepreneur visa Spain online: startup founders

01What it is and who it is for

The entrepreneur residence permit (autorización de residencia para emprendedores) is governed by articles 69 and 70 of Law 14/2013, as reformed in December 2022 by Law 28/2022, Spain's Startups Act. It is aimed at non-EU nationals who want to start, develop or run an innovative business in Spain, or one of special economic interest to the country.

Everything turns on a favourable report from ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovación), a state-owned company that assesses the project. ENISA looks at your professional background and your role in the business, the business plan and how it is funded, and the value it brings to the Spanish economy, to innovation or to investment. There is no minimum investment and no job creation quota.

You apply to the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE), which asks ENISA for its report itself. You can apply while you are lawfully in Spain, for example within your 90 visa-free days or under another permit, or from your home country, in which case you apply for the visa at the consulate once the permit is granted. For founders from the UK, the US, Canada or Australia it is the main dedicated route to relocate a startup to Spain.

02Requirements

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You are a non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss national aged 18 or over.
An innovative business project, or one of special economic interest to Spain, with a favourable ENISA report.
A credible business plan: the project and the product or service, the market, the investment needed and where the funding will come from.
A professional background that fits the project and a genuine role in it. Where there are several founders, each one's involvement is assessed.
Any licences, professional registration or qualifications your sector requires to start trading.
Sufficient financial means for you and your family during your residence.
Public or private health insurance with an insurer authorised in Spain.
No criminal record in Spain or in any country you have lived in during the last two years, plus a signed declaration covering five years.
You are not in Spain irregularly and are not listed as inadmissible in the Schengen area.

Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.

03Documents

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ENISA's online questionnaire for the entrepreneur residence permit, with the business plan and supporting technical documents.
Form MI-T signed by the entrepreneur.
Full valid passport, every page.
CV and evidence of education and experience relevant to the project.
Proof of funds: bank statements, committed funding or investment rounds.
Health insurance policy.
Police certificates, apostilled and translated into Spanish, if you are in Spain as a visitor; if you apply from abroad, they are lodged at the consulate.
Proof of payment of the fee, form 790 code 038.
For family members: form MI-F and marriage, civil partnership or birth certificates.

Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.

04How we handle it online

Project review
We look at your idea, your background and your funding, and tell you honestly whether it fits this route or whether another one, such as the highly qualified professional permit or the digital nomad visa, is the safer choice.
Business plan and ENISA questionnaire
We help you structure the business plan around what ENISA assesses and complete its online questionnaire. The commercial and technical content is yours; we make sure it is complete and consistent.
Filing with the UGE-CE
We file the application online as your representatives, together with your family's. The UGE then requests the ENISA report itself.
Follow-up
We monitor the file and answer any request from ENISA or the UGE within the deadline. If you are abroad, once the permit is granted you apply for the visa at your consulate.
Setting up, TIE and renewal
We guide you through the fingerprint appointment for your TIE (foreigner identity card) and the first steps to get the company trading. At the three-year mark we prepare the renewal, which requires a fresh assessment of the business.

05Timescales and validity

ENISA must issue its report within 10 working days of the UGE's request. The UGE must decide within 20 days of electronic filing; if it does not, the permit is deemed granted (positive administrative silence). While the application is pending, your previous legal stay or residence is extended.

The permit is granted for three years and is valid throughout Spain. It can then be renewed for two years if the business is still active and the conditions are still met. After five years of legal residence you can apply for long-term residence.

If you apply from abroad, you apply for the visa after the permit is granted, and the consulate has 10 working days to decide, unless a consultation between Schengen states is required.

06Do I need to attend anything in person?

The UGE application and the ENISA questionnaire are entirely online. The in-person steps are the TIE fingerprint appointment at a police station and, if you apply from your home country, lodging the visa application at the consulate or its visa centre.

07Common mistakes and reasons for refusal

Projects with no real innovation: conventional retail, hospitality or services that are hard to present as innovative or of special economic interest.
A generic business plan without verifiable figures or a clear funding source.
Not explaining the applicant's role in the company, or adding a co-founder with no real involvement.
Treating this permit as a replacement golden visa: residence by investment no longer exists, and ENISA assesses the project, not the amount invested.
Overlooking licences or professional registration required for the activity.
Having no trading activity to show at renewal.

08Frequently asked questions

Do I need to invest a minimum amount?

No. The UGE states expressly that there is no minimum investment or job creation requirement. What counts is the project, its funding and your profile. You do still need to show enough money to live in Spain with your family.

What is ENISA and what does it look at?

ENISA is Spain's state-owned innovation company. It issues a mandatory report on your project, assessing your professional profile, the business plan and its funding, and the added value for the Spanish economy. Without a favourable report the permit cannot be granted.

Is this the same as startup certification under the Startups Act?

No. Certification as an emerging company (empresa emergente) is a separate ENISA procedure that gives tax and corporate advantages to existing Spanish companies meeting certain conditions. The residence report assesses you and your project as a founder, even if the company has not yet been incorporated.

Can I apply while visiting Spain?

Yes. The law allows anyone lawfully in Spain to apply, and a valid visitor stay counts. You must file before your stay ends. If you are abroad, you obtain the permit first and then the visa.

Can my family come with me?

Yes. Your spouse or partner, children under 18, adult children who depend on you and dependent parents can apply with you or later. If they apply at the same time, everything is decided together.

What happens if the business does not work out?

The permit is tied to your entrepreneurial activity, so renewal will be difficult if the company never trades. It is worth planning early for a switch to another permit, for example as a highly qualified professional if you receive a job offer.

Will I pay tax in Spain?

If you live in Spain for more than 183 days a year, you will generally become tax resident. Spain has a special regime for people who move here for work, often called the Beckham Law, which you should review with a tax adviser before you relocate.

How long does processing take?

ENISA has 10 working days to issue its report once the UGE-CE asks for it, and the UGE-CE must decide within 20 days of electronic filing; if it does not, the permit is deemed granted (positive administrative silence). If you apply from abroad, the consulate then has 10 working days to decide on the visa, unless a consultation between Schengen states is required. Requests for information from ENISA or the UGE can extend these timings, which is why we make sure your business plan is complete from the outset. In practice, overall timings vary from case to case.

How is it renewed and what must I show?

The initial permit lasts three years and can be renewed for two years if the conditions are still met. According to the UGE's instructions, you complete the ENISA questionnaire again, this time with your company's details, so that ENISA issues a fresh report; you also file form MI-T, your full passport and proof of payment of the renewal fee. In practice you will need to show that the company is genuinely trading and that the project is progressing in line with your business plan. A renewal filed on time keeps your permit valid until it is decided, and so does one filed within 90 days after expiry, although a fine may then apply.

What does it cost in total?

There is no minimum investment, but there are official costs. For each permit, yours and one for each family member, you pay the UGE fee (form 790, code 038); the amount is set by Order ESS/1571/2014 and updated through the annual budget acts, so we check it when filing. Depending on your case, you will also pay the visa fee if you apply from abroad, the TIE fee, health insurance and apostilles and sworn translations of your documents. On top of that, you must have enough money to live in Spain with your family and the funding your business plan relies on.

09Legal basis

Law 14/2013, articles 62, 69 and 70 (entrepreneurs and business activity)
Law 14/2013, articles 75 and 76 (visas and UGE-CE procedure)
Law 28/2022 on startups, articles 3 and 4 and fifth final provision

Information reviewed on 03.10.2026 against the law in force. This page is for general information and is not a substitute for advice on your own case.

Entrepreneur visa Spain: residence for startup founders and innovative businesses

At a glance