01What it is and who it is for
The EU Blue Card (Tarjeta Azul-UE) comes from EU law. Directive (EU) 2021/1883 overhauled it to make it more attractive, and Spain brought the new rules into its Entrepreneurs Act (Law 14/2013) through Law 11/2023. It is one of two versions of Spain's permit for highly qualified professionals; the other is a national permit.
Applications are handled by the UGE-CE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos), the Ministry of Inclusion's specialist unit for international mobility, which works entirely online. There is no resident labour market test: the employer does not need to show that it could not recruit locally.
The main advantage over the national permit is mobility. With a Spanish Blue Card you can work in other EU countries on short business stays and, after a period, relocate to another member state through a simplified procedure. Years spent as a Blue Card holder also count in a special way towards EU long-term residence. For British professionals, who lost free movement with Brexit, and for Americans and other non-EU nationals, this European dimension is often what tips the balance.
02Requirements
Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.
03Documents
Tick what you already have. Your ticks stay on this device only; nothing is sent to us.
04How we handle it online
- Eligibility check
We check your qualifications, salary and contract, and tell you whether you qualify for the Blue Card, whether the reduced threshold applies or whether the national permit is a better fit.
- Working with the employer
We work with HR on the contract, job description and corporate documents, and on registering the company with the UGE if it is not already registered.
- Online filing with the UGE-CE
We submit the application through the Ministry's online portal, with your family's applications if they are coming at the same time.
- Follow-up
We deal with any request from the authorities and keep track of the 20-day deadline.
- Visa or TIE
If you are abroad, we prepare your file for the visa. If you are already in Spain, we guide you through the fingerprint appointment for your TIE.
05Timescales and validity
The UGE-CE must decide within 20 days of electronic filing. If it does not, the application is deemed approved (positive administrative silence). While it is pending, your existing legal stay or residence is extended.
The Blue Card lasts three years or, if the contract is shorter, the length of the contract plus three months, up to a maximum of three years. It can be renewed for two years if you still meet the conditions.
Losing your job does not mean losing the card straight away. The Blue Card can only be withdrawn after more than three months of unemployment, or six months if you have held it for at least two years, and even then you are given time to look for a new job.
06Do I need to attend anything in person?
The application to the UGE-CE is made online and you do not need to visit any office. If you live outside Spain, the visa is applied for at the Spanish consulate or its visa centre, normally in person; the consulate may not add requirements beyond those in the law. In Spain, fingerprints for your TIE (foreigner identity card) are taken at a police station.
07Common mistakes and reasons for refusal
- Counting bonuses or benefits in kind that are not part of the guaranteed gross salary.
- Contracts shorter than six months.
- Presenting a qualification of under three years as if it were a full degree.
- Regulated professions without recognition of the qualification.
- Claiming the reduced threshold without proving that the occupation is on the shortage list or that the qualification is recent.
- Relying on an out-of-date threshold: the figure changes whenever the INE publishes a new salary survey.
08Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to earn in 2026?
Order PJC/44/2026 sets the threshold at 1.4 times the average annual gross pay published by the INE. Under the June 2026 update that is €41,356.36 gross a year, or €33,085.09 where the reduced threshold applies. The figure is reviewed each time the INE publishes a new survey.
Who qualifies for the reduced threshold?
People taking up a role in major groups 1 and 2 of the Spanish occupational classification (managers and science or professional occupations) that is on the shortage occupation list, and people who obtained their qualification within the three years before applying.
Can I qualify through experience instead of a degree?
Yes. Five years of comparable experience relevant to the role is accepted. For ICT roles, three years within the last seven is enough.
I hold a Blue Card from another EU country. Can I work in Spain?
For business stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period you need no extra permit. If you have lived in another member state as a Blue Card holder for at least twelve months (six if you have lived in more than one), you can move to Spain by applying for a Spanish Blue Card, either before you arrive or within a month of entering, and you may start work as soon as the complete application is filed.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Your spouse or partner, children under 18, dependent adult children and dependent parents can apply with you or later. If you are moving from another EU country and they do not apply at the same time as you, they must apply within one month of entering Spain.
How is it different from Spain's national highly qualified permit?
The national permit has a lower qualification bar or accepts three years of experience, and does not require a six-month contract, but it gives no EU mobility rights and has no reduced threshold. The Blue Card requires a degree of at least three years or five years' experience, and in return gives you mobility rights across the EU.
Does it lead to permanent residence?
Yes. Spain's Immigration Regulation also lets Blue Card holders add years spent in other EU countries towards EU long-term residence, provided they have five years in the EU and the last two in Spain as Blue Card holders.
What happens if I lose my job?
You do not lose your Blue Card automatically. It can only be withdrawn or not renewed, after your circumstances have been weighed up proportionately, if you have been unemployed for more than three months, or more than six if you have held the card for at least two years. Even then you are given three months, or six in the second case, to look for a new job. The law requires you to tell the UGE-CE within 30 days about any change affecting your conditions, so we recommend you contact us as soon as you know your contract is ending.
How long does it take?
The UGE-CE must decide within 20 days of electronic filing; if it does not, the application is deemed approved (positive administrative silence). Requests for further documents can extend the process, so it pays to file a complete application from the outset. If you are outside Spain, you then apply for the visa, which the consulate must decide within 10 working days unless a consultation under the EU Visa Code is required. In practice, overall timings vary from case to case and from one consulate to another.
09Legal basis
- Law 14/2013, articles 71 and 71 bis (EU Blue Card)
- Law 11/2023, article 32 (implementing Directive (EU) 2021/1883)
- Order PJC/44/2026 of 27 January (Blue Card salary threshold)
- Law 14/2013, articles 62, 75 and 76 (general requirements, visas and UGE-CE procedure)
- Royal Decree 1155/2024, article 176 (EU long-term residence for Blue Card holders)
- Directive (EU) 2021/1883 of the European Parliament and of the Council
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.