Skip to content
Book a consultation

Immigration

Residence and self-employment permit (cuenta propia)

The initial temporary residence and self-employment permit allows non-EU nationals to settle in Spain to work on a self-employed basis or start their own business. It is applied for at the consulate, together with the visa. We help you prepare an application that proves the activity and the investment, and support you through to registration and your foreigner identity card (TIE).

By Aida Elias Soguero, ICAB member no. 44021 · Updated on 14 October 2026

In brief

Who it is for
Non-EU nationals aged 18 or over who want to work in Spain on a self-employed basis or open their own business.
Where to apply
At the Spanish consulate for your place of residence. In Catalonia, the decision is issued jointly by the State and the Generalitat.
Decision deadline
Three months from when the authorities receive the application from the consulate; with no answer, it is deemed refused. Once granted, the consulate issues the visa within one month.
Fees
We quote them in the first consultation (€40), with the option to pay in instalments.

Requirements

  • Meeting the requirements that Spanish nationals must meet to open and run the business (licences, responsible declarations or prior notifications).
  • Holding the required professional qualification or sufficient experience and, for regulated professions, recognition of your degree and membership of the professional body.
  • Proving that the planned investment is sufficient and, where applicable, its impact on job creation, including your own self-employment.
  • No criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you have lived in the last five years.
  • A passport valid for at least one year and a medical certificate.
  • Not being unlawfully in Spain or bound by a non-return commitment, and paying the fees.

How we help you

  1. We study your case

    We look at the business, the licences it requires, your qualifications and the planned investment, and whether this route or the entrepreneur residence permit suits you better.

  2. We prepare your application

    We gather the documents on the investment and licences, your qualifications and, where appropriate, an assessment report from a self-employed workers' organisation, with translations and apostilles.

  3. Filing at the consulate

    We help you with the appointment and the filing, which you must do in person, and follow the application until a decision is issued.

  4. Arrival in Spain

    After entering Spain, you have three months to register with Social Security, which brings the permit into effect, and one month from registration to apply for the TIE.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a minimum investment?

The rules set no figure. You must prove that the planned investment is sufficient for the project and, where applicable, its impact on employment, which depends on each business. This can be supported by an assessment report from organisations such as ATA, UPTA, CIAE, OPA or UATAE.

How long does it last and what does it allow?

The initial permit lasts one year and is limited to one autonomous community and one sector. When renewed, it lasts four years and allows self-employed or employed work in any sector anywhere in Spain.

How is it different from the entrepreneur visa?

The self-employment permit covers any lawful business that meets the requirements. The entrepreneur permit requires an innovative project or one of special economic interest to Spain, with a favourable report from ENISA, and is handled by the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE).

Legislation

Skip to content