For families planning a move to Spain, the first big question is: how do we get the right visa? Between non-working permits, work visas, and new digital nomad options, it can be hard to know which route is best. Add financial thresholds, renewal requirements, and dependents into the mix, and things can quickly feel overwhelming.
To bring clarity, we spoke with Melanie Radford of My Lawyer in Spain, an English solicitor and Spanish abogado who specialises in helping international families relocate. In this guide, Melanie explains the main visa options available, the financial requirements, common mistakes to avoid, and how visas connect to residency, schooling, and healthcare.
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What are the main visa options available to families?
The starting point for any family is deciding whether you’ll be working in Spain, supporting yourselves without working, or working remotely for a company abroad. Each scenario opens the door to a different visa route.
Non-lucrative visa – This is designed for those who won’t be working in Spain. It allows families to live in Spain provided they can prove sufficient financial means. As Melanie explains:
“It’s a non-working visa. To apply for that visa, you have to prove that you are no longer working. However, after one year on the non-lucrative visa, you can apply for a modification to work in Spain.”
Work visa – If you’re hired by a Spanish company (for example, teaching at a private English-curriculum school), your employer must get approval for you to work. Families can join as dependents under this visa.
Self-employment visa – For entrepreneurs planning to set up their own business in Spain. Approval depends heavily on submitting a detailed business plan at the Spanish consulate, often with professional economic analysis. Timelines are unpredictable, ranging from six months to a year. Importantly, children cannot automatically join this visa and must apply separately for non-lucrative visas.
Digital nomad visa – A newer option for remote workers employed by (or contracting with) companies outside Spain. This visa is popular because dependents can apply on the back of it, and unlike other visas, it can even be processed while already in Spain.
Together, these four routes cover the majority of family situations — but each has its own hurdles.
How do families qualify for a visa?
Eligibility varies by visa type. For working and digital nomad visas, the focus is on proving employment contracts or freelance arrangements. For self-employment, the strength of the business plan is critical. For non-lucrative visas, it’s all about showing you have the financial means to live in Spain without working.
Melanie stresses that families should think about dependents at the outset: not every visa automatically covers children. For example, dependents can join on digital nomad or work visas, but not on self-employment visas, where children must make separate applications.
Financial requirements for family-friendly visas in Spain
The financial thresholds can be a stumbling block for many families, so it’s vital to understand them clearly.
Non-lucrative visa: Families must prove they have resources to live in Spain for a year without working. The requirement is about €36,000 for a married couple, plus €7,200 per dependent child. This doesn’t have to come from income — savings in a bank account are accepted. As Melanie explains:
“You don't have to show that you're getting that as an income. You can show that, in fact, you have those funds in a bank account that will allow you to reside in Spain for one year.”
Digital nomad visa: This is geared towards higher earners. The main applicant must show a gross annual salary of at least €32,000, with extra amounts added for a spouse and children. If you’re slightly under, savings may still be taken into account:
“If it’s slightly short, they will consider the supplementary financial resources through savings for the period of the authorisation.”
Work visas: Here the test is not a set amount of savings, but whether your employment is authorised and your salary meets Spain’s minimum thresholds for foreign workers.
Self-employment visas: While no fixed figure is published, families need to prove their business plan is viable and that they’ll earn enough to support themselves. This usually means professional help drafting the plan.
How long does a family visa last in Spain?
Most visas are issued for an initial one-year period. After that, families must renew — and this is where many trip up.
Melanie warns:
“For a family, what they’ve got coming after one year is the two-year renewal period, and they’ve got to think about the financial resources for the two-year renewal period.”
In practice, this means:
At application stage, you only need to prove one year of resources.
At renewal stage, you must show you can cover two full years.
If relying on savings, this doubles the amount required.
Families who plan to switch from a non-lucrative visa to a work visa after year one should factor that into their strategy early.
Common mistakes made by families
Melanie highlights several frequent pitfalls:
Not planning for renewals: Many families focus on the first year and forget that renewals demand higher proof of funds.
Relying solely on savings: This can work at first but may not stretch far enough for a two-year renewal.
Not proving schooling: At renewal, you must show children are enrolled in and attending school in Spain — a legal requirement.
Underestimating timelines: Some visas, particularly self-employment, can take up to a year to approve.
“Up front, when you’re thinking about any visa, think about and look at the renewal process as well,” Melanie advises.
Healthcare and schooling for children
Two essential questions for families are: will my children get into school, and how do we access healthcare?
On schools, the rule is simple: children must be legally resident, but once that’s in place, they can access public education.
“Yeah, they will. They’ll get into a public school. But like anything, you need to be legally residing here.”
Healthcare is trickier. Families on non-lucrative visas must have private health insurance. Public healthcare access only becomes available after contributing to the system or enrolling in a public scheme once resident for a year.
As Melanie notes:
“They need private medical insurance… because you’re not eligible to access the Spanish public health care system.”
Visa vs residency: what’s the difference?
It’s easy to confuse the two. A visa is the entry permit that allows you to move to Spain. Residency is your legal status once you’re living there. Families start with a visa and then, through renewals and modifications, progress towards longer-term residency rights.
Understanding this distinction is important for schooling, healthcare, and planning a path to permanent residency or citizenship in the future.
Other factors to consider
Beyond the visa application itself, families should also:
Allow for processing time: self-employment visas are slowest, digital nomad visas fastest.
Budget for private health insurance for at least the first year.
Consider whether you’ll want to switch visa types later (for example, non-lucrative to work).
Keep careful records of finances, schooling, and insurance for renewals.
Final thoughts
Moving a family to Spain is perfectly achievable — but it requires planning, patience, and an honest look at finances. The right visa depends on whether you’ll be working, not working, or working remotely, and each route comes with its own pros and cons.
As Melanie Radford of My Lawyer in Spain reminds families:
“Up front, when you’re thinking about any visa, think about and look at the renewal process as well.”
Get that preparation right, and your dream of raising a family in Spain can become a secure and exciting reality.
Next up:
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