Spain work visa from the UK: the authorisation comes first
A Spanish work visa is the last step, not the first. For a job with a Spanish employer, the employer applies in Spain for your initial residence and work authorisation, and only once it is granted do you apply for the visa from the UK.
The order of things
The employer files the authorisation with the immigration office in Spain. When it is approved, you have one month from the day the employer is notified to lodge the visa application, at the BLS centre of your consular district.
With the visa you enter Spain and register with Social Security before you start work; for authorisations of more than six months, the TIE is applied for within a month of that registration.
What you file
The national visa form, a passport valid for at least a year, the authorisation signed by the employer, a criminal record certificate for the countries you have lived in during the last five years, and a medical certificate. Foreign documents legalised or apostilled and translated.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who starts | the employer, in Spain |
| Deadline for the visa | 1 month from notification |
| Where | BLS for your district |
| Fee (British) | £719.00 |
| Entrepreneurs (British) | £1,191.00 |
- National visa form
- Passport valid for at least a year
- Residence and work authorisation signed by the employer
- Criminal record certificates for the last five years
- Medical certificate
The other work routes
Self-employment needs its own authorisation and its own visa. The entrepreneur visa, the highly qualified professional and the researcher visas go through Spain's law on investment and talent. Each has its own page in the consulates' catalogue, and all are lodged at BLS.
What it costs a British applicant
On the 2026 list for British nationals: £719.00 for work and telework visas, the same for highly qualified professionals and intra-company transfers, and £1,191.00 for entrepreneurs. The residence and work authorisation fees in Spain are separate.
The month to apply for the visa starts when the employer is notified, not when you hear about it.Related guides
Checked against the official pages on 10 November 2026.
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