Self-employed work visa

General Information

Visa for people over 18, who seek to engage in self-employed activity in Spain.

The visa application includes the application for a residence permit.

All foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled, and if they are in a language other than Spanish, they must be accompanied by a translation.

Required documents

Present original and photocopy of the following documents:

National visa app lication form: Each applicant must complete and sign an official application form, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application.
Photograph: It has to be glued to the application form. A recent, passport-size, 2x2 inches, with white background. The face should be clare and visible.
Valid unexpired Passport: Photocopy of every page of a valid, unexpired Passport. The passport must have a minimum validity of 1 year and contain at least two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
Proof of residence in the consular jurisdiction: Notarized photocopy of: State ID, Driver´s Licence or Student ID from one of the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
Proof of legal residence in the United States (Non-US passport holders): Must present one of the following documents:

Notarized copy of Permanent Residence Card (Green Card)
Notarized copy of Valid US visa plus a copy of the I-20 document duly signed in the endorsement

Holders of B-1/B-2 visas cannot apply in the United States; they must apply in their country of permanent residence.

Consular visa fees:
Money Order made out to the Consulate General of Spain in Houston.

US Passport holders fee $ 270.00
Other nationalities fee $ 106.00

For Nationals of Australia, Ethiopia, Canada, United Kingdom and others, diferent rates are applied base don reciprocity. Please check the visa fee .
Criminal record check certificate (valid for 6 months): stating that the applicant has no criminal records in the place/s where he has resided the last five years.
1. Applicants over 18 must present original and copy of the criminal record check certificate issued by FBI and legalized with the Federal Apostille of the Hague Convention requested to the Department of State in Washington DC.
2. The certificates must be translated into Spanish by a certified translator: American Translators Association https://www.atanet.org/
3. Local State background checks and Apostilles are not valid.
4. The applicant must present criminal record certificates from the countries of residence of the last 5 years.
Bilingual Medical certificate: accrediting applicant´s good health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations. It must have the Doctor's Stamp, or can be printed on medical center´s letterhead; it must not be older than 3 months. It is recommended to use our Template.
Only USPS (Express or Priority Mail) self-address prepaid envelope with tracking number.
Postal delivery authorization
Initial work an Residence authorization for Self.employed workers:

FORM EX -07 for an initial residence and Self-employed work permit (autorización inicial de trabajo por cuenta propia). Each applicant must complete and sign the EX-07 form.
Activity permits and licenses. List of permits or licenses required for the installation, opening or operation of the planned activity or professional practice, indicating the status of the procedures for obtaining them. Certification of applications to the corresponding bodies must be attached.
Professional training and qualifications. Original and a copy of the documents accrediting the legally required training, and where applicable, qualifications, for the professional practice. Foreign documents must be apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted with an official translation into Spanish.
Plan for the establishment or activity. Plan for the establishment or activity to be carried out, indicating the planned investment, the expected return, and, where applicable, the jobs that will be created. Documents written in a foreign language must be submitted with an official translation into Spanish.
Financial means. Original and a copy of the documents accrediting that the applicant has sufficient financial means to carry out the planned investment, or a commitment by financial or other institutions to provide support. Foreign documents must apostilled and, must be submitted with an official translation into Spanish.
Residence Authorization fees. The applicant must complete and sign, the Initial temporary residence permit form 790 code 052, ticking box 2.1, the fee for 2026 is $ 13 and Self-employed work permit form 790 code 062 , ticking box 1.5 ,the fee for 2026 is $ 240.
The fee can also be paid online, through the links of forms 790 code 052 and 790 code 062 . In this case, the proof of payment obtained from the same webpage must be attached.
Nationals of Ibero-America, Philippines, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Sephardim, children and grandchildren of persons of Spanish origin, and foreigners born in Spain are exempt from paying the fee for self-employed work permits.
If a work permit is applied for in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, the fee must be paid directly to that Autonomous Community, the proof of payment must be attached.

For representative (Attorney): Copy of the identity document or passport of the representative and notarized power or document accrediting representation must be submitted. The originals must be shown when submitting the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, if necessary, submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.

Procedure

Who can apply for a permit: Individual with the necessary legal standing.
Place of submission: Applications must be submitted via postal mail to Consulate General of Spain in Houston- Self-employed work visa (1800 Bering Dr. Suite 750 Houston, Texas, 77057).
Proof of receipt: The application for a self-employed residence and work permit will be sent to the corresponding Immigration Office in Spain. This office has three months to issue a decision, starting the day after the application is received. If no response is received within this period, the application will be considered rejected. Regarding the visa application, the Consular Office will provide a receipt with a code that will allow the applicant to check the status of their application through the following link: https://sutramiteconsular .maec.es/Ho me.aspx
Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision by the inmigration office will be approximately five or six months as of the day after the submission date of the application, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested.
Collecting the visa: The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted was based.
Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
Validity period of the visa: The visa will be valid for 365 days. Once in Spain, the worker must register with Social Security within 3 months and before starting work, and must apply for a Foreigner Identity Card at the relevant Police Station within 1 month of registering with Social Security.