Good to know · Work
Entrepreneur and self-employed residence routes
Foreigners who want to run a business in Spain can use the entrepreneur authorization (innovative projects, assessed by ENISA, processed by UGE-CE) or the self-employed residence-and-work visa (requested from a consulate with a business plan and licenses).
- Why it matters
- Americans planning to start a Spanish business must pick between these routes and later register as autónomo in Spain (GLIFE-0090).
- When
- You plan to set up or run your own business or freelance activity in Spain.
- How long it takes
- Self-employed decision 3 months; authorization 1 year; Social Security within 3 months of entry; TIE within 1 month after.
- Official page
- Self-employed Work Visa
- Last checked
- 7 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 5 steps, what to bring (3 items), and tips and what to watch for, with every official source.