Hi everyone! I am new here, and I am desperate for some information. I have searched a lot, and maybe I am just blind, but I have not found a definitive answer to my question.
I am an almost 21 year old US citizen. My girlfriend, who is Spanish, lives in Spain. She is coming the visit me in December.
I have been to Spain several times, and I absolutely love it. The language, the culture, and the general attitude of the people make me extremely content when I am there. I would love to live there.
Now, here is the complicated part. My girlfriend and I definitely love each other, and marriage would not be out of the question.
If we were to get married in the US, when she comes in December, what documents would she need to have?
Also, and this is the biggest question, What would be the process for me to obtain a residency visa to live in Spain, after we get married in the US?
Thank you so much in advance for any input. If anyone has a similar personal experience, please share in detail.
PS: Getting married here should not be a complicated process at all. One of my very good friends just got married to a Russian citizen, and he said the process in our home town (since he knew someone in the business) was very fast and smooth. He could help me out with getting in contact with that person, but I am still posting this because Spanish laws are very different than Russain laws.
All your girlfriend needs is her passport. I don’t where in the States you are, but as an example, here’s a link with information about getting married in San Francisco: http://www.sfgov.org/site/countyclerk_index.asp?id=5565. Check with your local county.
Regarding the residency visa, I’m glad you asked that question. 😉 I’ll post a link to the article I just wrote about that when it goes live.
Hi! Thanks for the reply. I live in North Carolina. If my friend had little problems getting married to a Russian, I doubt that I will have problems getting married to a Spaniard. I would love to read your article whenever it is available.
As a side note, it would be more convenient to get a work visa to be able to live there. I could get married to my girlfriend, as we are a very strong couple and I can easily see us lasting in the long run. However, due to personal conflicts, getting a work visa would be less “catastrophic” in my parents point of view. If my girlfriend can find a job for me there, and she will start looking soon, what are the chances of me getting a work visa for working at let’s say…and Irish pub?
I don’t want to sound harsh here and I certainly don’t want to encourage someone to get married when they’re not ready for it, but even if your girlfriend finds you a job, there is a difference between finding a job and finding a job that will sponsor you for a work visa. Businesses here (if they choose to hire legally) have workers from the whole EU to choose from. So unless you can do something on this list (http://www.inem.es/inem/ciudadano/catalogo/pdf/CatalogoOcupacionesDificilCobertura.pdf), the Cat?logo de Ocupaciones de Dif?cil Cobertura, or are independently wealthy, securing a work visa is largely, in my opinion, a matter of luck or a result of marriage.
Have you considered just studying in Spain for a while?
Desafortunadamente, mi universidad no tiene un programa de intercambio con Zaragoza, donde pronto mi novia empezar? a estudiar. Supongo que podr?a estudiar much?simo e intentar aprobar la selectividad (solo tendr?a que sacar una nota de 5/10, por lo tanto creo que no ser?a terriblemente dif?cil.)
Tengo otra pregunta. ?Qu? tipo de negocio ser?a aplicable a mi situaci?n? Mi novia me ha dicho que va a buscar extensamente a encontrar una manera de que pudiera vivir ahi, o por lo menos quedarme ahi durante un buen rato.
Muchas gracias otra vez, estar? esperando tu respuesta.
Por cierto, ?Tienes alguna forma de messenger? Me gustar?a mucho hablar contigo de una forma m?s r?pida. =)
Hi Dani. I’m originally from Hickory in Catawba County! What part of NC do you come from?
I’ve lived in Spain for 10 years and am married to a Spaniard/Venezuelan. You automatically get your work permit when you marry a Spaniard, but you have to prove that you’ve been married for a year.
If you apply for a student visa (say you sign up for two classes at a university) you’re allowed to work for 20 hours a week. That would be like a restaurant type job. Maybe this is a way? Could your future suegros hire you?
I did Selectividad and got a 7.49. It is really hard- I was a straight A student back in the States. If you’ve already studied at university level in the States, you don’t have to take Selectividad, you just have to sign up for classes here and apply to transfer your credits.
Hi Dreamer, I added you to Skype. I am insidiousvertigo para que lo sepas 😉.
Por cierto, originalmente soy de Salisbury, NC, pero de momento estoy en Boone, estudiando en La Universidad de Appalachain.
To the other post. I doubt my future in-laws could hire me given their current job positions. I would love to study there, but passing la selectividad will be hard. I thought, however, that if I got married, once I got a residency permit, a work visa would not be required as you stated. Maybe you were saying if we were married here and I suddenly wanted to move to Spain to work? Anyway, I will work this out somehow, soy super cabezota, y de un modo u otro acabar? viviendo ahi 😊.
En relaci?n a lo de convalidar mis creditos de mi universidad a la de Zaragoza, resultar?a casi imposible, sin mencionar super caro. Mi novia ha hablado con su Universidad, y le han dicho que yo tendr?a que convalidar los creditos exactos (por lo menos 60, y que todos coincidi?ran con los creditos del primer a?o ahi. Aqu?, no se ofrecen algunas clases que ahi en Espa?a son obligatorias.)
Thanks again for all the replies, y Dreamer, espero hablar contigo pronto 😉.
If you apply for residence by marriage to a Spaniard, it’s not that you don’t NEED a work permit, it’s that it’s automatically included on your residence card.
I had another idea. If the problem for applying to study is the classes offered in Zaragoza University, why don’t you take a look at transferring the UNED. It’s a well-respected online university. My husband applied and had no problem transferring his classes from Venezuela.
Or you can just come and work the illegally until your NIE comes through.
to bump this thread, how long would it take to obtain a residence permit in Spain if i were to marry my Spanish girlfriend in the states? what would be the process in a nutshell? thanks in adnance!
I don’t want to sound harsh here and I certainly don’t want to encourage someone to get married when they’re not ready for it, but even if your girlfriend finds you a job, there is a difference between finding a job and finding a job that will sponsor you for a work visa. Businesses here (if they choose to hire legally) have workers from the whole EU to choose from. So unless you can do something on this list (http://www.inem.es/inem/ciudadano/catalogo/pdf/CatalogoOcupacionesDificilCobertura.pdf), the Cat?logo de Ocupaciones de Dif?cil Cobertura, or are independently wealthy, securing a work visa is largely, in my opinion, a matter of luck or a result of marriage.
Have you considered just studying in Spain for a while?
Hola Dreamer,
I know this post is a couple months later then this thread, but you seem to be pretty informed on this topic. I am an American Citizen who is also trying to move and work in Spain legally. I do not have the option of marrying anyone. I did go to a International Culinary Institute here in Arizona. Did an externship in Germany for some time, and was able to stay there for a couple of years working, based on my education. I have a friend in Tarragona, and she has been trying to help me, but she isn’t up to speed on all the laws there. I noticed this thread, and something you wrote caught my attention. This Cat?logo de Ocupaciones de Dif?cil Cobertura link you put up, is very fitting for me. If I fit into one of those categories, what exactly does that mean for me, in regards to getting a work Visa here at the Spainish Embassy, so I can move and legally work and reside in Tarragona, Spain? Under “Provincia de Tarragona” I noticed that a Dietician / Nutrtion Tech falls under this category, which I am as well, and Certified through my education at the Culinary Institute. If I qualify under one of these categories, what is the process for getting a visa/permit to pursue a career in Spain as a dietician or even better as a Chef specializing in International Cuisine. I know that in Germany, a Highly Skilled and Trained Chef in International Cuisine, has the capability of getting all work permits just due to the qualifications. My Spanish isn’t that good, but could get me by, but I am also aware that in this area of Spain, Catalan is the primary language, which I would love to learn anyways.
If I understood your post right, then I could also get my permits based on my quals and wouldn’t be required to go through extensive ‘getting a work permit first, along with autorazciones de trabajo, and applying in my hometown for my visa, then flying back…is this correct? I appreciate the time and any pointers you could give me. Thank you Dreamer.
Well, no. As I understand it, each occupation listed there is based on an opening for one or more jobs in a particular geographical area and you have to apply for the occupation/job with the INEM itself. If an employer (via the INEM) chooses you to fill that job, then they apply for the work and residence visa on your behalf. If it all goes through, then you work for them.
(If any of this is not right, someone please correct me.)
J_Dubz and Dreamer…any new news on the jobs that are difficult to cover? What I understood from my research is that you’d have to have a company (or in J_Dubz’s case, a restaurant or dining facility) offer you the job and you’d have to apply officially, etc. The difference from this and other jobs not listed on the difficult-to-cover list is that the job doesn’t have to be publicized with INEM and opened to the public, they can offer it to a non-EU person directly. (With other jobs, they have to post it so that Spaniards and EU citizens can apply).
Let me know if I am right, thanks!!!!!!
And Dreamer…I’ve been married to a Spaniard for just over a year but when I went to the Comisaria to inquire about getting a NIF, they said I didn’t have the right to work in Spain. Maybe I was wrong and I don’t need a NIF, or maybe they were wrong (funcionarios so often are!) How does the work permit for residents as a result of marriage work? Or, maybe it is in your article, which I am going to go read right now.
