Immigrate to UK from Spain

If you are moving to UK from Spain in the post-Brexit period, you will carry out the whole visa procedure without any relaxation whether you are an EU or non-EU citizen. The new immigration system of the UK is a point-based system like Canada and Australia, in which any aspirant who wants to relocate to UK from Spain needs to score 70 points.

Our immigration lawyers in London can assist you to immigrate to UK from Spain. 

What kind of visas does UK offer?

The United Kingdom has a very robust economy and it attracts a huge number of emigrants around the globe who want to move the UK from Spain for good.

This country offers different categories of visas and permits for people who want to immigrate to UK from Spain. Some kinds of visas and permits offered by UK are as follows:

• UK family visa: there are different categories of family visas for people who wish to settle in UK with an established person or a British citizen; become a partner through marriage or civil partnership with a financially stable person or a British citizen; visit family in UK;
• UK work visa: the Skilled Worker, Global Talent and Temporary Worker visas (which replaced the old tiers in 2020) are some visas that UK offers to those people who want to relocate to UK for the sake of work;
• UK study visa: The United Kingdom left the Erasmus scheme after Brexit (it is due to rejoin Erasmus+ from 2027), so as a Spanish citizen you can still study in UK, but first you need to apply for a study visa. UK offers different sets of study visas to the students of different ages, like the Child Student visa for those aged 4 to 17 to study in England and the Student visa is used for those aged 16 or over who want to pursue their tertiary studies in UK. There is also the short-term study visa for English language courses of 6 to 11 months; shorter courses can be done as a visitor.
• UK visit visa: as a Spanish citizen you do not need a visit visa for short business trips and tourism, but since 2 April 2025 you need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Visits can last up to six months and short business trip visas are also usually handled very similarly to tourist visas. 
• EEA family permit: European Economic Area (EEA) family permit closed on 30 June 2021; family members of EU citizens with settled or pre-settled status may instead apply for an EU Settlement Scheme family permit to enter and move to UK from Spain permanently.
• UK visa extension: if you are living in UK on a work visa or a study visa, you can apply for an extension in your stay under UK visa extension and lengthen your stay legally. 
• UK points-based system: the old tier categories were replaced in December 2020 by a points-based system and assesses an applicant based on different factors like English proficiency level or age, etc. Some tier visas include skilled workers; un-skilled workers; high-value migrants; temporary workers and adult students. 

Our immigration lawyers can guide you through this complicated procedure by helping you out with the question of which visa would be suitable for you.  Finding out how to carry out UK immigration and get permanent residency has been a top concern for many individuals all over the world. However, relocating here and settling permanently can be complicated due to UK immigration laws. Additionally, because these regulations are always evolving, the knowledge presented might easily lose its relevance and be rendered useless. Therefore, it’s crucial to seek professional assistance and stay informed. Our lawyers can help you in this regard. 

How do Spanish people proceed with their application process for UK visas?

UK visa applications are mostly held online and it is recommended for a person who is planning to immigrate to UK from Spain to start the application process a bit earlier (3 months before moving) to avoid any waste of time. As a Spanish citizen, you will be required to provide certain documents and information for all UK visa applications. The exact documentation and information that you need to provide are dependent on the type of visa you choose. However here is a general documentation guide if you want to relocate to UK for work, study or reunite with family:

• Passport;
• Evidence of UK financial requirements and proof that you can support yourself or your family;
• A test certificate to prove your English proficiency level;
• For family visa applications, birth and marriage certificates are necessary;
• For work visa applications, a certificate of sponsorship is necessary;
• For student visa applications, confirmation of acceptance for studies is necessary.

If any of your documents are in Spanish, then you need to have it translated by an accredited translator. Our immigration lawyers in UK can help you in the preparation of your portfolio of evidence. Besides this, after relocation to UK from Spain, if you are seeking expert legal help to apply for residency here, the services of our lawyers are at your disposal. As a non-UK citizen, obtaining the status of UK permanent resident implies that you have the right to live permanently in the UK without having to use your Treaty rights. Permanent residency refers to your current resident status and has no bearing on your citizenship. After 5 consecutive years of exercising Treaty rights in the UK, EEA nationals no longer earn permanent residency this way: it ended on 30 June 2021, and EU citizens resident by 31 December 2020 had to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme. Or if you want to apply for UK residency as a non-EEA resident, get in touch with our lawyers.

In case you are interested in moving from Spain to another country, for example relocating to the US, you should know the main types of visas available in USA. These are:

• the A-type visa – for government officials;
• the B-1 and B-2 visas – for foreign citizens coming to the US on a temporary basis;
• the D visa – for the personnel of vessels leaving and entering the country on the same or other vessels;
• the E visa – for foreign investors who intend to make substantial investments in the US;
• the F visa – for study and academic purposes, but also for spouses and underage children;
• the K visa – for fiancés and children of fiancés;
• employment-based immigrant visa.
  For more details on how a Spanish citizen can move to the US, our partners are at your disposal – ImmigrationLawyersinMiami.com.

Points-based system in UK

As per the new UK immigration system, the aspirants who move to UK from Spain under a skilled worker visa need to score 70 points on the point-based system. There are mandatory points and tradeable points included in this system. The mandatory points are: 

• English language proficiency at the level of B2 (10 points; B1 if you held this visa before 8 January 2026);
• Have a job at an appropriate skill level (20 points);
• If you get a job offer from a UK based company with a sponsorship license (20 points);
• If a job includes a salary of at least 41,700 pounds a year (or the going rate, if higher), you will score 20 more points, but these figures are not necessary. You can gain these 20 points through other measures, and this is how you will score a total of 70 points.

On the other hand, tradeable points are as follows:

• Having a PhD in a STEM subject and get a relevant job (20 points);
• Get a job on the Immigration Salary List (a lower salary of 33,400 pounds may be accepted);
• Score a job in a relevant PhD subject (10 points);
• Salary of 41,700 pounds or above (20 points);
• At least 90% of the going rate of the salary for the profession or higher (10 points);

You can contact our UK immigration lawyers if you are ready to immigrate to UK from Spain. Our skilled lawyers will assist you through the whole immigration process. After immigration, if you are interested in applying for citizenship in UK, consult with our lawyers. If you have requested citizenship, you will need a permit to remain in the UK until your citizenship application is approved. Your permission must be valid until your citizenship ceremony. You do not need any permission if you have indefinite leave to remain status in UK. To learn more, consult with our lawyers.