Self-employed work visa

​Visa for people aged 16 or over who seek to engage in self-employed activity in Spain. 

To obtain a self-employed work visa, it is first necessary to obtain an initial residence and self-employed work permit. For this reason, the procedure comprises two stages. ​

Obtaining an initial residence and self-employed work pe​rmit​​​

Required documents​​ 

1. Application for initial residence and self-employed work permit. Each applicant must complete all sections and sign two application forms (Form EX-07). If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application. 

2. Passport. A photocopy of every page of a valid, unexpired passport or travel document. 

3. Activity permits and licences. List of permits or licences 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. 

4. Professional training and qualifications. Original and a copy of the documents accrediting the legally required training, and where applicable, qualifications, for the professional practice. The documents must be with the Hague Apostille Certification issued by the competent Canadian authority and officially translated into Spanish. 

5. 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 together with an official translation into Spanish. 

6. 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 (not issued in Canada) must be legalzed or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.

7. Payment of fees. To pay the fees at the Consular Office, the applicant must complete all the fields of, and sign, two copies of form 790 ​code 052, ticking box 2.1 (initial temporary residence permit) and of form 790, code 062, ticking box 1.5 (self-employed work permits).

The fee can also be paid online, through the links to forms 790-052 and 790-062. In this case, the proof of payment obtained from the same webpage must be attached. 

If a work permit is applied for in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, the fee must be paid directly to that Autonomous Community and you must attach proof of payment. Check  here. 

Nationals of Ibero-American countries, nationals of the Philippines, nationals of Andorra, nationals of 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. ​

Check the fee in Tasas Montreal 2024. The consular fee is to be paid the day of your appointment, preferably in cash or by money order or certified cheque to "The Consulate General of Spain in Montreal". 

The day of your appointment you must submit the two copies signed and with all fields completed of Form 790-052 and the two copies signed and with all fields completed of Form 790-62.​

When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview. 

​Proce​dure​ 

This Consular Office is competent to accept applications from individuals residing in the consular demarcation. 

• Who can apply for a permit: The application for an initial residence and self-employed work permit must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor.  

• Place of submission:  The Application for initial residence and self-employed working permit must be submitted in person. You must previously request an appointment by sending an email to cog.montreal.vis@maec.es.. ​In your email you must indicate your full name and send scanned copies of your passport and of a document proving your residence in this consular demarcation. In case you do not have Canadian citizenship, you must provide along with your passport, a document proving your status in Canada (permanent resident card). The day of your appointment  you must also submit the two copies signed and with all fields completed of ​Form EX-07.
  
  
• Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with a copy of the application form (form EX-07) and, where applicable, of the receipts of payment of the fees (forms 790-52 and 790-62) and will forward the dossier to the corresponding Foreign Nationals' Office. Said Office will have a period of 3 months, from the day after the date on which the application is received, to reach a decision. 

• Notification: The Consular Office will inform the applicant of the decision issued by the corresponding Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government. 

• If the decision is favourable, the Consular Office will invite the applicant to submit a visa application. 

• If the decision is unfavourable, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to the Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which notification 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 permit refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
  

Obtaining a self-employed work visa​​

Requ​​ired documents​ 

1. National visa​ application form. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application form, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application. 

2. Photograph. A recent, passport-size, colour photograph, taken against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face. 

3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 4 months and contain two consecutive​ blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.  

4. Criminal record check certificate. Applicants of legal age must submit both the original and a copy of the criminal record check certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years. 

In the case of Canada, only the criminal record certificate issued by the RCMP containing the visa applicant's fingerprints will be accepted.  You will find more information about how to obtain it here.

Criminal records certificates from local police stations will not be accepted. The Canadian Criminal Record Certificate must be with the Hague Apostille Certification issued by Global Affairs Canada, and translated into Spanish. If the criminal record certificate has been issued outside of Canada, it must be legalized by the Spanish Consular Office with jurisdiction in that country, unless the country that issued it has signed the Hague Convention, in which case it must be apostilled. You can check the list of the countries signatories of the Hague Convention here.

5. Medical certificate. Original and copy of a medical certificate accrediting that the applicant does not have diseases that may have serious repercussions for public health in accordance with the International Sanitary Regulations of 2005. It must be issued by your family doctor and formulated as follows: "This medical certificate certifies that Mr. / Mrs. [...] does not suffer from any of the diseases that may have serious public health repercussions in accordance with the provided in the International Sanitary Regulations of 2005.”

6. Proof of residence in the consular demarcation. Permanent resident card or Canadian passport.

7. Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the applicant is a minor, a copy of the identity document or passport of the parent and the document that proves the relationship must be presented. The originals will be shown at the time of submitting the application. Foreign documents (not issued in Canada) must be legalzed or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.

Procedur​e​ 

• Individual with the necessary legal standing: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor. 
• Visa application period: Visas must be applied for within 1 month of the day following the date on which the notification of a favourable decision regarding the initial residence and self-employed work permit is received. 
• Place of submission: The Visa application must be submitted in person. You must previously request an appointment by sending an email to cog.montreal.vis@maec.es​. In your email you must indicate your full name and send scanned copies of your passport and of a document proving your residence in this consular demarcation. In case you do not have Canadian citizenship, you must provide along with your passport, a document proving your status in Canada (permanent resident card).
• Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of the dossier 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 term to make a decision is 1 month from the day after the application is submitted, but this term may be extended when additional documents are requested or an interview is held. 
• Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant or by their representative (if the applicant is a minor) within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified. 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 90 days. Once in Spain, workers must register with the Social Security system within a period of 3 months and before beginning their employment activity. They must also apply for a Foreigner Identity Card at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding Police Station within a period of 1 month from their registration with the Social Security system. ​