--- title: "Spain highly qualified professional and EU Blue Card residence at UGE: official requirements and filing — Spain Visa Submit" description: "Official Plataforma ONE requirements for the highly qualified professional and EU Blue Card residence permit at UGE, and how we file a ready application for €80." url: "https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits/highly-qualified-professionals" language: "en" --- [Technical submission service](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en) › [Spain residence permits filed with UGE: 4 routes](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits) # Spain highly qualified professional and EU Blue Card residence at UGE: official requirements and filing The highly qualified professional residence permit, including the EU Blue Card option, is filed with UGE-CE while the professional is legally in Spain. Plataforma ONE lists a 3-year permit and a fastest resolution time of 20 business days. For this permit the applicant is the company or entity that requires the professional’s services. If the package is ready, Spain Visa Submit files it with our own certificate for €80 per applicant under the applicant’s written authorization. Verified: November 2, 2026 Spain Visa Submit is a technical submission service, not a law firm. This guide is not legal advice and does not assess eligibility or document correctness. ## Official procedure information: Application for Residence for Highly Qualified Professionals ### What it is Through this procedure, you can apply for a residence authorization when you are legally in Spain, which will grant you a 3-year permit to live and, if you wish, work throughout the entire national territory. The residence authorizations regulated by Law 14/2013, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization, facilitate entry and stay in Spain for economic interest reasons, among others, for highly qualified professionals. - Managing authority Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit - Approximate processing time Fastest resolution time: 20 business days. ### Who it is for Foreign nationals with a job offer in Spain for the development of an employment or professional relationship in a managerial position or an activity that requires a higher education qualification or, exceptionally, proof of a minimum of three years of professional experience that can be considered equivalent to such qualification, related to the activity for which the authorization is granted. Spanish regulations offer two alternatives for authorization as a highly qualified professional: - Residence authorization for highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card (Activity requiring a qualification obtained through higher education studies of at least three years, equivalent to at least Level 2 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, corresponding to Level 6 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning and the same level of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)). - National residence authorization for highly qualified professionals (Employment or professional activity requiring a qualification equivalent to at least Level 1 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education, corresponding to Level 5A of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning). ### Documents - Copy of the company’s Tax Identification Number (NIF) and a public document granting the company’s legal representative the authority to sign applications, as well as a copy of their identification document (DNI, NIE, etc.). If acting through a third party, proof of authorization must be provided. - Copy of the employment contract or proof of the professional relationship dated prior to the submission of the application, signed by both parties. - Job profile indicating the functions and tasks the professional will perform, along with their curriculum vitae and, where applicable, higher education degree or equivalent. - According to the applicable section of Article 71 of Law 14/2013: - Section a): Documentation proving the characteristics of the company (number of employees, turnover, etc.). To prove that an SME belongs to a strategic sector, a report from the Directorate General for International Trade and Investments of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness must be provided. - Section b): Report from the Directorate General for Trade and Investments (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) certifying that the project is of general interest (more information about this report can be obtained by emailing informacion\@icex.es). - Section c): Documentation proving that the professional holds a graduate or postgraduate degree from a recognized university or business school. - If they hold a short-term stay or a study stay of less than six months, they must present a criminal record certificate from the country or countries where they have resided during the last five years. ### General requirements - Completed application form. - Copy of the full passport or valid travel document and, where applicable, copies for family members. - Proof of sufficient financial resources for yourself and your family members during your stay in Spain. - Public or private health insurance contracted with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain, unless you will carry out an activity that grants you insured status under the National Health System. - Proof of payment of the corresponding fee. - If the applicant is already in Spain when submitting the application and holds a short-term stay or a study stay of less than six months, they must present the original criminal record certificate from the country or countries where they have resided during the last five years. ### Official answers #### Who can submit the application? The applicant, depending on the type of authorization, may be: - For initial authorizations: - For highly qualified professionals, researchers, or intra-company transfers, the company or entity requiring the foreign national’s services. Applications can be submitted by the interested person or through a representative. #### Is it necessary to submit foreign documents translated and legalized? All documents must be translated into Spanish. In the case of foreign public documents, they must also bear the Hague Apostille or, failing that, have been legalized through diplomatic channels. #### Can the application be admitted for processing? The Law establishes as a requirement not to be in an irregular situation in Spain, so this requirement must be met at the time of application. Submitting the residence authorization application will extend the validity of the residence or stay situation held until the procedure is resolved. Source: Plataforma ONE, Red.es ([one.gob.es/en/procedures/application-residence-highly-qualified-professionals](https://one.gob.es/en/procedures/application-residence-highly-qualified-professionals)). Reproduced under the Plataforma ONE legal notice. Compared with the source on November 2, 2026. [Aviso legal](https://one.gob.es/es/aviso-legal) ## Filing this application through Spain Visa Submit ### Filing with our certificate The applicant uploads the prepared package and a signed authorization through a private account. We sign and submit the application to UGE with our own electronic certificate and send the official filing receipt with the registration number. Technical filing costs €80 per applicant. ### Family members Family members’ documents can be uploaded in the same account. Each family member gets their own filing receipt, registration number and status updates. ### What we do not do We do not choose between the EU Blue Card and the national permit, check eligibility, review documents or give legal advice. Prepare the package with the employer or an adviser before you order filing. ## Frequently asked questions ### Who signs the authorization for this application? Plataforma ONE states that for highly qualified professionals the applicant is the company or entity that requires the professional’s services. The authorization for us to file comes from that applicant. ### Do you choose between the EU Blue Card and the national permit? No. Choosing the route and preparing documents is for the applicant, the employer or an adviser. We file the prepared package. ### What do we receive after filing? The official UGE filing receipt with the registration number, in the private account and by email. The filing price is €80 per applicant. ## Other UGE residence routes - [Digital nomads (international remote workers)](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits/digital-nomads) - [Entrepreneurs](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits/entrepreneurs) - [Intra-company transfers (ICT)](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits/intra-company-transfers) - [Spain residence permits filed with UGE: 4 routes](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits) ## Related guides - [Spain residence permits filed with UGE: 4 routes](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/residence-permits) - [Guide: UGE filing without your own certificate](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/sign-and-submit-uge) - [Spain DNV: DIY, gestoría, lawyer or filing only?](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/diy-gestoria-lawyer-or-filing-only) - [Paying the UGE fee through Spain Visa Submit](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/pay-tasa-790-038) - [What happens after we file your UGE application?](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/after-uge-filing) - [How much it costs to file a Spain digital nomad residence application from Spain](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/spain-digital-nomad-residence-cost) - [Can you apply for Spain’s digital nomad residence from inside Spain on a tourist stay?](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/apply-from-inside-spain) - [How long does UGE take to decide a digital nomad application, and what is positive silence?](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/uge-decision-time) - [Can my family apply with me for Spain’s digital nomad residence?](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/digital-nomad-family-members) - [Minimum income for Spain’s digital nomad residence in 2026](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/digital-nomad-income-2026) - [How to prove your entry date in Spain without a passport stamp](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/proof-of-entry-without-stamp) - [How many digital nomad residence permits has Spain granted? Official figures](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en/guides/digital-nomad-permit-statistics) [Open the application form](https://spainvisasubmit.com/en#application) --- Technical submission only. Not legal, immigration or tax advice.