EU Blue Card: advantages and how to apply for it

If you are thinking about developing your career in Europe or attracting international talent to your company, this guide will help you understand what the EU Blue Card is, how to apply for it, and why it might be the best option for you or your organization.

Dana Antolín, immigration and international workforce mobility expert at Adlanter, explains in this post the main requirements to consider when obtaining this permit, as well as all the benefits it offers.

What is the Blue Card?

The EU Blue Card is a residence and work authorization aimed at highly qualified non-EU professionals wishing to carry out their professional activity in Spain. This permit falls within the regulation of mobility for qualified professionals and is mainly governed by the Law 14/2013 supporting entrepreneurs and their internationalization. The validity of the Blue Card depends on the country where the professional develops their activity (from one to four years).

Benefits of the EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card offers multiple benefits to its holders:

1. Residence and work in Spain: Allows you to legally reside and work throughout the national territory in a highly qualified job.
2. Family reunification: The holder’s family members (spouse or partner with a similar relationship, dependent minors or adults, and dependent ascendants) can obtain authorizations to accompany or join the holder.
3. Mobility within the European Union:
   • A holder of an EU Blue Card issued by another Member State can travel to Spain to carry out professional activities for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without needing another authorization.
   • If the holder has lived at least twelve months in another Member State as an EU Blue Card holder (or six months if they have lived in more than one Member State), they can apply for an EU Blue Card in Spain.
4. Access to EU long-term residence: After five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain (or in the EU under certain conditions for EU Blue Card holders from other states), long-term residence in the EU can be requested.
5. Swift processing: Applications are processed by the Unit for Large Companies and Strategic Groups (UGE-CE), and a decision must be issued within a maximum of twenty days. If no decision is issued within this period, the authorization is considered approved by administrative silence.

What are the requirements to apply?

For a foreign professional to obtain the EU Blue Card in Spain, they must meet the following fundamental requirements:

• Accredited professional qualification: The applicant must have a qualification from higher education of at least three years. Alternatively, a minimum of five years of professional experience that can be considered equivalent to this qualification and relevant to the specified profession or sector may be accredited.
• Work contract or firm job offer: A valid work contract or a firm job offer for a highly qualified position must be presented. The contract must have a minimum duration of six months.
• Labor and salary conditions: The contract conditions must comply with current labor regulations and the applicable collective agreement. The gross annual salary specified in the contract must not be below a reference threshold, ranging between 1.0 and 1.6 times the average gross annual salary.
• Other general requirements: No criminal record, no irregular stay in Spanish territory, and sufficient insurance and economic means.

Step-by-step application process

The procedure to apply for the EU Blue Card is as follows:

1. Submission of the application to the Unit for Large Companies and Strategic Groups.
2. Required documentation: Documentation proving compliance with all the above requirements must be provided.
3. Visa (if applicable): If the professional is outside Spain and requires a visa to enter, once the residence authorization is granted, consular authorities will issue the visa without requiring additional conditions beyond those already accredited.
4. Foreigner Identity Card (TIE): Once the authorization with validity over six months is granted, or after entry into Spain with the corresponding visa, the holder must personally apply for the Foreigner Identity Card within one month.

Validity period of the Blue Card

The initial validity of the residence authorization will be three years, or equal to the duration of the contract plus an additional three months if the contract is shorter, without exceeding three years. If you want to know how to renew it, check this other post about the EU Blue Card.

✅ Are you not well informed about your obligations to ensure the continuity of your legal status in Spain? Check our immigration services and discover how we can help you renew your EU Blue Card.