Starting a business in Spain

Many countries are very reluctant to grant citizenship to foreigners. But there is a point that refers to the exceptions: it is attracting foreign investment. In this case, it is much easier to get all the official preferences of a citizen. The Spanish government also applies this policy.

General information on business immigration in Spain

As a result of business immigration, the following occurs:

• The immigrant becomes an employer in the country of destination;
• Taxes are deducted to the state budget;
• New jobs, trade relations are created, and the turnover of financial resources is stimulated.

The state benefits from business activities, therefore, in many countries there are simplified procedures for obtaining citizenship and residence permits for businessmen.

What is a business visa and what type of visa you can get in Spain

A business visa is specially provided for the implementation of business projects. The most advanced is known as the “golden visa” and is intended for large investors in the Spanish economy. Since 2015, the Kingdom has decided to provide the possibility of living for a year on its territory with the possibility of extension.

Family members of the investor are also granted a similar right, but for this you need to spend a substantial amount:

• Buy property for 500 thousand euros;
• Acquire a share in a Spanish company in the amount of 1 million euros.

In this case, the further procedure for obtaining a residence permit, and then citizenship, is greatly facilitated.

Those who do not have such an amount will have to apply for a regular single-entry business visa, which allows them to stay in the country for up to 90 days within six months. After issuing two or more simple business visas, it will be possible to open a multiple valid Schengen visa.

What type of business is more profitable to open in Spain

Spain is quite promising for medium-sized businesses. Small companies with a staff of 10 to 50 people with a moderately developed infrastructure can most adequately occupy the current niches in business. Small business is traditional for the Spaniards: these are mainly industries associated with various types of trade and public catering. But the risk for a foreign citizen in case of failure will be higher.

The most profitable business immigration ideas to Spain among Russians is to open their own business. Good offers of a ready-made business are very expensive, besides, truly worthwhile ideas are quickly bought out by the “old-timers” of the market.

If you intend to develop your own startup, then when opening a business visa, the trade and economic department of the Spanish embassy can simplify the procedure if the proposed business is of interest to the Spanish economy.

Conditions of immigration to Spain for entrepreneurs

In order to enter and gain a foothold in Spain, you need to fulfill a number of conditions.

Choosing the required visa, conditions for obtaining it

For the introductory stage prior to starting a business, a simple C type business visa is sufficient.

There is nothing difficult in obtaining it:

1. It is necessary to collect a package of documents;
2. Contact the consular center at your place of residence;
3. Pay the fee;
4. Confirm the availability of funds for accommodation for a period of 90 days.

If the business started requires a permanent presence in the country, you need to attend to obtaining a national type D visas... It makes it possible to stay in Spain without leaving with the possibility of extension.

To obtain it, you need to either convince the issuing authorities of the need for a business project for the Spanish economy, or provide guarantees of financial solvency and the opportunity to be an employer.

Conditions for obtaining a residence permit, permanent residence, citizenship

A residence permit is the legal status of a foreigner in Spain, which allows him to live in the country without leaving for more than a year.

The residence permit can be extended, and it can be of three types:

1. Educational (for schoolchildren, students and other students);
2. Worker (for those who are employed in a Spanish company);
3. Without the right to work (for those who already have income).

Businessmen fall into the third category. There are three ways to declare your sufficient income:

• Provide evidence of livelihood;
• Open a business, the income from which will give a livelihood;
• Invest in real estate from 500,000 euros or into production from 1,000,000 euros.

The next status is residence in Spain. A foreigner has the right to apply for resident status after 5 years of legal residence in Spain. In fact, resident status is the cherished permanent residence. The grounds practically do not change in comparison with the residence permit: after all, if the income was confirmed within five years, then it will not be difficult to do it again.

Spanish citizenship can be obtained by persons legally residing in the country for ten years.

Buying a ready-made business and starting from scratch

An immigrant entrepreneur has two paths: starting a business from scratch and buying a ready-made solution. In the first case, there is an opportunity to create a business "for yourself", in the second - to use the experience of the client base and bypass the period of development. In addition, a ready-made business has an important advantage - there is no need to get involved with the legal intricacies of starting a new business.

Business options in Spain among Russian immigrants

Today, a stable income can be ensured by organizing a business in the following areas:

1. Agriculture... Spain belongs to the countries with a warm maritime climate, therefore, with a competent approach, you can grow a variety of cultivated plants here and successfully sell them;
2. Scope of tourism... The kingdom is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, there are many warm sunny days in the year, so Spain is invariably popular among tourists. Hotels, hotels, apartments, as well as travel companies and agencies - an area in stable demand;
3. Catering and drinking establishments: cafes, bars, restaurants. This area is directly related to tourism, therefore, the most profitable establishments on the coast and in busy places in large cities;
4. Cleaning companies. Cleaning of private and commercial real estate is relevant in Spain: the owners of private houses, as a rule, use the services of hired cleaners and maids. The same applies to office space and hotels, which often enter into contracts with cleaning companies;
5. IT sphere. Spain, like any other European country, has a steady demand for networking and programming;
6. Entertainment. Everything is popular - from nightclubs to animated children's centers;
7. Renting out real estate. Renting out both residential and commercial real estate is popular. A special direction in Spanish business is traspaso, when a person is the owner of the real estate where the commercial object is located, but is not involved in this very object.

Business ideas with minimal investment

The costs of starting a business from scratch can be estimated only approximately, since there are too many unknowns.

But a ready-made business will require the following investments:

• Mini Hotel - about 250-300 thousand euros;
• Grocery store - 25-40 thousand euros;
• Small cafe - up to 20 thousand euros.

But what if such starting funds are not available? There are types of businesses that do not require large investments:

• Organization of personal sports training. This also includes a personal nutritionist;
• Event organizer.We are talking about weddings, concerts, parties, business meetings;
• Dropshipping. Intermediary sale with delivery of goods directly to the client, bypassing warehouse storage and distribution, is popular all over the world, including Spain.

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Real reviews

“We started a business in Spain from scratch. A very useful thing is microcredit, which is given to a businessman in a bank on very favorable terms. True, in order to get these conditions, you need to submit a business plan to the municipal employment development institute. If the local authorities like the plan, then the entrepreneur is given considerable preferences ”.

Svetlana and Andrey, Barcelona.

“I had business experience in Moscow, but I wanted to move to a new place where it is more comfortable. Founded a marketing agency specializing in naming, branding, internet marketing. There is enough work, the Spaniards are not particularly strong in Internet technologies, everything imported, if you set a goal, you can earn, although the level of bureaucracy and taxes are high. "

Andrey Cherkashin, Torrevieja.

Legal nuances

Spain has its own intricacies of starting and running a business. The country has a sufficiently developed management and control apparatus, consisting of officials. There are also a number of formal procedures that must be followed.

Business registration

The process of opening a business in Spain includes the following steps:

1. Conclusion of an agreement with the manager (asesor), who must be a Spanish citizen or resident;
2. Selection of the company name and verification with the registration authority in Madrid. You also need to decide on the form of ownership - LLC (Sociedad Limitada) or JSC (Sociedad Anonima). For a small business, the status of Autonomo, that is, an individual entrepreneur, will be sufficient. To do this, you need to be a resident;
3. Opening a bank account for depositing the share capital - about 3,000 euros for S.L. and 60,000 for S.A;
4. Development and notarization of constituent documents;
5. Payment of tax levy in the amount of 1% of the authorized capital;
6. Registration of the charter with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, where it is entered into the register. The tax office assigns a CIF tax number. Sometimes business activities require licensing;
7. Payment of taxes levied by the municipality where the business is located, as well as the acquisition of relevant details - accounting books, printing, and others.

Taxation

The tax system in Spain is highly ramified. Main taxes paid by non-resident entrepreneurs:

1. IVA (Value Added Tax). At the moment, the VAT rate is 21%;
2. ITP (Property Transfer Tax);
3. AJD (tax on legal acts);
4. IBI (real estate and transport tax on a general basis).

Tips for Business Immigrants

Visitors from Russia often make typical mistakes that can be easily avoided:

1. You cannot do without the Spanish language completely. If you don't learn the language, then a translator is a must. A local lawyer will also only work as a plus;
2. Starting a business from scratch in a foreign country is doubly difficult. Experience at home is desirable;
3. The cornerstone of business success is not quality of work, but fame. Without competent marketing, a businessman will simply be “eaten up” by competitors. If no one knows about the services of the company, it will burn out, even if it provides them the best.

With a competent and balanced approach, Spain seems to be an excellent place for investment. A good business idea can give life to a new business, and a well-thought-out policy will allow you to receive stable dividends from a ready-made business.

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