Moving to Spain from Pakistan

The Pakistani community in Spain is concentrated mainly in Catalonia, and many newcomers arrive to join relatives who already live here. Other common routes are work, studies and arraigo after two years in Spain. Pakistan has applied the apostille since 2023, which has simplified paperwork, although documents are still the most frequent cause of delays.

Key facts

• Visa: Pakistani citizens need a visa even for short stays. To live in Spain you need a national visa after the relevant permit is granted.
• Citizenship: 10 years of legal, continuous residence, the CCSE and DELE A2 exams and a declaration renouncing Pakistani nationality at the oath. Its effect in Pakistan depends on Pakistani law.
• Driving: there is no exchange agreement. To drive as a resident you will need a Spanish licence, with theory and practical tests.
• Documents: Pakistan applies the apostille, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has issued since May 2024. Spain did not object to Pakistan’s accession, so the apostille is enough.
• Translation: documents in English or Urdu need a sworn translation into Spanish.

How people usually move

• Family reunification. If your spouse or parent lives legally in Spain, they can sponsor you after their first year of residence, once renewal has been granted or applied for. This is the most common route. Family reunification
• Arraigo. For people who have already spent 2 years in Spain and have no criminal record: social, socio-labour or socio-training arraigo (family arraigo, for example for the parent of a Spanish child, has no such minimum). Arraigo
• Employment. With a job offer from a Spanish company, which applies for the permit; you then apply for the visa. Employment
• Studies. Bachelor’s, master’s or vocational training with a study authorisation, which allows work up to 30 hours a week. This time does not count towards citizenship. Study stay
• Family of a Spanish or EU citizen. Marriage or registered partnership with a Spanish or EU citizen. Family member of a Spanish or EU citizen

Documents and apostille

• Police Character Certificate from the police of the province or district where you lived. From abroad, some Pakistani missions process it, but only for residents of certain provinces. It usually needs to be recent.
• Apostille: issued by MOFA through its apostille portal. Some documents, such as academic degrees, may first need verification by the competent body.
• Computerised birth and marriage certificates from the registry (NADRA) and, for marriage, the Nikah Nama. They prove the family link for reunification.
• Sworn translation into Spanish of all documents, including the apostille.
• Passport with enough validity and with names spelled the same way as in your other documents.

What to keep in mind

• The Spanish Embassy in Islamabad covers all of Pakistan; there are honorary consulates in Karachi and Lahore. National visas (studies, family reunification, work and highly qualified) are filed in person at the outsourced application centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
• Different spellings of names across the passport, NADRA records and Nikah Nama are a frequent mistake: check that they match before applying.
• For family reunification, apply for the visa within the deadline stated in the favourable decision; if it passes, you have to start again.
• Once in Spain: register on the padrón and apply for your TIE within the first month.

Frequently asked questions

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