Identify your visa category — match your situation to a Spanish residence/visa type (non-lucrative, digital nomad, work, study, family)

Everything else in your move flows from this decision: which residence route matches your work, income, family and plans. Each visa type has its own evidence list, its own timeline, and its own renewal rhythm — choosing early is what makes the rest of the roadmap sequenceable. If two routes could fit, the differences that matter are usually about work rights and taxes, and that's a conversation worth having with a professional.