How do you start a startup in Valencia as a foreigner?

To start your startup in Valencia as a foreigner, you need four things. First, an identification number: the NIE if you are not an EU citizen, or the EU citizen registration certificate if you are. Second, a legal structure, usually an SL (limited company) or autónomo (self-employed) status. Third, if your project is innovative, the ENISA "empresa emergente" certification, which gives you the tax benefits of Spain's Startup Act (Ley 28/2022). Fourth, if you come from outside the EU, a visa that lets you work here, such as the entrepreneur visa or the digital nomad visa. This guide takes each step in order and gives you the official source to check for each one. For the wider picture of the local ecosystem (hubs, accelerators, events), see our complete guide to startups and tech in Valencia.

Which legal status should you choose, SL or autónomo?

Choose autónomo if you want to test an activity quickly and cheaply on your own. Choose an SL (Sociedad Limitada, Spain's limited company) if you plan to raise money, bring in partners, or apply for the ENISA "empresa emergente" certification, which is designed for companies. Here are the main differences.

• How you're taxed: as an autónomo, you pay progressive IRPF income tax, from 19% to 47% depending on your bracket. An SL pays Impuesto de Sociedades (corporate tax). According to the Agencia Tributaria, micro-companies with turnover under 1 million euros pay 19% on the first 50,000 euros of taxable profit and 21% above that, and newly created companies pay 15% during their first two profitable fiscal years.
• Capital: since the Ley 18/2022 reform (known as "Crea y Crece"), the legal minimum capital for an SL is 1 euro. If your capital is under 3,000 euros, though, the law requires a reinforced legal reserve or a joint guarantee from the shareholders. In practice, many advisory firms recommend starting with 3,000 euros.
• When an SL becomes worth it: several advisory firms (Sage, TaxDown, Holded) put the threshold at roughly 40,000 to 50,000 euros of annual net profit. This is a private estimate, not an official rule. Run your own numbers with an accountant.

To set up an SL, you go through four steps:

• reserve the company name at the Registro Mercantil Central;
• deposit the capital in a Spanish bank;
• sign the incorporation deed before a notary;
• register the company at the Registro Mercantil.

According to several specialized advisory firms, the official fees for a simple online incorporation come to around 150 to 200 euros. That doesn't include lawyer or gestor fees. You can also do it yourself through CIRCE (Centro de Información y Red de Creación de Empresas), the Ministerio de Industria y Turismo's public system for creating a company or registering as autónomo online, using the Documento Único Electrónico (DUE). You'll need a digital certificate, or you can go to a free Punto de Atención al Emprendedor (PAE) for help. The portal is sede.serviciosmin.gob.es.

Whichever structure you choose, you need your NIE or EU registration certificate before you can sign at the notary and register the company at the Registro Mercantil. If you go the self-employed route, our step-by-step guide on how to become autónomo in Spain covers registration, contributions and paperwork in detail.

How do you get your NIE or EU registration certificate?

It depends on your nationality, and there are two separate procedures.

• If you are not an EU citizen: you apply for the NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero). You can do this in Spain at a police station or Oficina de Extranjería, by appointment (cita previa), with form EX-15, your passport, and the fee paid using modelo 790 code 012. You can also apply at a Spanish consulate in your home country before you travel. The competent authority is the Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras of the Policía Nacional (sede.policia.gob.es).
• If you are an EU citizen: you don't follow the non-EU NIE procedure. You apply for the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión (EU citizen registration certificate). Check the current requirements and how to book an appointment on the Policía Nacional's site, sede.policia.gob.es.

How long will it take? That varies a lot from one province or consulate to another, and the Policía Nacional doesn't publish a guaranteed timeframe. Ask the police station or consulate handling your case directly, and start this step first, since everything else depends on it.

What does the Startup Act change for you?

The Startup Act (Ley 28/2022, the "Ley de Startups") lowers taxes for certified startups and their investors, and it creates new residence routes for founders and remote workers. The official text is published in the BOE (reference BOE-A-2022-21739, published on 22 December 2022) at boe.es/eli/es/l/2022/12/21/28/con.

According to several specialized advisory firms, its main measures are:

• Lower corporate tax: 15% instead of 25%, for up to 4 fiscal years, for companies certified as "empresa emergente" (emerging company).
• Stock options: a higher tax exemption for stock options given to employees. Sources disagree on the exact annual exempt amount, which ranges from 45,000 to 50,000 euros depending on the source. Check the exact figure in the BOE text before you rely on it.
• Investors: a 50% tax deduction for investing in a newly created company, since the Startup Act took effect on 1 January 2023 (before that date, the rate was 30%). Maximum deduction base: 100,000 euros per year. Source: Agencia Tributaria (sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es, page updated 16 March 2026). In the Comunitat Valenciana, a separate regional deduction also applies (30%, rising to 45% for certain innovative SMEs, Decreto Ley 14/2025).
• Cash flow: tax payments can be deferred during the first two years.
• Impatriate regime: an expanded tax regime for entrepreneurs, investors and international remote workers moving to Spain, with a flat 24% rate on employment income for 6 tax periods instead of the progressive scale.

Most of these company-level benefits depend on one thing: getting the ENISA certification.

How do you get the ENISA "empresa emergente" certification?

You apply online on ENISA's electronic site. It's free, and you'll need a digital certificate or Cl@ve. According to ENISA (enisa.es), your company must meet all of the following conditions:

• be less than 5 years old since registration at the Registro Mercantil (7 years for biotech, energy, industry, or technology developed in Spain);
• not result from a merger, spin-off or transformation of a company that was not itself a startup;
• never have distributed dividends;
• not be listed on a regulated market;
• have its registered office or a permanent establishment in Spain;
• have at least 60% of its staff under contract in Spain;
• have annual turnover under 10 million euros;
• carry an innovative project with a scalable business model.

Have these documents ready: the incorporation deed, the bylaws, a Registro Mercantil certificate, your annual accounts (if you already have any), a 3-year business plan and a sworn declaration. ENISA says processing takes up to 3 months. Since you have to apply as a registered company, this certification comes after you've incorporated your SL, not before.

Which visa do you need as a foreign entrepreneur?

If you are an EU citizen, you don't need a visa to live and run a business in Valencia. Your EU registration certificate is enough. If you come from outside the EU, it depends on your project.

The entrepreneur visa (Ley 14/2013)

This visa is for adult non-EU/non-Schengen foreigners who want to launch an innovative project in Spain. You need a favorable report from ENISA (or from the Oficina Económica y Comercial, depending on the channel) confirming that your project is innovative and of economic interest for Spain. The residence permit lasts 3 years. Sources disagree on how long the ENISA report takes, so check the official text of Ley 14/2013 and the government portal prie.comercio.gob.es for current timing.

The digital nomad visa

The Startup Act created this visa for international remote workers from outside the EU who work for foreign employers or clients. If you are self-employed, no more than 20% of your income can come from Spanish clients. You need a degree or at least 3 years of professional experience, plus a minimum income that changes over time (check the current figure on prie.comercio.gob.es). You first get the visa at the consulate, then a renewable residence permit takes over once you are in Spain. Sources disagree on the total duration, so check it on the official site. We cover this route in detail in our guide to the digital nomad visa in Spain.

And the golden visa?

The golden visa (residence through real estate investment) was officially abolished on 3 April 2025 by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, according to the Spanish government's communiqué published by La Moncloa on 2 April 2025. Applications filed before that date stay under the previous rules. The entrepreneur visa is a separate legal scheme. According to several law firms, the abolition doesn't affect it, but we found no explicit government statement on this point. Confirm it with the consulate or on prie.comercio.gob.es.

What Valencian public grants exist?

The Generalitat Valenciana has two main agencies, IVACE and the AVI. Their programmes are open to SMEs in general, not specifically to foreign founders.

• IVACE, INNOVA-CV 2026: grants covering up to 45% of costs for small companies and 35% for medium-sized ones, under de minimis rules, with an initial budget of 7.5 million euros. The application deadline was 5 May 2026, so this call is now closed. Watch for the next edition.
• IVACE, DIGITALIZA-CV: non-repayable grants of up to 175,000 euros per SME digitalization project. Check IVACE's website for the status of the current call.
• Agència Valenciana de la Innovació (AVI): programmes that strengthen the Valencian innovation system, such as talent promotion, bringing researchers and technologists into companies, and turning research into business. We found no AVI programme aimed specifically at foreign entrepreneurs: its calls are generic for SMEs and innovation. Current calls are on innoavi.es.

What depends on your personal situation?

Almost everything in this guide depends on your nationality (EU or not), your sector (some sectors get 7 years instead of 5 for the ENISA certification), how innovative your project is, and how much you expect to earn. Several figures are still disputed between sources: the stock option exemption, the investor deduction rate, the processing time for the entrepreneur visa report, and the total duration of the digital nomad permit. For those, don't rely on a blog or a forum, including this article. Go to the official texts and bodies: the BOE for Ley 28/2022 and Ley 14/2013, ENISA, the Policía Nacional, prie.comercio.gob.es, the Agencia Tributaria, IVACE and the AVI. A gestor or tax adviser who knows the Startup Act can then help you fit it all to your case.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner create an SL in Spain?

Yes. You need an NIE (non-EU citizens) or an EU citizen registration certificate (EU citizens) to sign the deed before a notary and register the company at the Registro Mercantil.

How much does it cost to set up an SL?

According to several specialized advisory firms, official fees for a simple online incorporation come to around 150 to 200 euros, not counting lawyer or gestor fees. The legal minimum capital is 1 euro, but below 3,000 euros the law requires a reinforced legal reserve or a joint guarantee from the shareholders.

Is it better to be autónomo or to create an SL?

As an autónomo, you pay IRPF from 19% to 47%. An SL pays corporate tax (19% then 21% for micro-companies, 15% during the first two profitable years for new companies, according to the Agencia Tributaria). Several advisory firms estimate the SL becomes worthwhile above roughly 40,000 to 50,000 euros of annual net profit, but that's a private estimate.

Do EU citizens need an NIE to start a business?

EU citizens don't follow the non-EU NIE procedure. They apply for the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión. Check the requirements on sede.policia.gob.es.

Who can get the ENISA "empresa emergente" certification?

Companies registered in Spain less than 5 years ago (7 in certain sectors) that have never paid dividends, have turnover under 10 million euros, have at least 60% of staff under contract in Spain, and run an innovative, scalable project. The online application is free, and ENISA announces up to 3 months of processing.

What tax does a certified startup pay?

According to several advisory firms reading Ley 28/2022, certified companies pay 15% corporate tax instead of 25% for up to 4 fiscal years. Check the BOE text for the exact conditions.

Can I still get a golden visa to move to Valencia?

No. The real estate golden visa was abolished on 3 April 2025 by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, according to La Moncloa. Applications filed before that date stay under the previous rules.

Is there a grant for foreign entrepreneurs in Valencia?

We found no programme specifically for foreign founders. IVACE (INNOVA-CV, DIGITALIZA-CV) and the AVI fund SMEs and innovation in general, whatever your nationality. Check their websites for open calls.

General information, updated 04/10/2026. It does not replace personalized advice.