Under both the Law for Entrepreneurs and the general immigration law, several public institutions are involved in processing visas and work and residence authorizations. The Ministry of External Affairs, Directorate of Consular Affairs is responsible for visa processing at Spanish consular posts abroad. Spanish consulates abroad have the authority to directly grant temporary visas for business visitors, students and tourists. In general terms, the referred visas do not grant resident or immigrant status to the foreign national. Spanish consulates also have the capacity to process and evaluate certain types of national visas/permits (that grant resident status to the applicant), for example, investor visas, or non-lucrative residence permits.

All residence (national) visas or labor-related visas first require the approval of the Large Companies Unit in the case of the Law for Entrepreneurs, while the approval of the applicable government delegation, sub-delegation or autonomous community authority located in the province where the foreign national will live in Spain is required for permits under the general immigration law.