Support by type of disability

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. You will know which Spanish organisations and rights fit your type of disability.

Start with "Support for adults with intellectual disability or autism in Spain". It explains the services available and how supported decision-making works. Then go to the page for your own situation: wheelchair and physical disability, ONCE for blind and low-vision people, deaf and hard-of-hearing support, assistance and guide dog access, or mental-health support and legal capacity.

Assessment of school needs, mental health treatment and dependency care are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Job quota: Private companies with 50 or more employees must reserve at least 2 percent of posts for workers with a disability of 33 percent or more.
• Support review: Support measures for adult legal decisions are reviewed by the judge at most every three years, or every six years in exceptional cases.
• Disability certificate: Most support starts with a certificate of 33% or more, issued by your region's disability body.
• Residence: Legal residence and registration in your region count for more than your nationality.
• Sight test: To affiliate you need visual acuity of 0.1 or less in your better eye with best correction, or a visual field of 10 degrees or less.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Proof of legal residence in Spain — Support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain
• The dog's identity or health card — Assistance and guide dog access rights in Spain

The home and the lease

• Proof of ownership or tenancy of the home — Support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain

Translations and legal papers

• Apostille on that copy — Support for adults with intellectual disability or autism in Spain

Other documents

• Proof of registration in your region — Support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain
• Health coverage card — Support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain
• Works quotes for the ramp — Support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain
• Assistance-dog accreditation or identification card — Assistance and guide dog access rights in Spain
• Vaccination record — Assistance and guide dog access rights in Spain
• Microchip details for the dog — Assistance and guide dog access rights in Spain
• Certified copy of the guardianship or incapacity order — Support for adults with intellectual disability or autism in Spain

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Support by type of disability: questions that cross several articles

Does my nationality or residence status affect which disability support I can get?

Yes, legal residence matters more than nationality, and you usually also need to be registered (empadronado) in the region that provides the service. Health-system equipment depends on having health coverage, and Dependencia usually asks foreigners for a minimum period of legal residence, commonly five years. EU citizens and long-term residents are generally treated like Spanish nationals. Read the article on support for wheelchair users and physical disability next.

Who pays for a wheelchair or other mobility equipment?

Public money for mobility equipment comes from three routes: the health service, regional aid calls and the Dependencia system. A specialist doctor prescribes items from the health catalogue, and each region's health service manages them, often with a co-payment. Regional social services run aid calls, and Dependencia may include a benefit for technical aids. See the article on support for wheelchair users and physical disability in Spain.

Can I make my home accessible if I live in a rented flat or a shared building?

Yes, owners with a disability or over 70 can require accessibility works in their building, and tenants can adapt the home with written notice to the landlord. The landlord can ask you to restore the property when the lease ends. Regional and town council grants may help with the cost.

Can a foreign resident with low vision join ONCE?

Yes, foreigners with legal residence can generally join ONCE if they meet the vision criteria, which are a visual acuity of 0.1 or less in the better eye with best correction, or a visual field of 10 degrees or less. You apply at a regional ONCE delegation with your residence card and an eye specialist's report. Read the article on support for blind and low-vision people with ONCE in Spain.

Can an adult with an intellectual or mental-health condition choose who supports their decisions?

Yes, an adult can choose their own support person in advance, set out before a notary, and the law now respects the person's will and preferences. If nothing is arranged, informal support from a family member or friend or a judge-appointed support figure can apply. Read the articles on support for adults with intellectual disability or autism, and on legal capacity for mental-health conditions.