There a handful of different live-work visas, issued for fixed periods of time or certain kinds of jobs, but you may have to trudge through several layers of bureaucracy to get all the right papers together. Employee visa: Starting your life in Barcelona with a job contract will make the visa process much easier, but given the competitive market and increasing number of foreigners scrapping for these jobs, getting hired from abroad can be tricky. For more on work and the kinds of jobs you may find here, see p.60. In many cases, your employer will guide you through the process or submit documentation on your behalf. But, in order to complete your visa application at the consulate’s office in your country of origin, you may need a letter from the Immigration Office in Spain (Oficina de Extranjero/Oficina d’Estrangers; Avinguda Marquès de l’Argentera 4, www.map.es, 93 520 14 10) granting you and your company work permit authorisation. Reunite with an EU citizen: Spouses, children and parents of Spanish or EU citizens may apply for this visa and be granted the same work privileges as an EU citizen. You’ll need to prove family ties and will also need a copy of the sponsoring Spanish or EU citizen’s passport and Empadronamiento, the piece of paper that lists their residency in the Ajuntament’s books.