Advice from a
Brazilian Couple who made Spain their Home.

Our story began with the same bureaucracy you want to avoid. That is why we built the service we wish we had had.

The people behind the process

Julia Guirardelli
Julia Guirardelli Finance & Community

Julia Guirardelli

Co-founder · Finance & Community

An economist and accountant with experience at multinationals in Uruguay, Portugal and Spain. Julia knows first-hand what it means to restart your professional life in another country, and the impact of not having guidance at the right moment.

After years in the corporate world, it was traveling and living alone outside Brazil that further developed her independence and her clarity about her own path. That experience also became the turning point for helping other people build their own paths with more confidence.

At Via Espanha, Julia handles the strategic and financial side of the process, helping clients understand costs, contracts and the bureaucratic aspects of the move. All with a practical, human approach based on the real experience of someone who has been through it.

Economics & AccountingMultinationalsUruguay · Portugal · ESBarcelona, Spain

John Barcelos

Co-founder · Immigration & Legislation

Born in Rio de Janeiro, John spent years in Rio helping foreign tourists who arrived in large numbers — that is where his vocation for navigating bureaucracy on behalf of people who do not know the system was born.

From Buenos Aires to London, from Lisbon to Madrid, every immigration added layers of practical experience that no course can offer. Today, in Spain, that journey is systematized: clear guidance, no guesswork and no promises beyond what is possible.

His focus is turning processes that seem impossible into objective steps — documented, sequenced and with a realistic timeline.

Hospitality & TourismImmigration LawArgentina · UK · Portugal · ESMadrid, Spain
John Barcelos
John Barcelos Immigration & Legislation
"Turning bureaucracy into freedom."

That sentence sums it all up. We know the immigration process can be paralyzing: documents, acronyms, deadlines, consulates, government offices. For many people, it is precisely this maze that stops a dream from becoming reality.

Our mission is to make sure you do not have to figure everything out alone. Everyone we work with receives not only specialized guidance, but also emotional and practical support for the real challenges of immigrating.

Our values

🔍 Transparency We never promise what we cannot deliver. Your process starts with clarity about timelines, documents and possibilities.
🤝 Humanity Immigrating is an act of courage. We treat every client with the respect that decision deserves.
⚖️ Rigor in Every Process Every piece of guidance is based on current legislation. We keep our knowledge constantly up to date.
🌍 Lived Experience We are immigrants too. We understand homesickness, the challenges of adapting and what it means to start over.

Why Spain and not Portugal?

A fair question that we answer with facts rather than personal preference. Portugal is a great option for many profiles. Spain is the better one for others. Here are the differences.

Spain vs Portugal:
an objective comparison

Criterion 🇪🇸 Spain 🇵🇹 Portugal
Job market ✓ 5th largest economy in the EU ~ Smaller market
Language ✓ Spanish — spoken by 500M+ people worldwide ~ Portuguese
Regulatory stability ✓ High predictability ~ Frequent changes
Digital Nomad Visa ✓ Established ~ Variable requirements
Cost of living ~ Moderate to high ✓ Slightly lower
International community ✓ Very active in Madrid and Barcelona ✓ Very active in Lisbon
Path to citizenship ✓ 2 years for Ibero-Americans; 10 years standard ~ Varies by nationality and is under reform

*Reference data 2025/2026. Contact us for a personalized analysis.

Reasons to choose Spain

01

Greater regulatory stability

Spanish immigration legislation has been more predictable than Portugal’s, which went through significant changes over the last 3 years. For long-term planning, that makes a difference.

02

A fast track to citizenship for some

For Ibero-Americans, Spanish naturalization requires only 2 years of uninterrupted legal residence — one of the shortest timelines in Europe. A major advantage for anyone who wants a European passport sooner.

03

An economy with more opportunities

Spain is the 5th largest economy in the eurozone. Madrid and Barcelona concentrate multinational offices and a strong startup ecosystem, with salaries closer to the European average.

04

Spanish opens doors

Learning Spanish is not a limitation but an investment. With the language, your career opportunities expand across 20+ countries in Europe and the Americas.

What changes when you have real guidance

7 Immigrations lived by the founders
Clarity You understand every step before you take it
No surprises Documents, deadlines and costs mapped from the start
48h Maximum time to get your reply

Ready to start your story?

No-obligation profile review. 15 minutes to find out exactly what your path to Spain looks like.

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