SpainGuru is born!

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

SpainGuru was founded by three American expats in Spain who learned the hard way what it takes to get Spanish work residency.

The road to residency seems long and confusing. But we’re here to let you know that there is hope! It is possible to live and work in Spain long term, even without a corporate sponsor, and we are proof.

Each of us have our distinct stories: Christina’s journey started out as a year abroad to be an English language teaching assistant, Shaheen came to study at Madrid’s IE Business School, and Stacey bought her plane ticket almost on a whim.

Now all three of us have managed to obtain permission to live and work here. Throughout the journey, we’ve all been active on social media. Christina is admin of the largest Facebook group in Madrid for English-speaking expats, with more than 8,000 members, Stacey is known for her La Guiri Habla blog and minor YouTube celebrity, and Shaheen has become a go-to resource for expats with her American Expats in Spain Facebook group, and stint as content manager for expat housing resource Spotahome.com.

With our expertise and strong network of contacts in the expat community, we decided to compile our knowledge, to make things a little easier for our fellow non-European expats looking to make Spain their long term home. Stay tuned for lots more useful info!

In the meantime, if you have a question you’d like us to answer ask it here! We’ll create blog posts for the most in-demand topics.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Useful links

• Visit our recommended immigration & tax experts.
• Make sure to visit Spainguru’s Resources page.
• Join Spainguru’s Facebook group with more than 13.000 members
• Get quotes for the best Health insurances to apply for a NLV
• Subscribe to our newsletter here

Shaheen Samavati

Shaheen Samavati is a pivotal figure at SpainGuru, where she brings her profound understanding of Spanish immigration to the forefront. Her journey in Spain began when she arrived in Madrid to pursue her studies at IE Business School. Over the years, Shaheen has not only immersed herself in the Spanish culture but has also become a trusted resource for expats. Through her active participation in the "American Expats in Spain" Facebook group and her role as a content manager for Spotahome.com, she has consistently provided invaluable insights to the expat community.

See Full Bio