Spanish permanent residence

If you intend to reside within Spain for an extended period or even permanently, you will have to obtain Spanish citizenship or a permanent Spanish residency permit. Consider the following example: You have been living in Spain for one or two years. Your student visa and work permit may have been approved, or you may have been granted a regular permanent residence permit. However, based on your enjoyment of life here, you wish to extend the duration of your residency for a more extended period. What are your options? Is your student visa required to be renewed every year? Is it also possible to restore a non-working visa every two years if you possess a Spain permanent residence permit? No, that is not the case for either question. As soon as you have remained in the country for five years, you can acquire a permanent residency permit, and then you do not have to reapply. In the long run, you will become a legal resident in Spain. However, how should it be done?

What is permanent residency in spain for non eu citizens?

It is called a permanent residence if non-European Union citizens have lived continuously in Spain for five years and have obtained a residency card indefinitely. The card is renewed after the first five years, then every five years until you turn 30 and every ten years after that. The permit lets you live and work in Spain as an employee or self-employed. It is for people from outside the EU: EU citizens get a permanent residence certificate instead. While you build up the five years, absences of up to six months in a row are allowed, as long as they add up to no more than ten months in total. Once you hold the permit, you lose it after twelve months in a row outside the EU (see the section on absences below).

How to apply for permanent residency in Spain?

To get a permanent residency permit in Spain, what steps must be taken? Consider a recent immigrant who holds a first temporary residence and work permit. She has been working and living in the country legally for one year after obtaining her first permit. These are temporary residence and work permits. When that first permit expires she renews it, and under the current regulation a work permit renewal lasts four years. That takes her to five years lived in Spain, and at that point she can apply for long-term residence. Permits do not automatically renew at renewal time. She will need a permanent residency card (a new type of residency) to remain in the country for five years. The renewal doesn’t have to be made between the two. There are a few essential considerations to keep in mind. Some years in Spain count more than others.

Spain requires five years of residency to obtain permanent residency. Time on a student stay is the usual catch. It does not count as residence for national long-term residence. For the EU long-term permit (Larga Duración-UE) it counts at 50%, and only if you already hold a residence permit when you apply, so six years of study count as three. You can avoid mistakes by following these tips. A “residence certificate” may be obtained at the Police Department. You will need to present your name and how long you have lived in the country as a student or resident to receive this certificate. You will know exactly how much time is left before you can apply for permanent residency once it has been stamped and signed by the police.

Permanent Residency or Citizenship

The EU permits permanent residency holders to keep their passports and nationality. Many benefits are available to Spain’s permanent residents as well. Various requirements must, however, be met. Finances are essential for your well-being. There are limited-time limits on travel within the EU, but you can extend that with permission. However, unless you are exempt, you must give up your original citizenship and passport if you become a citizen of Spain. Having the same rights as a citizen of Spain means that you have the same liberties and protections as others. Additionally, you will be able to move freely within an EU country once you become a Spanish citizen of the European Union. In addition to local elections, European elections are also held.

Applying for Permanent Residency

When it comes to the application form and requirements, it isn’t difficult to obtain permanent residency. You might view this as a reward after living in the country for the past five years. You must have lived in Spain legally and continuously for the past five years, and the immigration office will check your criminal record to decide whether you pose a risk to public order. A copy of your rental contract could prove your point.

Apply in the two months before your current permit expires, or within the three months after, although filing late can bring a fine. If you already meet the five years while your permit is still valid, you can apply straight away. The immigration office has three months to decide, and if it does not answer in time the application is treated as approved. Once it is granted, you have one month to apply in person for your new card (TIE).

An EU long-term residency permit can be acquired by non-EU citizens who have lived in Spain for five uninterrupted years. Their stay in Spain is indefinite, and they may work and live there as they would as Spanish citizens. To qualify for a Spanish visa, an applicant must demonstrate sufficient financial resources, such as a pension, scholarship, or salary, to support themselves and their families. In Spain, you will also need to show proof of your health insurance. In Spain, you have the right to work and utilize Spanish social services and benefits if you possess the proper permit. EU citizens do not need this permit: to stay in Spain beyond three months they register and get an EU registration certificate, showing that they work, study or have enough money and health insurance. The duration of the license may be longer if it is a special permit. The Blue Card of a second EU country and having lived in that country for at least the same amount of time may also qualify you for long-term residency in Spain. Before you can apply, you must live in the country for at least two years. If you wish to reside in Spain with an EU long-term residency permit, you must give up your long-term residency in another country. You will also have to apply for a long-term Spain permanent residence permit with the Foreigner’s Office (Oficina de Extranjeros) in Spain.

Can I become a temporary resident in Spain?

Temporary residence permits are valid for up to five years and allow the holder to stay in Spain for longer than 90 days. Authorizations may be extended periodically upon request by the holder, depending on the conditions surrounding their issuance. In what ways can a temporary residence permit be obtained? Initial authorization for temporary residence can be granted to foreign nationals whose means of subsistence are sufficient for them and their family members, if applicable. Spain’s current legislation sets forth the procedures and requirements for getting a residency permit and a work permit so that self-employed individuals or employees can be gainfully employed in Spain. To apply for this permit, individuals who have resided in Spain previously need not meet the requirements for a Spain permanent residence permit.

How can I legally live in Spain?

Spanish residency is generally obtained through employment. Additionally, people from countries outside the European Union may take advantage of this option. In another EU citizen, getting a residency permit is much easier since there are no specific steps involved. Non-EU nationals can also come to study or work with the matching visa. Students who obtain study visas usually have them for the duration of their studies, which can be short- (between three and nine months) or long-term (between two and four years). If the student is studying at the same educational institution before their visa expires, it may be extended. In Spain, permits are renewed without leaving the country. The student may also apply for a TIE (foreign entity card, foreigner’s identity card) if the stay is longer than six months. In that case it is compulsory, and you apply within a month of arriving.

Foreign nationals entering Spain must sign a contract of employment before the entry process begins. The country also offers different types of work visas. Seasonal work visas, au pair work permits, long-term work permits, and the European Union Blue Card are available. For workers from non-EU countries to be able to obtain a work visa, an employer must conduct specific operations before hiring them. Ideally, the work must be for a high-paying job and on the list of hard-to-find jobs. Obtaining residency in Spain also requires meeting a number of requirements.

How much money do you need to get residency in Spain?

High net worth individuals and entrepreneurs can apply for residency status in Spain through specific programs. Investors who already hold one can still renew the Property Investor Visa, although the scheme closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025. For people who do not want to work in Spain, the usual route is the non-lucrative visa, which asks for €2,400 a month (€28,800 a year) for the main applicant and €600 a month more for each family member in 2026. Golden Visa holders who renew must also meet other requirements. Unblemished criminal records and health insurance are essential. An applicant must also show that they are capable of supporting themselves for the long term. Holders of an existing Golden Visa may keep family members on the permit when they renew. There is no separate wealth visa in Spain. Applicants’ families can move to Spain with them if the income also covers each family member.

Family routes

There is no separate family roots visa. If one of your parents or grandparents was originally Spanish, you may be able to apply for Spanish nationality after just one year of legal residence (article 22.2 of the Civil Code). Our lawyers check which route fits your family before you apply.

Relatives of Spanish citizens have had their own residence permit since 20 May 2025 (articles 93 to 99 of Royal Decree 1155/2024). Relatives of citizens of other EU countries use the EU family member card. Non-EU residents bring their family through family reunification, which covers the spouse or partner, children under 18 and, in some cases, dependent parents.

Exemptions to the 10-year Rules

Recognised refugees can apply for Spanish citizenship after five years of legal residence in Spain (more on refugee status in Spain). Nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and Sephardic Jews, can apply after two years. One year is enough for people born in Spain, people married to a Spanish citizen for at least a year, widows and widowers of a Spanish citizen, and people born abroad whose parent or grandparent was originally Spanish (article 22 of the Civil Code). Being born in Spain does not make you Spanish automatically. Most applicants also have to pass the CCSE test on the Constitution and Spanish society, and those from countries where Spanish is not an official language, the DELE A2 exam.

Spanish Citizenship by Marriage

If you have been married to a Spanish citizen for at least a year, are not separated, and have lived legally in Spain for one year, you can apply for Spanish nationality. You follow the standard application, but you do not have to wait ten years. Widows and widowers of a Spanish citizen can also apply after one year of residence if they were not separated when their spouse died. Unless you come from one of the exempt countries, you have to give up your previous nationality.

Dual  citizenship Nationality

The King will require you to swear allegiance to him if your bid is successful. Also, as a foreigner in Spain, you have to abide by the laws and constitution of Spain. In addition to renunciation your previous nationality, you will also need to renounce your previous citizenship unless you come from a Spanish-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, or Portugal. Moreover, Sephardic Jews and their descendants are also allowed to maintain their original citizenship so as to maintain dual citizenship. If you reside out of Spain for over three years and obtain the citizenship of another country during that time, your Spanish citizenship will cease to exist. For those who are accustomed to using their previous nationality during that time period, the same applies. If you declare that you wish to retain your Spanish nationality under this time frame, the only exception is if you state that to the Civil Registry.

British Ex-pats in Spain

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. British citizens who were already living in Spain by the end of 2020 are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and keep their rights, with a TIE that shows it. British citizens who move to Spain now follow the same rules as any other non-EU national, so the permits on this page apply to them.

Apostilles and/or legalizations (the process of authenticating the documentation) should be done first on the documents from abroad before the documents can be recognized in Spain. If you would like professional translations performed by translators appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in your country, I advise you to contact the Spanish embassy/consulate in your country. Whenever necessary, our Spanish consulates or embassy can provide you with more information about the Spanish embassy or consulate in your country, so do not hesitate to get in touch with the Spanish consulate or embassy there.

How long can you leave Spain without losing permanent residency?

This is the question that costs people their status, and the answer is different depending on whether you are still building up your five years or you already hold the permit.

Before you have it: the five year count

Absences of up to six continuous months do not break your residence, as long as they add up to no more than ten months across the whole five year period. Longer than that and the clock resets. Exits made irregularly do not count as valid absences at all, and absences for work reasons are treated separately with a longer allowance.

After you have it: keeping the permit

Once granted, long term residence is lost after twelve consecutive months outside the territory of the European Union. Note what that says: outside the EU, not outside Spain. A year spent in Portugal or France does not cost you your Spanish permit.

There is one exception worth knowing, and almost nobody mentions it. If you obtained EU long term residence after holding an EU Blue Card, that window doubles to twenty four consecutive months. The same applies to family members who were granted EU long term resident status through you.

Both rules come from the Immigration Regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024 (articles 176, 183 and 201), in force since May 2025. It replaced the previous regulation, so guidance written before that date may give you different numbers.

Where people get caught

The trap is not the long trip everybody worries about. It is the string of shorter ones. Six weeks at Christmas, two months in the summer, three weeks for a family illness, repeated over five years, and the ten month total is gone without a single absence ever looking long.

The other trap is assuming the rules are the same before and after. They are not. Ten months in total while you build the five years. Twelve consecutive months outside the EU once you hold it.

If you are close to either line, have somebody count it properly before you book the flight. It is far cheaper than starting the five years again.

FAQ Spain Permanent Residency

How can I get permanent residency in Spain?

You need five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain. Student stays do not count for national long-term residence and count only at 50% for the EU long-term permit. Our lawyers can check your dates and guide you through the whole process.

How much money do I need to get residency in Spain?

You have to prove that you have the money to live in Spain without problems, we need to understand your situation to give you an exact figure, contact us.

What documents do I have to submit for a long term Spanish Residency permit?

Depending on your situation, one or more documents may be required for your immigration process, including those from the immigration office, for residing and working in Spain. Please contact us for more information.