Legalisation and residence in Spain

How to get or renew your residence: arraigo, residence and work, family reunification, long-term residence, temporary protection and more. Each route with its requirements and a link to the official rule.

• Agreement between the Ministerio del Interior and ACNUR on the asylum procedure in Spain Agreement between Spain's Interior Ministry and UNHCR supporting the asylum procedure (interpretation, technical assistance). Institutional cooperation, not an individual service.
• Resolution 3-06-2026 SEM — instructions to authorize temporary residence of Sahrawi minors (Programme «Vacaciones en Paz 2026») The 3-06-2026 SEM Resolution publishes the Council of Ministers Agreement (2-06-2026) setting the procedure to authorize temporary residence of Sahrawi minors and monitors under the Vacaciones en Paz 2026 programme.
• Arraigo: types and requirements under the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024) Types of arraigo in Spain after RD 1155/2024: social, socio-labour, socio-training, family and second-chance. Common requirement: 2 years in Spain.
• How to apply for international protection (asylum) in Spain (Ley 12/2009) How to apply for asylum or subsidiary protection in Spain: where to apply (border, police, immigration office), the red card, protection from expulsion and healthcare. Law 12/2009.
• New asylum procedures in Spain under the EU Pact: timelines, rights and how applications are processed from 12 June 2026 From 12 June 2026 new asylum procedures apply in Spain (EU Regulations 2024/1348 and 2024/1351): border procedure timelines (4 days / 12 weeks), accelerated and ordinary procedures, free legal aid guaranteed.
• Appealing an asylum refusal: what changes under the EU Pact from 12 June 2026 (administrative review no longer interrupts the judicial deadline) From 12 June 2026, an administrative review in international protection does not interrupt the European judicial deadline. You have direct access to courts without exhausting the administrative route. Instruction BOE-A-2026-12856.
• International teleworker (digital nomad) residence permit / visa — requirements Requirements for Spain's international teleworker (digital nomad) visa and residence permit under Ley 14/2013: economic means of 200% of the SMI (≈€2,850/month holder, +75% for the first family member), health insurance, criminal record, online filing with the UGE-CE and a 3-year permit.
• Student stay in Spain (RD 1155/2024): requirements and student work Student stay authorisation in Spain (RD 1155/2024): admission to an official centre, financial means and health insurance. Allows working up to 30 h/week in higher studies.
• SEM Instructions 2/2026: moving from temporary protection (Ukraine) to an ordinary residence authorisation SEM Instruction 2/2026 opens the transition from Ukraine temporary protection to ordinary authorisations (residence & work, arraigo, long-term). Time under temporary protection counts. It is not automatic: you must apply.
• Spanish nationality by residence: terms (10/5/2/1 years), exams and procedure Spanish nationality by residence: 10 years general, 2 for Ibero-Americans, 1 if married to a Spaniard, 5 for refugees. CCSE and DELE A2 exams. Filed with the Ministry of Justice.
• Orden INT/96/2026 — automatic extension of TIE cards for Temporary Protection beneficiaries from the Ukraine conflict (until 4 March 2027) Order INT/96/2026 automatically extends Foreigner Identity Cards (TIE) issued to beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from the Ukraine conflict until 4 March 2027. No card renewal required.
• Temporary Protection for people displaced from Ukraine: how to apply How to apply for Temporary Protection in Spain as a person displaced from Ukraine: where to go (CREADE and National Police), what documents to bring and what it grants.
• Real Decreto 316/2026 — reform of the Immigration Regulation: two regularisation routes (deadline 30 June 2026) RD 316/2026 opens two regularisation routes until 30 June 2026 for people in Spain before 1 Jan 2026 (not for Temporary Protection holders). 1-year residence+work permit; administrative silence means rejection.
• Family reunification under RD 1155/2024: who can reunify and requirements Family reunification in Spain (RD 1155/2024): a resident may bring spouse/partner, children and parents over 65. Requires income (150% IPREM) and adequate housing.
• What to do after a denial or administrative silence in immigration matters (appeals, recursos) If your immigration application is denied or unanswered: silence is usually negative. You can file an appeal (recurso de reposición, 1 month) or go to court (2 months). Law 39/2015.
• Orden ISM/164/2026 — Electronic Registry of Immigration Collaborators (Colaboradores de Extranjería) Spain's Registry of Immigration Collaborators lets unions and NGOs file immigration procedures electronically on behalf of foreigners, often for free — an alternative to a private gestor.
• Corrigendum — Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2055 on asylum and migration management (Dublin system) Corrigendum to EU Implementing Regulation 2025/2055 on asylum and migration management: terminological corrections to Dublin transfer forms and readmission procedures. Published OJEU 11 June 2026.
• Renewal of residence permits: when to apply and positive administrative silence How to renew your residence permit in Spain: apply before expiry (a later window is also allowed). In renewals, administrative silence is usually positive. You can keep working while it is decided.
• Temporary residence of a family member of a Spanish citizen (RD 1155/2024, Ch. VII) Residence of a family member of a Spanish citizen (RD 1155/2024, Ch. VII, arts. 93-97): spouse, partner, children up to 26, dependent parents. Form EX-24. Not the same as reunification or EU-citizen family.
• Long-term residence (larga duración): 5 years of legal residence (RD 1155/2024, arts. 175-189) Long-term residence in Spain: after 5 years of continuous legal residence. Allows indefinite residence and work. Regulated by RD 1155/2024 (arts. 175-189).
• Non-lucrative temporary residence (without working) — RD 1155/2024 Non-lucrative temporary residence in Spain (RD 1155/2024): living without working by proving financial means (400% IPREM) and health insurance. Visa at the consulate, TIE within 1 month.
• Temporary residence and self-employment (autónomo) in Spain (RD 1155/2024) Initial residence-and-work permit as self-employed (autónomo) in Spain (RD 1155/2024, arts. 82-87): requirements, business project, investment, form EX-07, 3-month decision.
• Residence and work as an employee (cuenta ajena) and self-employed (cuenta propia) (RD 1155/2024) Initial work-and-residence permit in Spain (RD 1155/2024): employed (with a contract) or self-employed (viable project). Decision within 3 months.
• Residence card for a family member of an EU citizen (régimen comunitario, RD 240/2007) EU regime (RD 240/2007): family of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens get the EU family member residence card, on more favourable terms. Issued within 3 months.

General information, not individual legal advice. Check the official source and consult a professional for your case.