You plan to come to Spain and are still abroad
Common options include non-lucrative residence, residence and work, or certain family routes.
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Reviewed on 19 August 2026
Residence in Spain: types of permits and how to choose the right route
Temporary residence allows you to stay in Spain for more than 90 days and less than five years. Depending on your situation, the route may depend on work, family, financial means, arraigo, or other circumstances.
Reviewed information
Official sources
Guides for your situation
If you have consulted outdated information about arraigo
The requirements changed under the new Immigration Regulations. The former three-year requirement for social arraigo and the former labor arraigo category should not be used for a current application.
First, identify your situation
There is no single “residence permit”
The procedure varies depending on where you are, your immigration status, whether you plan to work, your family ties, and how long you have been in Spain.
You are already in Spain and need to regularize your immigration status
Check whether you may qualify for an arraigo route or another authorization on exceptional grounds.
See arraigo routesYour route depends on your family relationship
Being a family member of a Spanish citizen, an EU citizen or a foreign resident involves different procedures.
Compare family routesYou have already accumulated several years of legal residence
If you meet the continuity requirements, you may qualify for long-term residence.
See long-term residence Temporary residence
Common routes to residence in Spain
These authorizations apply to different situations. Always check the specific guide before preparing documents or paying fees.
Non-lucrative residence
For living in Spain without engaging in employment or professional activity, provided you meet the financial requirements and other applicable conditions.
View guide →Residence and work
See the authorizations for employed work or self-employment and their requirements.
See options →Family reunification
For certain family members of a foreign national who is already legally resident in Spain.
See requirements →Exceptional circumstances
Arraigo routes, humanitarian grounds and other specific cases provided for under immigration regulations.
See authorizations → Exceptional circumstances
Current arraigo routes
The current regulations distinguish between several routes. They do not all have the same requirements or apply to the same situations.
Updated guide 2 years
Social roots residence permit
It is based on at least two years of continuous residence in Spain and requires family ties as defined by the rules or proof of social integration.
See the Arraigo social guide Current route 2 years
Arraigo sociolaboral
For people who have lived in Spain for at least two years and have one or more employment contracts that meet the required conditions.
Check the official requirements Training 2 years
Arraigo socioformativo
Among other conditions, this route requires at least two years of continuous residence, an approved training programme and a social integration report.
Check the official requirements Current route Previous residence
Arraigo de segunda oportunidad
This route may apply to certain people who held a residence authorization in the previous two years but were unable to renew it, subject to the applicable conditions.
Check the official requirements Specific family circumstances No minimum residence period
Arraigo familiar
The current arraigo familiar route is reserved for specific cases involving minors who are citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, or certain people with disabilities.
Check the official requirements If you have found information about the former “arraigo laboral”
That name refers to the previous rules. If your current situation is based on one or more employment contracts, check the arraigo sociolaboral route and its current requirements.
Regulatory update 2026
Check the official requirements Arraigo extraordinario
Royal Decree 316/2026 introduced an extraordinary route for certain foreign nationals who were in Spain before 1 January 2026, provided they meet the other requirements.
Residence based on family ties
Not all family members follow the same procedure
Before submitting an application, you need to identify the nationality and status of the person through whom the family connection arises.
Family member of a foreign resident
Family reunification allows certain foreign residents to bring eligible family members to Spain, provided the requirements are met.
Family reunification guideFamily member of a Spanish citizen
The Regulations provide for a specific authorization for certain family members of Spanish citizens. It should not automatically be confused with arraigo familiar.
See the guide for family members of Spanish citizensFamily member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen
Depending on your circumstances, the EU citizen regime and the residence card for a family member of an EU citizen may apply.
View the EU family member cardImportant: Being a family member of a Spanish citizen does not necessarily mean that you should apply for arraigo familiar (the family-based residence route). There is a specific residence authorization for family members of Spanish citizens.
Long-term residence
Long-term residence
National long-term residence authorizes you to live and work in Spain indefinitely under the same conditions as Spanish citizens.
The general route is based on five years of continuous temporary residence , without prejudice to the other cases, requirements and calculation rules provided for by law.
+90 days Start of the temporary residence period
<5 years Typical duration of temporary residence
5 years General reference for long-term residence
Indefinite Long-term residence
Before submitting your application
The procedure depends on the authorization
There is no single appointment, form or deadline, and the effect of administrative silence is not the same for all types of residence.
1
Identify the correct authorization
Do not prepare documents based on a different type of residence.
2
Check the requirements and form
EX forms, fees and documentation vary depending on the procedure.
3
Confirm where to submit your application
Depending on the procedure, you may need to apply through a consulate, an Immigration Office or an online channel.
4
Keep the proof of submission
Keep the submission receipt, fee receipts, documents and communications relating to your application.
5
Check the decision and your TIE
If the authorization requires a physical card, check the relevant card issuance or fingerprinting procedure afterwards.
Important information about deadlines
Do not automatically apply the rule “3 months = approved”. Each procedure has its own deadline and effect of administrative silence. For several arraigo routes, the stated deadline is three months and administrative silence means the application is refused.
Official sources consulted
These references allow you to check the official regulations and requirements. Before submitting an application, always check the current information for the specific procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about residence in Spain
How long do you have to live in Spain before applying for Arraigo social?
As a general rule, you must have lived continuously in Spain for at least two years before submitting your application. During that period, your absences from Spain must not exceed 90 days.
Does the former Arraigo laboral route based on 6 months of work still exist?
You should not use that former route as a reference for a current application. Under the current Regulations, the route linked to employment contracts is Arraigo sociolaboral, which has its own requirements.
Are Arraigo familiar and being a family member of a Spanish citizen the same thing?
No. The Regulations provide for a specific residence authorization for certain family members of people with Spanish citizenship. Current Arraigo familiar applies to other specific family circumstances.
When can you apply for long-term residence?
The general route requires you to have held temporary residence in Spain continuously for five years, as well as meeting the other applicable requirements and continuity rules.
Do all residence permits require an appointment?
No. The place and method of submission depend on the procedure. Some applications are submitted at a consulate, others to the Immigration Office, and some can be submitted online.
If three months pass without a response, is the residence permit granted?
That rule cannot be applied to all procedures. Each authorization has its own deadline and administrative silence rules.
Continue with your procedure
Search for a guide
Check the specific guide before applying
This page helps you identify the appropriate route. Then check the specific requirements in the relevant guide and the current official source.