Guides by topic
Residence permits
13 guides on this topic, in the order newcomers usually need them. Each one cites the official sources behind its facts.
Stay in Spain for qualifying studies
Autorización de estancia de larga duración por estudios
The long-duration study stay (estancia por estudios) lets a non-EU national stay in Spain for more than 90 days for qualifying higher education or post-compulsory secondary education.
Apply for non-lucrative residence
Autorización inicial de residencia temporal no lucrativa
Non-lucrative residence (residencia no lucrativa) lets a non-EU national live in Spain without working, for example to retire, if they can cover living and housing costs.
Bring qualifying family to Spain under general family reunification
Autorización de residencia temporal por reagrupación familiar
General family reunification (reagrupación familiar) lets a non-EU resident in Spain bring qualifying family members to live with them.
Assess and apply for the correct arraigo route
Autorizaciones de residencia temporal por circunstancias excepcionales — arraigo
Arraigo is a group of residence authorizations for exceptional circumstances for non-EU nationals in Spain: social, sociolaboral, socioformativo, familiar and segunda oportunidad.
Renew your temporary residence authorization
Renovación de autorización de residencia temporal
Renewing a temporary residence authorization (renovación) keeps you in the same category.
Modify your immigration authorization
Modificación de autorización de estancia o residencia
Modifying an immigration authorization (modificación) means moving from one status to another, for example from study to work.
Apply for long-term residence
Autorización de residencia de larga duración nacional / larga duración-UE
Long-term residence (residencia de larga duración) is the long-term status a non-EU national can apply for after, generally, five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain, in a national or an EU version.
Apply for Spanish nationality by residence
Nacionalidad española por residencia
Spanish nationality by residence generally requires 10 years of residence, with shorter periods of five, two or one year for specific categories, such as one year for someone married to a Spanish national.
Get residence as a family member of a Spanish citizen
Autorización de residencia temporal de familiares de personas con nacionalidad española
Non-EU family members of a Spanish citizen use a dedicated residence route on form EX-24, separate from the EU-family card on EX-19.
Get authorization to leave and return while documents are pending
Autorización de regreso
The autorización de regreso (form EX-13) lets a non-EU resident leave Spain and come back while a renewal, extension or TIE duplicate is pending.
Stay after graduation to look for work or start a business
Autorización de residencia para búsqueda de empleo o inicio de proyecto empresarial
After finishing qualifying higher education in Spain, a non-EU graduate can get a residence permit to look for work or start a business, for up to 24 months and not renewable.
Get residence for a foreign child born in Spain
Autorización de residencia temporal del menor extranjero acompañado nacido en España
Being born in Spain does not by itself decide a child's nationality or residence; nationality follows separate rules.
Get Spain's digital nomad visa (international teleworker)
Visado y autorización de residencia para teletrabajo de carácter internacional
Spain's digital nomad visa is the international teleworker route under Ley 14/2013 for non-EU nationals working remotely for companies outside Spain.