Arraigo: regularising your stay in Spain
Arraigo lets people who already live in Spain obtain a residence permit, even if they arrived or stayed without one. The Immigration Regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024, articles 124–132) sets out five types. Except for family arraigo, you generally need to have lived in Spain continuously for at least two years and have no criminal record:
- Social arraigo: for people with close family ties to foreign residents (spouse or registered partner, parents or children) or, without them, a favourable integration report from the regional government. You must show means of at least 100% of the IPREM.
- Socio-labour arraigo: for people with one or more employment contracts totalling at least 20 hours a week.
- Socio-training arraigo: for people enrolled in regulated or vocational training. It allows work of up to 30 hours a week.
- Family arraigo: for the parent or guardian of a child who is a national of another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, among other cases. No minimum stay is required and the permit lasts five years.
- Second-chance arraigo: for people who held a residence permit in the previous two years and could not renew it.
Apart from family arraigo, these permits are granted for one year and allow you to work. We help you choose the right type, check every document (especially your empadronamiento history, the most common reason for refusals) and file the application online.
Spanish citizenship by residence
Spanish nationality by residence requires legal, continuous residence immediately before the application for the period that applies to you (Civil Code, art. 22):
- 10 years as the general rule.
- 5 years for recognised refugees.
- 2 years for nationals of Latin American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal, and for Sephardic Jews.
- 1 year for people born in Spain, married to a Spanish national for one year, or born abroad to a Spanish-born parent or grandparent, among other cases.
You also need to pass the Instituto Cervantes exams: the CCSE (constitutional and cultural knowledge) and, unless you come from a Spanish-speaking country, the DELE A2 Spanish test. We prepare the full file, submit it to the Ministry of Justice and follow it up until the oath.
Renewing your residence permit
Renewals must be filed during the two months before your permit expires (Immigration Regulation, arts. 64, 71, 80 and 86). They can also be filed up to three months after expiry, but a fine procedure may then be opened. Either way, your previous permit stays valid until the decision. Our advice: do not wait until it expires.
We handle renewals of work permits (employed and self-employed), non-lucrative residence, family reunification and EU family member cards, as well as the move to long-term residence after five years.
Family reunification
Foreign residents can bring their family to Spain. In general, you must have lived in Spain for at least one year and have applied to reside for at least one more year (art. 68), and show sufficient means (150% of the IPREM for two people plus 50% for each additional relative), adequate housing and health insurance.
You can bring your spouse or registered partner, children under 18 or adult children with disabilities, and parents over 65 who depend on you (or younger, on humanitarian grounds). We prepare the application in Spain, the housing report and the legalisation and translation of foreign documents, and coordinate with the consulate for the visa.
Student permits
A student permit allows you to live in Spain while studying, doing research or an internship. Higher-education students may work up to 30 hours a week without further paperwork, as long as it is compatible with their studies (art. 57).
We handle the initial application (from your consulate or, if you are already lawfully in Spain, from here), yearly extensions, family members and the switch to a work permit or job-search permit when you finish.