Long-Term Residence in Spain (Permanent Residence)

Live and work in Spain indefinitely with equal rights

Spain's Long-Term Residence Permit allows non-EU citizens who have lived legally and continuously in Spain for at least five years to reside and work indefinitely under the same conditions as Spanish nationals. It is the most stable immigration status available in Spain, eliminating the need for ongoing renewals of temporary permits.

At NomadTaxSpain, we help residents consolidate their legal status and transition smoothly into long-term or EU long-term residence, taking into account both immigration and tax implications.

What is Long-Term Residence?

Long-Term Residence (also called permanent residence) is a legal status that allows non-EU nationals to:

• Live in Spain indefinitely.
• Work freely, employed or self-employed, without restrictions.
• Change employers, jobs or activity sectors with total flexibility.
• Reunite family members under favourable conditions.
• Renew only the physical residence card (TIE) every five years.

Spain offers two main versions of this status:

• National Long-Term Residence: grants full rights in Spain.
• EU Long-Term Residence: an optional status that also facilitates mobility and residence in other EU Member States, subject to their national rules.

Both categories require at least five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain.

Who can apply?

You may qualify for long-term residence if:

• You have lived in Spain legally and continuously for at least five years.
• Your absences from Spain do not exceed the legal limits:
  • No single absence of more than six consecutive months.
  • No more than ten months of absence in total over the five-year period; or
  • Up to 18 months for justified employment-related absences.
• You do not pose a threat to public order or public security.
• You maintain a valid residence status up to the date you submit the long-term application.

Time spent under most residence permits – including work permits, family residence, non-lucrative residence and others – usually counts fully towards the five-year requirement. Time spent under study permits may be partially counted depending on the applicable legal rules, so a prior analysis is essential.

Key requirements

• Five years of legal, continuous residence

  You must demonstrate five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain. Typical evidence includes:

  • Historic empadronamiento (census registration) certificate.
  • Copies of previous TIE cards and resolutions.
  • Social Security contribution records or other official certificates.
• Identity documentation
  • Valid passport.
  • Current residence card (TIE), either valid or within the authorised renewal grace period.
• Criminal record certificates

  Criminal record certificates from your home country and from any country where you have lived during the last five years.

  A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you unless it indicates a real threat to public order or security.

• Proof of school enrolment for minors

  If you have children of compulsory school age, you must provide evidence that they are enrolled in and attending school in Spain.

• Application form and fees
  • Form EX-11 (long-term or EU long-term residence).
  • Payment of fee 790/052 for the application.
  • After approval, payment of fee 790/012 for the TIE (residence card).
• Legalised and translated documents

  Documents issued abroad must be apostilled or legalised and accompanied by sworn translations into Spanish where required by law.

Application procedure

1. Submission in Spain or from abroad

   You can file the application in two main ways:

   • In Spain: directly at the local Immigration Office in the province where you reside; or
   • From abroad: at the Spanish Consulate in your country of residence, which forwards the file to the competent Immigration Office in Spain.
2. Examination of your application

   The authorities check that you meet the five-year residence requirement, comply with the permitted absence limits and do not pose a threat to public order. They will also verify, if applicable, proof of school attendance for dependent minors.

3. Decision

   Immigration authorities have a maximum of three months to decide. If they do not issue a decision within this timeframe, the application is considered approved by positive administrative silence.

4. Residence card (TIE)

   Once the application is approved, you must arrange a police appointment for fingerprinting and collection of your new long-term residence card. The card is typically valid for five years and can be renewed without reassessing the five-year requirement.

Rights and benefits of Long-Term Residence

Long-term residents in Spain enjoy a wide range of rights and advantages, including:

• Unlimited right to live and work anywhere in Spain, without the need to renew your residence every one or two years.
• Full access to the labour market, whether as an employee, self-employed professional or business owner.
• Access to public services such as healthcare, education and social benefits under the same conditions as other residents.
• Favourable rules for family reunification, allowing you to bring family members to Spain under more flexible conditions.
• Pathway to Spanish nationality, depending on your country of origin and personal circumstances.

Important considerations

• It is essential to keep your documentation organised, especially historic empadronamiento, TIE renewals and Social Security records, as they may be requested when assessing your five-year residence history.
• Absences beyond the permitted limits can interrupt the five-year period, forcing you to start counting again from zero.
• Failing to provide school certificates for dependent minors may delay or suspend the process until the requirement is met.
• Foreign documents must be recent, correctly legalised and sworn translated. Expired or uncertified documents are one of the most common causes of delays.
• From a tax perspective, you generally become a Spanish tax resident once you spend more than 183 days per calendar year in Spain. Long-term residents are usually taxed on their worldwide income, so advance planning is strongly recommended.

Why choose NomadTaxSpain?

We help residents across Spain secure a stable and permanent immigration status, coordinating both the legal and practical aspects of the long-term residence application.

Our support typically includes:

• Reviewing your eligibility, residence history and periods of absence.
• Preparing, structuring and assembling all required documentation.
• Coordinating sworn translations, apostilles and legalisations.
• Filing the application and managing communications with the Immigration Office.
• Guiding you through post-approval steps such as TIE issuance and padrón updates.
• Providing personalised tax advice for new and existing long-term residents.
• Advising on future steps such as family reunification and nationality applications.

Our goal is to ensure that, once you complete your five-year journey in Spain, your transition to permanent residence is straightforward and fully compliant.

Start your Long-Term Residence application

If you have lived legally in Spain for at least five years, you may now be eligible for permanent residence. Our team can review your situation and prepare a clear roadmap to secure your long-term status.

We will analyse your residence history, identify any potential risks and help you gather the necessary documents, so that your application has the strongest possible foundation.