The residence permit is the document that allows a non-EU foreigner to live and work in Spain legally for more than 90 days. One of the most common doubts, when an application for residence in Spain is presented is to know how long it will take for the file to be resolved.
There are two types of residence permits: temporary and long-term.
The temporary residence permit is an authorization to stay in Spain for between 90 days and five years. It can be renewed according to the circumstances that motivated that authorization.
The long-term residence permit authorizes living and working in Spain under the same conditions as a Spanish citizen.
What are the requirements to apply for a residence permit?
To obtain a residence permit, the foreigner must meet the following requirements:
- Not be a European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland citizen.
- Not to be a family member of citizens of the countries mentioned in point 1, to which the Union citizen regime is applicable.
- Be legally present in Spanish territory.
- Not have a criminal record either in Spain or in the country of the previous residence.
- Not be prohibited from entering Spain.
- Not be banned from entering countries with which Spain has signed an agreement in this regard.
- Not to be within the three years of the commitment of non-return to Spain assumed by foreigners who at some point decide to return to their countries of origin within the voluntary return program.
- To have a valid passport.
- To request the certificate of residence in Spain for one of these three reasons:
– Economic
– Professional
– Social
What documentation do I need to apply for national residency?
- Signed and completed the application form.
- Copy of passport, travel document, or registration card, which must be valid for at least four months.
- Documentation that accredits its permanence of continuous way in Spain for a minimum of two years.
- Certificate of a criminal record.
- If you have the documentation that accredits labor relations.
What procedure should I follow to obtain a residence permit?
These data and procedures are a general framework, and each situation for which a residence permit is requested will require detailed documentation and procedures.
- Submit the application and documentation to the Immigration Office in the province of residence. Documents in a foreign language must be translated into Spanish or, failing that, into the co-official language in which the application is submitted.
- Payment of the temporary residence fee.
The office of foreigners will have a term of 3 months to manifest itself and issue the permit. If, after three months, there is no communication from the Immigration Office, it is understood that the residence application has been rejected.
The residence permit is valid for one year and implies an authorization to work either as an employee or self-employed during its validity. An extension or another type of residence permit may be requested at its expiration.
Within a maximum period of one month from the date of the residence permit, the foreigner must apply for the Identity Card at the Immigration Office or at the police station of the province where the ticket was issued.
How to speed up the waiting time for your residence permit?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to take any action to reduce the waiting time once you submit your application to the immigration office. However, you can make the overall process go faster by reviewing the requirements thoroughly and ensuring that you meet them correctly before submitting your application. One of the reasons why the process often takes longer is because the foreigner has to wait extra time. After all, they have left some documents behind or have not submitted the file correctly, causing the administration to create an extra step and consequently a longer delay.
So our advice is to check all the requirements and ensure you meet them.
