Immigration blog in Spain

Already have your favourable decision? Now it's time for the TIE. We tell you, step by step, how to book the fingerprint appointment, where to go, which documents to bring and by when to do it so you don't run into trouble.

Are you going to travel or spend periods abroad and fear losing your card? We explain, with specific figures and RD 1155/2024 in hand, how many days you can be away depending on whether you have temporary residence, long-term residence or are on the road to citizenship, and how those absences are counted.

Non-lucrative residence falls through over a health insurance detail more often than you'd think. We explain what requirements the policy must meet, why many 'travel' insurances don't count and what changes with RD 1155/2024, so you get it right first time.

Are you in an exceptional situation and don't fit arraigo or asylum? Residence on humanitarian grounds may be your route. We explain, in plain language, the cases that allow it, the requirements and how to apply under the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024).

Marrying a Spaniard does not give you the passport automatically, but it does shorten the road enormously: with just 1 year of legal residence you can already apply for citizenship. We explain the requirements, deadlines, exams and documents step by step.

Did you study abroad and want your degree to count in Spain? We explain, step by step, when you need homologation (full recognition) and when equivalence is enough, which documents to prepare, how long it takes and how it links to your residence or work. No jargon and with the official sources.

Do you want to bring your wife or husband to Spain? We explain, step by step and with no fine print, the requirements to reunite with a spouse or partner: what you need to prove, which papers to gather and how long it usually takes under the new Immigration Regulation.

A refusal is not the end of the road. We explain what deadlines you have to appeal, when an internal review (recurso de reposición) makes sense or when to go straight to the courts (contencioso-administrativo), and how to prepare a new application with better chances under RD 1155/2024.

Your self-employed (autónomo) card renewal is coming up and you don't know which papers to gather. We explain, step by step and under the new regulation (RD 1155/2024), what documents you need, when to submit them and what the Immigration Office looks at to renew you for 4 years.

Is your card's expiry date coming up? We explain clearly, updated to RD 1155/2024, what you need to renew your residence based on employed work (cuenta ajena): requirements depending on whether or not you kept paying social security, documents, fees and the new time limits (renewals can now last 4 years). An orientation-only step-by-step guide so you reach your appointment with everything ready.

Form 790 code 052 is the fee you pay to process most residence authorisations. We explain how much it costs, how to fill it in and how to pay it at the bank or online, without getting confused by the codes.

Studying in Spain and want a job? We explain whether you can work on a student visa, how many weekly hours the new Regulation (RD 1155/2024) allows and which requirements you must meet to combine work and study without putting your stay at risk.

What the CCSE and DELE A2 test, how many correct answers you need to pass, the price, how to enrol at the Instituto Cervantes and who is exempt from the language exam. Everything you should know before applying for nationality by residence.

Do you want to bring your children to Spain? We clearly explain the requirements for family reunification of children, which documents to prepare and the step-by-step procedure under the new Regulation (RD 1155/2024).

The business plan is the piece that decides your self-employed work residence. We tell you, point by point, what the Administration expects to see, how to demonstrate viability and investment, and which mistakes sink most applications.

Non-lucrative residence lets you live in Spain without working, but you must prove sufficient savings or income. We explain the money required in 2025 based on the IPREM and RD 1155/2024, how much each dependent adds and how to prove it without being denied.

Without a contract in your name you can still appear on the padrón. We explain the legal ways to register, which documents work and why the municipal registration underpins almost all your immigration procedures.

The integration report is often the piece that stalls arraigo (roots-based residence). We explain, step by step and under the new Regulation, how to get it: who issues it, which documents you gather and how long it takes.

Applying for asylum in Spain gives you access to the red card, the document that certifies you as an applicant for international protection and lets you stay legally while your case is decided. We explain step by step how to apply, what deadlines the Administration handles and what rights you have from day one.

Have you been residing legally in Spain for five years and are not sure which card to apply for? We explain, in plain language, the difference between long-term residence and EU long-term residence: what each one lets you do, which requirements change and which one suits you if you plan to move around Europe.

Almost every immigration procedure requires your criminal record certificate from your country of origin, and submitting it as is is not enough: it must be legalised or apostilled and accompanied by a sworn translation into Spanish. We explain step by step how to do it correctly and avoid having your file refused over a badly legalised document.

Is your partner an EU citizen and you are not married? You can access the EU family member card as a registered partner. We explain, clearly and up to date, what documents you need, how to prove the relationship and what deadlines to keep in mind so you do not lose your application.

How much money does the immigration office require to bring your family over? Find out the financial-means requirements for family reunification under RD 1155/2024: how much you need according to the IPREM, how to prove it and what the housing report demands, with clear examples based on the number of relatives.

Is your card's expiry date approaching? We walk you through, step by step, how to renew your TIE: when to file the application, what documents you need, how much the fee costs and what happens if your card has already expired. Everything updated to the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024), in plain language and with no fine print.

Applied for nationality and don't know when the decision will come? We tell you how long Spanish nationality by residence really takes in 2026: from the prior years of lawful residence to the oath, phase by phase, with the timeframes set by law and what happens in practice.

Just finished your studies in Spain and want to stay and work? We explain, step by step, how to change from a student stay to work after RD 1155/2024: requirements, documents, timeframes and mistakes to avoid.

No appointment, no procedure. We explain how to get an immigration appointment (cita previa) on the electronic portal, which procedures require it and what to do when there are no slots available.

NIE and TIE are not the same thing, even though they are confused every day. Discover what each one is, how they differ and how to obtain them depending on your situation in Spain.

Unsure between social or socio-labour arraigo (roots-based residence)? We explain how they differ after the new Regulation (RD 1155/2024), what each one requires and how to tell which fits your situation best.

RD 1155/2024 completely overhauled the arraigo (roots-based residence) routes, the time limits and family reunification. We explain, in plain language, what changed with the new regulation and how to work out which route suits you now.