How to apply for asylum in Spain and the red card: step-by-step guide

If you are looking for how to apply for asylum in Spain and obtain the red card, this guide explains the procedure step by step, the deadlines the Administration handles and what rights you have from the moment you file your application. The red card is the document that certifies you as an applicant for international protection and allows you to stay legally in the country while your case is examined.

It is important to clarify this from the outset: international protection (asylum and subsidiary protection) has its own set of rules and is not governed by the Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024), which expressly leaves it outside its scope. The applicable framework is Law 12/2009 of 30 October, regulating the right to asylum and subsidiary protection, together with European rules (Directive 2011/95/EU and the Dublin system).

What the red card and international protection are

International protection covers two figures:

• Right of asylum: recognised for people with a well-founded fear of being persecuted on grounds of race, religion, nationality, political opinions, membership of a particular social group, gender or sexual orientation.
• Subsidiary protection: for those who, without meeting the requirements for asylum, would face a real risk of suffering serious harm (the death penalty, torture or threats due to armed conflict) if they returned to their country.

The red card is the informal name for the document certifying the status of applicant for international protection. It is not a definitive residence card: it certifies that your application has been admitted for processing, authorises your legal stay while it is being decided and is renewed periodically until the final decision.

How to apply for asylum in Spain step by step

The procedure to apply for asylum in Spain has several stages. You can start it at a border or border post, in a Foreigner Internment Centre, or within the territory before the competent offices:

1. Expression of intent: you state to the National Police (Asylum and Refuge Office, authorised police stations or border posts) your intention to apply for international protection. This must be done as soon as possible after your entry; from this point you are covered by the principle of non-refoulement.
2. Appointment to formalise the application: you are given an appointment for the formalisation interview. Demand for appointments is high, so it is best to arrange it well in advance.
3. Interview and formalisation: you describe your situation, provide your details and any documents you have. At this point you are given the applicant's receipt (the so-called "white sheet").
4. Admission for processing: the Administration studies whether your application is admitted for processing. If it is admitted, you receive the red card.
5. Examination and decision: the Asylum and Refuge Office examines the file and submits a proposal to the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Asylum and Refuge; the Ministry of the Interior decides.

As with other immigration procedures, much of the process depends on getting an appointment. If you have doubts on that point, our guide on how to get an immigration prior appointment may be useful.

Requirements: who can apply for asylum

There is no closed list of mandatory "papers" as in other routes, because each case is assessed individually. It is worth being clear about the essentials:

• Being on Spanish territory, at the border or at an authorised post.
• Claiming a ground of persecution or serious harm of those set out in Law 12/2009.
• Providing your identification and all the evidence or indications that support your account (documents, reports, complaints, publications, etc.), although the burden of proof is assessed flexibly given the nature of these cases.

The application is free of charge and you have the right to legal assistance and an interpreter. Organisations such as UNHCR, CEAR or the Red Cross can support you during the process.

Deadlines: how long it takes and what happens in the meantime

The law provides that the ordinary procedure should be decided within a maximum of six months, which may be extended. In practice, the decision usually takes considerably longer due to the workload of the Asylum and Refuge Office.

During that time, the red card keeps you in a regular situation. The first document is usually issued with a validity of six months and is renewed successively until there is a decision. The great advantage is that you do not lose the legality of your stay while you wait.

What the red card allows you to do

The red card grants you, among others, these rights while the procedure lasts:

• Staying legally in Spain until your application is decided.
• Authorisation to work: you can access the labour market, as an employee or self-employed, six months after the formalisation of the application, provided it has been admitted for processing and is still undecided. This authorisation is reflected in the renewal of the card.
• Access to healthcare and social services, as well as to the reception system if you lack means.
• Free legal assistance and an interpreter.

Bear in mind that the red card, on its own, does not allow you to leave and re-enter Spain freely or to travel to the country you are fleeing: doing so may be interpreted as meaning the protection is no longer needed.

Asylum compared with other immigration routes

Asylum is a route distinct from ordinary residence authorisations. If you are ultimately granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, you obtain a long-term residence and work authorisation with very broad rights. If your application is refused, you will have to consider other options within the general regime governed by the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024), such as arraigo (roots-based residence) or other residence figures.

Time as an applicant for and beneficiary of international protection also counts towards Spanish nationality by residence, where refugees access a reduced period of five years of legal residence.

Frequently asked questions

Does the red card allow me to work from day one?

No. The authorisation to work becomes active six months after the formalisation of the application, provided it has been admitted for processing and is still undecided.

What is the difference between the white sheet and the red card?

The white sheet is the receipt certifying that you have filed or are formalising the application. The red card is issued when the application has been admitted for processing and is the document that certifies your status as an applicant during the procedure.

Can I apply for asylum if I entered Spain irregularly?

Yes. Irregular entry does not prevent you from applying for international protection; the right of asylum does not depend on how you accessed the territory.

Does the Immigration Regulation RD 1155/2024 govern asylum?

No. Asylum is governed by Law 12/2009 and European rules. RD 1155/2024 expressly excludes international protection from its scope of application.

What happens if my asylum application is refused?

You can appeal the decision and, at the same time, consider other regularisation routes within the general immigration regime, such as the various forms of arraigo.

Disclaimer: this guide is for general guidance and does not replace individual legal advice. Each application for international protection is assessed individually and the rules and administrative criteria may change. Before starting your procedure, consult a specialised lawyer or an organisation specialised in asylum (UNHCR, CEAR, Red Cross) and always check the official information from the Asylum and Refuge Office.