EU Long term residence permit

Would you like to obtain a permanent residence permit both in Spain and in any other EU country that allows you to live + work? Then keep reading, as in this article, we explore all the keys you must understand to apply for and obtain the EU long-term residence permit.

Documents, requirements, application process, and useful tips to enjoy a successful application. 

 

 

What is EU’s long-term residence permit?

 

The EU long-term residence permit is a residency authorization granted to foreigners who have lived in Spain for 5 years, which gives them the right to obtain a residence or residence AND work authorization in other EU countries (always under the specific conditions that each of those countries sets).

That is, this type of long-term residency, apart from giving you the right to live and work in Spain indefinitely (as happens with the general long-term or permanent residency), also allows you to obtain a work permit in other European countries.

 

Requirements for long-term residency in Spain

 

The main requirements to successfully obtain and apply for long-term residency in Spain, are:

• Not to be an EU citizen
• Can’t have had criminal records in Spain nor in any other countries where the applicant has lived during the past 5 years
• Not pose a threat to public order, safety, or public health
• Not being considered inadmissible in the territory of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement
• And the most important requirement: to have lived in Spain as a legal resident (and continuously) for the past 5 years, prior to the application

How long can you have been outside Spain during those 5 years?

A maximum of 10 months in total within those 5 years, out of which no more than 6 can be consecutive.

Nevertheless, in case your absences and exits have been for work-related reasons, then that maximum amount is increased to 18 months (instead of 10). Hence, our recommendation is to stay as much as possible inside Spain during those 5 years to avoid a rejected application.

Also, bear in mind that time with your student visa in Spain, time doing volunteer services, or training activities, will count just 50% for the total calculation. So if you have studied for 2 years, just 1 will count towards the 5-year goal

 

Application for long-term residence permit step-by-step

 

In order to apply for long-term residency, you will have to follow the next steps:

 

Remain in Spain for the required time

 

The first and most important step is to make sure you have been in Spain for a minimum of 5 years. Here, consider what we mentioned in the section above: study period just countsas half, you cannot exit for more than 6 consecutive months or 10 in total, etc.

There is a really useful document you can use to confirm that you meet this time requirement, which is the “certificado de residencia”. You can ask for this document at any police station, where you will see reflected the exact residency time you have been in Spain.

Then, if you meet the rest of the requirements also seen above, you can move to the next step. 

 

Prepare all required documents

 

In order to submit your application, you will have to include the following documents:

• Application form EX-11, selecting the EU-long-term residency option, and filling out the rest of the fields
• Document that certifies you have paid the corresponding application fee
• Full copy of your passport
• Documents that prove you have a sufficient and stable income
• Health insurance
• Criminal records certificate

Remember that all foreign documents must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator (you can find the complete list of accepted ones here), and properly legalized or apostilled.

Once you have all those documents with you, you can finally submit your application. Let’s see how.

 

Submit your application

 

In order to submit your application (including all the above documents), you have several options:

• In case you are in Spain, you can submit your application through the immigration office’s online platform, or in person at the immigration office within the province where you live
• If you are outside Spain, at the Spanish Consulate, which will then redirect your application to the immigration office 

Bear in mind that when submitting your application, in either option, you will have to pay the fee 790 code 052.

 

Wait for a resolution

 

You will have to wait a maximum of 3 months to receive a response from the immigration office.

In case no response is received after that period, your application will be considered as approved through positive administrative silence.

And with that, you can move to the next and final step.

 

Fingerprints + physical residency card

 

Finally, you will have 30 days to get an appointment at the closest police station to register your fingerprints.

On the day of the appointment, you must bring your current (old) residency card and pay another fee.

After one month of registering your fingerprints, you will have to come back to finally pick up your physical residency card or TIE.

 

 

When to renew the EU long-term residency permit

 

The EU long-term residency permit is not really renewed, as once you obtain it, you will be granted the right to live in Spain indefinitely.

Nevertheless, what you need to renew is your TIE of physical residency card, a process that must be done every 5 years. The process is quite simple, as you just need to visit your closest police station to register your fingerprints again.

Important: this renewal must be carried out once the card has expired (and not before).

 

Need help applying for EU long-term residency in Spain? We can help. Book an appointment with our team of immigration lawyers through the section below, and get started today with the personalized legal advice you need: