EU Long Term Residence Permit – Tarjeta de Larga Duración-UE

Overview of the EU Long-Term Residence Permit

The EU long-term residency is a 5-year residence card. It authorises its holders to live and work lawfully in Spain. The card exists for companies as well as for self-employed workers. This permit grants you residency rights under the same situations as any other Spanish citizen.

Generally speaking, the EU long-term residence permit for Spain shows great similarities to Permanent residency – Both types of permits will allow you to stay for up to 5 years. The main difference is what their respective requirements are.

If you want to obtain a long-term EU residence permit card, it is required of you to prove that you have a stable means of living and health insurance. The health insurance required can either be from a private or a public establishment. Permanent residency, on the other hand, can be obtained without proof of employment at the time of the application.

There is a positive part of the extra requirements for the long-term residence permit in Spain. The card offers a perfect pathway for foreigners previously resident in Spain to continue to live in other European Union nations. There are other great advantages derived from acquiring the EU long-term residency permit card. These will be outlined in the appropriate sections of this article.

The EU long-term residence permit is one of the easiest options to live in Spain (including other EU nations).

Eligibility Criteria for the EU Long-Term Residence Permit

The eligibility criteria and other requirements for the EU long-term residence permit in Spain are as follows:

• Applicants cannot be a citizen of any European Union country or any European Economic Area. Also, they cannot be from Switzerland.
• Applicants must indicate that they have been living in Spain for 5 years. You must ascertain that you have been living continuously in the country for the required period before your application.
• Applicants that have left Spain for more than 6 months at any time within the last 5 years prior to an application are not eligible.
• Applicants that registered a total absence of 10 months in the last 5 years within Spain are not eligible for the permit. An exemption to this rule is if departure(s) were for medical reasons or work-related, then permitted absence could be extended to 12 months.
• Applicants are required to demonstrate the possession of stable, regular, and sufficient economic means. This must be demonstrated by showing a bank certificate of sufficient savings. The certificate must meet the requirement of 150% of the IPREM for families of 2 members, an amount to which you must add an extra 50% for each additional relative.
• Applicants must be working for a company or must be self-employed at the time of the application.
• Additionally, for holders of an EU blue card who have lived in Spain for the past 2 years, this period would count towards the required 5 years for the EU long-term residence permit for Spain.
• Applicants are required to possess full health coverage in Spanish territory. It can be through public health coverage or private health insurance.
• Applicants must not have a criminal record or police record in the last 5 years. All previous police records must be cancelled before sending in your application.
• Applicants who are banned from entering any Schengen country are not eligible to apply.

The Application Process for the EU Long-Term Residence Permit

One of the outstanding benefits of this process is that the application can be done completely online. The online registration method does not require applicants to make an appointment at the immigration office.

Foreigners are able to save valuable time and receive a response on their applications faster than using the offline method. The application process requires you to submit the EX-11 form. The form is submitted together with a complete copy of the applicant’s passport and the previously mentioned required documents.

The immigration procedures in Spain strictly require that all documents coming from abroad are duly legalised and translated into Spanish. Applicants are required to make necessary payments and include the respective proofs of payments with their application. Upon completing and submitting your application, the immigration office will issue a response within a period of 3 months.

Applicants whose applications don’t receive a response from the immigration office after 3 months are considered approved by positive administrative silence. They will be mandated to visit the immigration office in order to record their fingerprints and get their TIE or physical card which includes the new residency.

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Documents to Submit for a Successful Application

Below are the documents required for the EU long-term residence permit card:

• A full valid passport or travel title. These must be original documents and must also be recognised as valid in Spain.
• A form for accrediting the payment of the application fee.
• A photograph which is in accordance with established requirements in the regulations on national identity.

If you are renewing your EU long-term residency permit card, you must also submit the following:

• A copy of a complete valid passport or travel title. Again, these must be original documents recognised as valid in Spain.
• A form for accrediting the payment of the application fee.

How Much Is the Application Form and Where Can I Make Payments?

The permit for long-term EU residence in Spain costs €21.87. The payment can be made at any Bank. This also includes savings Banks and Credit Cooperatives in which it is not required to have an open or savings account. Payment can be made in any of the mentioned places by simply presenting the deposit document.

How and When to Renew the EU Long-term Residency

The EU long-term residence permit card is renewed once every 5 years. When making an appointment with the immigration office for a renewal procedure, it is important to know that renewing the card is usually permitted only when the current one has expired.

And, once the card is either obtained or renewed, applicants can reside in Spain and have the same rights as citizens of Spain. The card, as stated earlier, permits foreigners in Spain to live and work as if they were Spanish citizens themselves.

Renewing the EU long-term permit card for Spain is straightforward. You only have to document your fingerprint again at the police station, and the process is completed.

Mobility with an EU Long-Term Residence Permit

Holders of the EU long-term residence permit card are able to enjoy long-term legal benefits as residents. The permit card also enables them to have extended mobility rights in other EU Member States.

According to set principles by Spanish authorities, the EU long-term residence permit issued in Spain entitles its holders to work, study, as well as undergo training in other EU Member States. Assessment of the labour market may be carried out in some other EU countries before allowing holders of the permit card to work. The EU country concerned will provide the exact rules and regulations guiding such principles.

If you have lived in another EU Member State for 5 years, you can also submit an application for an EU long-term residence permit in the country concerned. In such cases, the EU long-term residence permit card issued in Spain will be withdrawn, and it will expire automatically in the 6th year at the latest.

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How Can IAS Help?

Applying for an EU long-term residence permit for Spain can be a reasonably straightforward procedure especially when you are already living in Spain and need to renew your residency. There are a handful of documentation submissions to be done which may prove time-consuming as you progress.

If you require any assistance with your EU long-term residence permit for Spain, such as if you’re unsure or uncertain about the application method and what you need to do to be authorised for this permit, IAS can help.

We are a formidable team of professional and knowledgeable immigration lawyers who have years’ worth of experience working in UK immigration law. We have helped countless people overcome hurdles to come and settle in the UK, and we can help you to do the same, too.

Whether you need expert advice on how to prove your financial status or your health insurance meets the requirements, or you need help determining how to prove suitability to apply after being away from Spain for some time, we can be of help. We can also provide assistance with assembling your supporting documents, or offer support if your residence permit application has been rejected, we can be there for you to help guide you through the process.

For more information about the services we offer and what we could do for you, reach out to one of our immigration advisers on (+44) 333 4149244, or contact us online today.