Temporary Residence Permit Spain (Residencia temporal)

What is Temporary Residence in Spain?

Spain’s temporary residence permit (Residencia temporal) allows foreign nationals from countries outside the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) to reside in Spain for periods longer than 90 days.

Foreigners who require a temporary residence permit include those migrating to Spain as any of the following:

• Entrepreneurs who intend to start an economically viable business in Spain
• Investors making a significant real estate investment in Spain
• Individuals who have been hired to work for a Spanish employer
• Scientific researchers
• Students embarking on a long-term study program
• Individuals who are joining family members such as spouses, parents, or children residing in Spain
• Digital nomads and remote workers
• Retirees intending to live in Spain under the Non-Lucrative Visa

The Spanish temporary residency permit is valid for a minimum of one year and renewable for up to five years as long as the conditions are met. After living uninterruptedly in Spain for five years, permit holders might be eligible to apply for permanent residency.

Key Facts – Temporary Residence Permit Spain

Eligibility Requirements for Spain Temporary Residence Permit

If you intend to apply for a temporary residence permit in Spain, you must meet the specific requirements for your chosen immigration pathway.

For instance, if you’re migrating as an entrepreneur, you must demonstrate that your business will positively affect Spain’s socio-economic development. If you’re applying for the Investor Visa, also called the Golden Visa, you must make a minimum real estate investment of €500,000.

Some of the general requirements to obtain a temporary residence permit include the following:

• You must have a clean criminal record
• You must have private health insurance
• You must prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself

Our lawyers at IAS can provide a detailed breakdown of the requirements you must fulfil for your particular immigration route. Call +44 (0)333 414 9244 to speak with a lawyer today.

Eligibility Criteria – General & Route-Specific

Documents Required for Spanish Temporary Residency

Each visa route also differs in the type of documentation you must submit when applying for a temporary residence permit. Here’s a breakdown of the general documentation requirement:

• The completed visa application form
• The original copy and a photocopy of your passport or valid travel document, which must be valid for a minimum of four months
• Three passport-style photographs
• A work contract or bank statement that proves you can support yourself financially throughout your stay in Spain
• Proof of your address in Spain, with documents such as a lease or tenancy agreement
• Certificate of clean criminal record check for the last five years
• Medical check certificate
• Proof of private medical insurance
• Proof of payment for your residence permit
• Other documentation specific to your residence permit, such as:
  • A marriage certificate
  • A birth certificate
  • Proof of enrollment in a Spanish academic program
  • A work contract
  • Proof of professional qualifications

Note that your documents should be in Spanish. If they are in other languages, they must be translated and legalised/apostilled by a translation service provider approved by the Spanish embassy or consulate in your home country.

Documents Checklist – Temporary Residence Permit

How to Get Temporary Residence Permit in Spain?

Two laws regulate Spanish residency permits: the general immigration regime and the Entrepreneur Law. Each law covers different permits, and the application processes are different.

Generally, applying for a temporary residence permit will begin with a visa application from your home country. However, under Spain’s Entrepreneur Law 14/2013, you can also obtain a permit from within Spain.

Applying for Residency Under the General Immigration Regime

The visas that fall under the general immigration regime include the following:

• Regular work permits
• Student visa
• Non-Lucrative Visa
• Family Reunification
• Internship Residency
• Family of an EU citizen
• Arraigo

To obtain a residence permit for any of these visas, you must be outside Spain. Begin by visiting the Spanish embassy or consulate in your home or resident country to submit an application.

Note that if you are applying for a work permit, your Spanish employer must first provide you with an authorisation document from the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of Labour and Immigration in Spain. Then, you can submit your application at the embassy.

If your residence visa is approved, you’ll have one month to travel to Spain. Upon arrival, visit the police office or the closest immigration office (oficina de extranjería) to submit your biometrics and obtain your one-year foreign identity card card (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or TIE).

Applying For Residency Under the Entrepreneur Law

The Entrepreneur Law regulates the following visas and permits:

• Entrepreneur Visa
• Golden Visa
• Research Visa
• Highly Qualified Worker Visa
• Intra-Corporate Transfer Visa
• Residence Authorisation to Internship

You can apply for a permit under the Entrepreneur Law from your home country or within Spain using a tourist or any other visa.

If you’re applying from Spain, you should submit an application to the “Unidad de Grandes Empresas” (UGE), or Large Business Unit and Strategic Groups, located in Madrid or online through the UGE’s electronic headquarters.

Once your visa application is approved, schedule an appointment at the police office to obtain a three-year residency card.

On the other hand, if you’re applying from outside Spain, you can submit your application to the Spanish embassy or consulate. Once your application is approved, you will receive a one-year residency visa.

Upon arriving in Spain, you can convert your one-year residency visa to a three-year residence permit at the police office.

Application Pathways – General Regime vs Entrepreneur Law

Processing Time and Cost for Temporary Residence Permit in Spain

The permits under the general immigration regime take two to three months to process, while processing time for permits under the Entrepreneur Law is usually processed within 20 days.

The Spanish temporary residence permit application cost €15.76. Also, if you translate your documents, you must pay for the translation and legalisation service.

Alternative Residency Options in Spain

If you are from a non-EEA country, there are four residency options that authorise you to live in Spain, and they include:

• The short-stay or Schengen visa
• The temporary residency permit
• The permanent residency permit
• Spanish citizenship

You will need a short-stay or Schengen visa if you intend to visit Spain for less than 90 days. This option allows you to visit friends and family, attend business meetings and conferences, or partake in tourism.

As discussed earlier, you only need to apply for temporary residence if you plan to stay longer than 90 days.

Residency & Stay Options in Spain – Comparison

Temporary Residency to Permanent Residency in Spain

If you’ve resided in Spain temporarily for at least five years, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. To be eligible, you must not have been outside Spain for more than six months within any single year and more than ten months in total during the five years.

Note that any time spent in Spain under a student residence permit or an internship visa counts as half the time you’ve lived in Spain. For example, if you’ve been studying in the country for four years, it will count as two years.

To apply for permanent residency, you will need the following documents:

• A valid passport
• Your current residency card
• Proof of clean criminal records
• Completed application form (EX-11 form)

Although permanent residency will allow you to live and work in Spain indefinitely, you must renew your residency card every five years.

Obtaining Citizenship in Spain

After ten years of continuously and legally residing in Spain (5 years after permanent residency), you may be eligible for Spanish citizenship by naturalisation.

The 10-year requirement can be shortened depending on your situation, country of origin, or family ties. For instance, if you are from a Latin American country, you only need to have lived in Spain for two years.

As a Spanish citizen, you can vote in elections, travel outside Spain without restrictions, and pass your citizenship to your dependents.

However, Spain does not allow dual citizenship with most countries. As such, you may have to renounce your previous citizenship except you are from the following:

• Andorra
• The Philippines
• Equatorial Guinea
• Portugal
• A Latin American country

How Can IAS Help with Temporary Residence Permit?

Our team of lawyers at IAS are experts in Spanish immigration law and have helped thousands of individuals with visa and residence permit applications.

We can help you analyse your situation to determine the appropriate permit for you. We will also provide a detailed breakdown of the requirements, prepare your documents, and submit a robust application on your behalf.

To get started with your Spanish residence permit application, contact us at +44 (0)333 414 9244 or fill out the online contact form.