What are the requirements for an arraigo residence permit in Spain?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Spain's immigration regulation grants an arraigo permit to foreigners already in Spain who have stayed continuously for at least two years, have no criminal record, are not asylum applicants and hold no other residence permit or pending application. Each of the five types adds its own condition: a job contract, family ties, training, a previous permit or an EU child.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Who it is for	Foreigners already in Spain with economic, social, family, work or training ties to where they live	RD 1155/2024, art. 125.1
Types	Second opportunity, socio-labour (sociolaboral), social, socio-educational (socioformativo), family	RD 1155/2024, art. 125.1
Time in Spain	At least two years’ continuous stay before applying; time as an international protection applicant doesn’t count. Family arraigo: no minimum	RD 1155/2024, art. 126.b
Criminal record	None in Spain or in the countries where you lived in the five years before entering Spain	RD 1155/2024, art. 126.d
No other permit	You must not hold a stay or residence permit, or be party to a pending application for one (added from 16 April 2026)	RD 1155/2024, art. 126.h
Length	One year; family arraigo five years	RD 1155/2024, art. 125.2
Work	Employed or self-employed, anywhere in Spain; socio-educational: up to 30 hours a week employed	RD 1155/2024, art. 131
Visa	Not required	RD 1155/2024, art. 130.1

General requirements

Spain’s immigration regulation lists requirements every arraigo applicant must meet together (art. 126): be in Spain and not be an applicant for international protection; at least two years’ continuous stay in Spain before applying (none for family arraigo); not be a threat to public order, security or health; no criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you lived in the five years before entering Spain; not be listed as inadmissible by countries with an agreement with Spain; not be within a voluntary-return no-return period; have paid the fee. Since Real Decreto 316/2026 (in force 16 April 2026), you also must not hold a stay or residence permit or be party to a pending procedure to get, extend, renew or change one.

The five types

The regulation adds a specific condition for each type (art. 127):

Second opportunity: you held a residence permit (not one for exceptional circumstances) in the two years before applying, and it wasn’t renewed for reasons other than public order, security or health.
Socio-labour: one or more job contracts paying at least the minimum wage, or the collective-agreement wage, in proportion to the hours, adding up to at least 20 hours a week.
Social: family ties with other foreign residents (spouse or registered partner, first-degree relatives) and means of at least 100% of the IPREM available in Spain; without those ties, a favourable integration report from your region.
Socio-educational: enrolment in one of the training courses listed in the regulation, or a commitment to training by the public employment services for occupations in the catalogue referred to in art. 75.1; plus an integration report.
Family: father, mother or guardian of a minor who is a national of an EU or EEA state or Switzerland, living with and caring for the child; or the relative who supports such a national with a disability.

Applying

The application needs no visa and is made in person, with a full valid passport, any required job contract and proof of your situation (art. 130.1). Adults also provide a criminal record certificate from the countries where they lived in the five years before entering Spain, unless they have been in Spain continuously for the last five years (art. 130.2). Once a socio-labour application is admitted, you may provisionally live and work as an employee until the decision (art. 130.5). After the grant, you must apply in person for the TIE card within one month (art. 130.6).

Extending it: arraigo permits are extended for one year at a time; for second opportunity, socio-labour and social arraigo you must be actively looking for work and registered with the public employment service, unless illness, disability or retirement age prevents it (RD 1155/2024, art. 132).

Sources

Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, arts. 124–127 and 130–132, as amended by Real Decreto 316/2026 (consolidated text, BOE) checked 2026-10-25

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

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