When should I apply to renew my Spanish residence permit?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Spain's immigration regulation says you apply to renew a temporary residence permit during the two months before it expires; applying in that window keeps your old permit valid until the decision. An application up to three months after expiry also keeps it valid, but the delay is a minor offence with a fine of up to 500 euros.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
When to apply	During the two months before your permit expires	RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.1 (non-lucrative), 80.1 (employee), 95.4 (family of a Spanish citizen, when the permit was shorter than five years), 132.3 (extension of exceptional-circumstances permits)
While you wait	Applying in that window extends your old permit until the decision	Same articles
Late application	Up to three months after expiry, the old permit is still extended until the decision, but sanction proceedings may be opened	Same articles
The offence	A delay of up to three months in applying for renewal after expiry is a minor offence (infracción leve)	LO 4/2000, art. 52.b
The fine	Minor offences: up to 500 euros	LO 4/2000, art. 55.1.a
If you don’t apply in time	Temporary residence permits expire when their period ends	RD 1155/2024, art. 200.1
Decision deadline	Non-lucrative and employee renewals: three months; no answer means granted	RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.8 and 80.9
Length after renewal	Non-lucrative: two years. Employee residence and work: four years	RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.7 and 81.1

The window

Spain’s immigration regulation (Real Decreto 1155/2024) uses the same timing for the main temporary permits: you apply in the two months before expiry. If you do, your current permit stays valid until the immigration office decides, however long that takes (arts. 64.1, 80.1).

The regulation also accepts an application filed up to three months after expiry, and that also keeps the old permit valid until the decision. But the law classes the delay as a minor offence (Ley Orgánica 4/2000, art. 52.b), punishable by a fine of up to 500 euros (art. 55.1.a). The regulation says the renewal is handled “without prejudice” to those sanction proceedings.

After those three months, the general rule applies: a temporary residence permit ends when its period ends (RD 1155/2024, art. 200.1).

What happens after you apply

For the non-lucrative permit, the regulation says the renewal must be decided and notified within three months of the application; if not, it counts as granted (art. 64.8). The same three-month positive silence applies to the employee residence and work permit (art. 80.9). Within one month of the renewal decision you must apply in person for the new TIE card (arts. 64.9, 81.2).

Long-term residents

If you hold long-term residence, what you renew is the TIE card: the first time after five years, then every five years until you turn 30 and every ten years after that. The same two-months-before and three-months-after windows apply. Missing them never ends the long-term permit itself. For EU long-term residence the regulation adds that the TIE sanctions regime applies (art. 178.3); for national long-term residence the immigration office checks that you still meet the conditions (art. 185.3).

The requirements for renewing a non-lucrative permit include more than 183 days of real residence in Spain in the calendar year (RD 1155/2024, art. 64.2.f).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.