How your local immigration office (oficina de extranjería) affects timing

Key rules

• Local backlog: Waiting times differ by province, so plan your buffer from local information.
• Resguardo: Keep the stamped receipt, because it is your proof that you filed in time.
• Regions: Even in Catalonia and the Basque Country, residence permits stay with the State.
• Appointment evidence: Keep dated proof of every attempt to get a cita previa.

Why your province matters

Processing times differ by province. Each province has its own Foreigners' Office (oficina de extranjería), with its own backlog and its own habits. A friend's renewal in another city tells you little about yours. Build your buffer from local information, not from a national average.

Where to find local waiting times

No single complete official source exists. Official data are usually partial and a little out of date. Use several sources together:

• Your provincial Foreigners' Office and your Government Delegation or Subdelegation sometimes publish information.
• The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration publishes general statistics.
• Its cita previa portal shows how soon appointments are available in your province. Long gaps are an early warning.
• Lawyers' blogs, forums and groups of recent applicants report real waiting times. They are current but not verified, so treat them as a guide only.

The checklist below lists these steps in order.

How to set your buffer

Start early. The renewal window is set out in full on another page of this guide. Here, the point is this: file as soon as the 60 days before expiry begin. In a slow province, that early start is what protects you.

Filing before expiry extends your current authorisation until a decision. Keep the stamped filing receipt (resguardo) as your proof. If you miss expiry, you can still file within 90 days after it, but a sanction may apply and your authorisation is not extended in the same way.

If appointments are hard to get, keep dated evidence of every attempt to book a cita previa. If no decision arrives, you can ask for a resolution. Silence counts as approval only in specific cases, so do not rely on it. The timeline below shows the steps.

Catalonia and the Basque Country

The State runs immigration across Spain. Residence permits, visas and expulsions stay with the State in every region, including these two.

• Catalonia also handles the work part of initial work authorisations, in coordination with the State. It has a role in reception and integration too.
• The Basque Country acts on reception and integration. It has no transfer in force for work permits.

For a renewal, you still deal with the State's Foreigners' Office for your province. Regional bodies may change how initial work permits are handled, so ask locally which office handles your case.

Timeline and deadlines

• Start looking for a cita previa and file as soon as the renewal window opens: 60 days before your authorisation expires

• Ask for a resolution if no decision has arrived: after 3 months without a decision

Checklist

• Check your provincial Foreigners' Office and Government Delegation websites for any published waiting times.

• Ask a local lawyer or recent applicants in your province how long decisions are taking now.

• File your renewal as early as the 60-day window opens, to leave room for local delays.

• Keep the stamped filing receipt (resguardo), which is your proof that your current authorisation stays valid until a decision.

Check current waiting times and renewal rules with your Foreigners' Office, as official data are partial and the 2025 reform may have changed periods.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find how long my province's immigration office is taking?

There is no single complete official list of waiting times by province. Your provincial Foreigners' Office (oficina de extranjería) and the Government Delegation or Subdelegation publish some information, and appointment availability shows on the cita previa portal. Local lawyers' blogs and forums report real waiting times faster, but they are anecdotal.

Does living in Catalonia or the Basque Country change who handles my permit?

No, residence permits, visas and expulsions stay with the State in both regions. Catalonia also handles the work part of initial work authorisations for foreigners, in coordination with the State. The Basque Country has no equivalent transfer for work permits and focuses on reception and integration.

Should I keep proof if I cannot get a cita previa appointment?

Yes, keep evidence of every attempt to get a cita previa, such as screenshots with dates, alongside your stamped filing receipt. Together they show you tried to file in time if your local office has no free slots.