Applying for long-term residence: steps, fee and timing

Key rules

• Form: Use form EX-11 for both national and EU long-term residence, in its current version.
• Fee: Two fees are paid through form 790 code 052: processing and the card.
• Filing window: File in the 60 days before expiry or up to 90 days after; filing before expiry keeps your permit valid until a decision.
• Silence: If the office does not decide within three months of registration, the application is treated as granted.

The short version

Use form EX-11, pay the fee through form 790 code 052, and file before your temporary card expires. Filing in time keeps your temporary permit valid until the office decides.

Which form and which fee

The application is on form EX-11. The same form is used for national and EU long-term residence. Forms get updated, so download the current version from the government migration portal just before you file.

You pay two fees through form 790 code 052: one for processing the application and one for issuing the card (the TIE). The amounts depend on the type of authorisation and are modest, in the tens of euros. Check the current amounts on the Policía Nacional or Ministry portal before you pay. Attach the payment receipt to your application. The documents list below shows everything else you need.

When to file

You can file in the 60 days before your temporary card expires and up to 90 days after it expires.

• Before expiry: your temporary permit stays valid until a decision.
• After expiry, within the 90 days: you keep your temporary status, but a penalty or fine can apply.
• After the 90 days: a new route is needed, such as a new temporary application, and your continuity of residence may be affected.

Aim to file well before the card expires. Confirm your dates with the immigration office if you are close to a limit.

Where to file

You can file yourself or through a representative. Most people file online through the Mercurio platform, or you can file at the Oficina de Extranjería of the province where you live. Procedures vary by province, so check how your office takes applications and whether it needs an appointment.

How long the office takes

The office has three months from registration to decide. Note your registration date, because that is when the clock starts.

If the office stays silent, the application is treated as granted. Ask the office for a written decision anyway. You will want it as proof.

After approval

You give your fingerprints and receive your card at a police station. You usually need an appointment (cita previa) for this.

Timeline and deadlines

• Earliest day you can file, before your temporary card expires: in the 60 days before expiry

• Last chance to file after expiry, though a penalty or fine can apply: up to 90 days after expiry

• Wait for the office's decision: three months from the date your application is registered

• If the office stays silent, treat the application as granted and ask for a written decision: after the three months pass

• Give fingerprints and receive your card at a police station: after approval, with a prior appointment

Documents for your long-term residence application

• Official application form (EX-11), for both national and EU long-term residence.

• Passport copy for national long-term residence; a valid passport for EU long-term residence.

• Your current residence card, for national long-term residence.

• Proof of five years of continuous legal residence in Spain, for both statuses.

• Fee payment receipt (tasa 790, code 052), the fee form for this application.

• Criminal record certificate: for national long-term residence where required; for EU long-term residence from your country of origin and any prior countries of residence.

• For EU long-term residence: proof of stable and regular resources.

• For EU long-term residence: proof of health insurance, public or private.

• For national long-term residence: proof of means and of health insurance only if the office asks for them.

• Foreign public documents, such as criminal record certificates, carry an apostille under the Hague Convention or are legalised, unless a treaty between Spain and the issuing country exempts them.

• Any document not in Spanish or a co-official language comes with a translation by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) or one made by a consular office.

• Criminal record certificates must be recent, often issued within the last three months.

• File with the Oficina de Extranjería (the immigration office) or online.

Checklist

• Mark your filing window: the 60 days before your temporary card expires, up to 90 days after.

• File online or at the Oficina de Extranjería of your province, before your card expires if you can.

• If three months pass with no answer, ask the office for a written decision.

What to watch out for

• Filing after your card expires: If you file after your temporary card expires, you can face a penalty or a fine, although your temporary status is kept. Filing before expiry avoids this and keeps your permit valid until a decision. File while your card is still valid, and keep proof of the filing date.

• Missing the 90 days after expiry: Once the 90 days after expiry pass, you can no longer file for long-term residence. You would need a new route, such as a new temporary application, and your continuity may be affected. Put the dates in your calendar now and ask the immigration office if you are close to the limit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay one fee or two for long-term residence?

Yes, you pay two fees, both through form 790 code 052: one for processing the application and one for issuing the card (TIE). The amounts depend on the type of authorisation and are in the tens of euros. Check the current figures before paying.

Where do I file my long-term residence application?

You file it yourself or through a representative, usually online through the Mercurio platform or at the Oficina de Extranjería of the province where you live. Procedures vary by province, so check with your local office.

When are my fingerprints and card taken?

Your fingerprints and card (TIE) are taken after approval, at a police station. You need a prior appointment (cita previa) for it.

Should I get a written decision if the office stays silent?

Yes, a written decision is still advisable even though silence means the application is treated as granted. It gives you proof to show banks, employers or other offices.