Income and insurance requirements for long-term residence

Key rules

• National permit: National long-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence, with no separate proof of income.
• EU permit income: The EU long-term permit needs stable, regular resources for you and your dependants, without social assistance.
• EU permit health cover: Public health coverage through Social Security or private insurance valid in Spain can count as cover for the EU permit.

The income multiple and the exact health documents were not confirmed, so check the current IPREM figure and document list with the immigration office before applying.

The short answer

The two permits are tested differently. National long-term residence has no separate income or insurance test. The EU long-term permit asks you to prove income and health cover.

National long-term residence

You do not need to show a separate amount of money. What counts is five years of continuous legal residence. Your income was checked earlier, when you got and renewed your temporary permits.

On health, there is generally no separate insurance requirement beyond being registered with public health. Check with the immigration office whether the current rules add any resource evidence for your category.

EU long-term residence

Here you must prove two things.

Income. You need stable and regular resources that are enough for you and any family who depend on you, without relying on social assistance. The amount is measured against the IPREM, a yearly reference index. It rises with the number of dependants.

Typical proof is employment contracts, payslips, tax returns, bank statements or pension documents.

Health cover. You need either public health coverage through Social Security or private insurance valid in Spain. Ask the immigration office exactly which documents it wants.

Which one fits you

If you only want to meet the national test, you do not need to build an income file. If you are going for the EU permit, gather your income and health proof early. The documents list and the questions below cover what to bring.

Documents you need

• Proof of stable and regular income for EU long-term residence: employment contracts, payslips, tax returns, bank statements or pension documents, covering you and any dependent family.

• Proof of health cover for EU long-term residence: either public health coverage through Social Security or a private insurance policy valid in Spain.

• Proof of registration with public health, for national long-term residence. No separate income proof is needed for the national permit.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to show income for national long-term residence?

No, national long-term residence does not need a separate proof of income.

How much income must I show for EU long-term residence?

You must show stable and regular resources that cover you and any dependent family without social assistance, measured against the IPREM. The IPREM is a reference index set every year, and the amount you need rises with each dependant.

Can private insurance count as health cover for the EU long-term permit?

Yes, private insurance valid in Spain counts for the EU long-term permit, as does public cover through Social Security. For the national permit, being registered with public health is generally enough.