National or EU long-term residence: which one to request

Key rules

• Choose by mobility: Only EU long-term residence gives you a right to move to another EU country; the national permit is valid in Spain only.
• Extra proof: EU status needs proof of stable resources and health insurance.
• Second country: After moving, you must apply for a residence permit there, normally within three months of arrival.
• Losing EU status: Getting long-term status in another member state ends your Spanish EU status.

Which one to request

If you may live in another EU country in the coming years, ask for EU long-term residence. If you plan to stay in Spain only, the national permit is enough. Both are indefinite, and most applicants who meet the requirements get the EU status.

What the two have in common

Both normally need five years of continuous legal residence in Spain, and study time counts only at half. Both last indefinitely, and the card is renewed every five years.

What the national permit gives you

National long-term residence is valid in Spain only. It does not give you a right to settle in another EU country. It does not ask for proof of resources and insurance in the same way the EU status does.

What EU long-term residence adds

The EU status lets you move to another EU country, under conditions. You must show:

• stable and regular resources, enough to support you and your family without social assistance;
• public or private health insurance.

Denmark and Ireland do not take part in this system.

Moving to a second EU country

You can move for work as an employee or self-employed person, for study or training, or for other purposes. Do this in order:

1. Apply for a residence permit in the second country, normally within three months of arriving.
2. Show stable resources and health insurance, and pass the public policy checks.
3. After five years of residence there, you can ask for EU long-term status in that country.

The second country sets its own procedures and quotas. It may also apply labour-market tests, integration conditions, or language requirements for studies. Ask its immigration office before you move.

How you can lose EU status

You lose it after 12 consecutive months outside EU territory, or after getting long-term status in another member state. Fraud or an expulsion order also ends it. Time you spend in another EU country under the mobility rules is treated differently from time outside the EU.

Refugees and international protection

If you have international protection, there is a separate route to the EU status. Ask the Oficina de Extranjería how it applies to you.

Before you apply

Count your years of residence, gather proof of resources, and arrange health insurance. The checklist and decision tool below help with this. Ask the Oficina de Extranjería which status you qualify for and what the current requirements are.

Choosing between options

Which long-term residence should you request?

• EU long-term residence: You may move within the EU and can show stable resources and health insurance. It lets you move to other EU states, with conditions.

• National long-term residence: You plan to stay in Spain only, or cannot meet the resources and insurance requirements. It is valid in Spain only.

If you want the right to move within the EU and meet the resources and insurance requirements, ask for EU long-term residence. Otherwise the national permit fits.

Timeline and deadlines

• Apply for a residence permit in the second EU country, with proof of stable resources and health insurance: normally within three months of entry

• Keep your Spanish EU status by not staying outside the EU: for less than 12 consecutive months

Checklist

• Decide whether you may live in another EU country in the coming years.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move to another EU country with EU long-term residence?

Yes, EU long-term residence lets you move to another EU country to work, study or for other purposes, but Denmark and Ireland do not take part. You must apply for a residence permit there, normally within three months of entry, and show stable resources and health insurance.

Does the national long-term permit work outside Spain?

No, national long-term residence is valid in Spain only. It gives you no right to live in another EU country, so choose the EU status if you may move.

Can I get EU long-term status in the second country after moving?

Yes, you can get EU long-term status in the second country after five years of residence there. Be aware that acquiring long-term status in another member state ends your Spanish EU status.