Who qualifies for long-term residence after five years

Key rules

• Residence period: You need five years of continuous legal residence, and study time counts only at half.
• Absences: Stay within 10 months of absence in total and 6 months for any single trip, or be ready to prove a justified reason.
• Criminal record: You need a clean record in Spain and in every country where you lived in the last five years.
• Who this is for: This route is for non-EU/EEA nationals. EU and EEA citizens use a separate permanent residence route.

The short answer

You can apply when you have five years of continuous legal residence in Spain and meet the conditions below. If you are short of five years, wait. If an absence went over the limits, you may still apply, but only with proof of a justified reason.

Does your time count?

Long-term residence normally requires five years of continuous legal residence in Spain. Time on temporary residence permits counts in full. Time as a student counts only at half, so two years of study count as one year.

This page is for people from outside the EU/EEA. EU and EEA citizens use a separate permanent residence route.

Some groups have shorter or different periods, such as refugees, people born in Spain, retirees and long-term workers. If you are in one of these groups, ask your immigration office (oficina de extranjería) which period applies to you.

How many absences are allowed?

Absences do not break continuity if they total up to 10 months within the five years and no single absence exceeds 6 months. Add up every trip, including short ones.

If you went over, a justified reason can save your application. Illness, certain work or study reasons and force majeure can all qualify. You will need proof, such as a medical record. The immigration office decides each case, so write down the reason and gather the evidence before you apply.

Other conditions

• You must not be a threat to public order, public security or public health.
• You must have no criminal record in Spain. You must also have none in any country where you lived in the last five years, for acts that are crimes under Spanish law.
• You must have no expulsion order or entry ban.
• You will need to show means of support. Ask your immigration office what proof it wants in your case.

Spanish police checks are done by the administration. For other countries, you provide certificates, which must be apostilled or legalised and translated. The documents list below shows exactly what to bring.

Apply now or wait?

Apply now if you can count five years, your absences are within the limits (or you can prove a justified reason) and your record is clean. Use the checklist below to confirm this before you book anything.

Wait if you are under five years. Remember that study time counts at half, so check that count first.

Which rules apply to you

The rules changed on 20 May 2025. Applications filed before that date are processed under the old regulation. Applications filed since then follow the new rules. The new rules also changed some temporary routes that lead to long-term status, such as the arraigo routes. If you came to Spain through one of them, check with the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration or your immigration office whether your time counts.

Documents you need

• Criminal record certificate from your country of origin, issued by its authorities, and apostilled or legalised, then translated into Spanish.

• Criminal record certificate from each other country where you lived in the last five years, apostilled or legalised and translated in the same way.

• Proof of the reason for any absence that went over the limits, such as a medical record for illness or evidence of force majeure.

Are you ready to apply for long-term residence?

• Add up every absence from Spain during the five years and confirm they total no more than 10 months, with no single trip longer than 6 months.

• Write down the reason and gather proof for any absence that went over those limits, such as illness or a family emergency.

• Ask your immigration office (oficina de extranjería) what proof of income or means of support it wants for your type of permit.

• Collect your residence cards (TIE) and renewals, covering the whole five years.

• Request a padrón certificate (the municipal register) showing your address history.

• Gather your vida laboral (Social Security work record) and your tax returns for the period.

• Add bank statements, rental contracts or utility bills to fill any gaps between official records.

• Keep your passport ready, since the office can ask for proof that you did not spend long stays abroad.

• Ask the immigration office whether any exception to the five-year period or the absence limits applies to your situation.

Check with your immigration office which records and proof of means it wants for your case, as requirements can differ by office and permit type.

Frequently asked questions

Which rules apply if I filed my application before 20 May 2025?

If you filed before 20 May 2025, your application is processed under the old regulation, and applications filed after that date follow the new rules. Valid permits stay valid until they expire and are then renewed under the new regime.

Can I still qualify if one absence from Spain lasted more than 6 months?

Yes, a longer absence can be accepted if there was a justified reason, such as illness, certain work or study reasons, or proof of force majeure. The immigration office decides each case, so bring proof of the reason with your application.

Does a criminal record in another country stop me from getting long-term residence?

It can, if the offence would also be a crime under Spanish law and it happened in a country where you lived in the last five years. You must have no record in Spain either.

Do EU citizens use this long-term residence route?

No, EU and EEA citizens do not use this route, because they have a separate permanent residence regime. This route is for non-EU nationals who live in Spain legally.