Changing your permit type in Spain

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. After reading, you will know which switches are allowed, how to time them and which one fits your situation.

Start with "Changing your residence permit type without leaving Spain (modificación)". It maps the switches you can make from inside Spain and the conditions for each. From there, the page "Modify your permit or apply for a different route?" helps you choose between changing your permit and applying anew. The other pages cover specific changes: employer, sector or province; employee to self-employed; student to employee or self-employed; non-lucrative residence to work; and the move to the family-of-citizen regime after marrying an EU citizen or a Spaniard.

Key rules

• Decision time: The maximum time to decide most modifications is three months from the day the application is registered.
• Filing time: File a modification while your current permit is still valid, because filing in time extends that permit until the application is resolved.
• Start date: The new rules apply to applications filed from 20 May 2025.
• Older applications: Applications filed before that date stay under the old rules.
• Default: Change from inside Spain when the rules allow it; otherwise apply again from your home country.
• Filing date: File any change before your current permit ends.

Changing your permit type in Spain: the whole process, step by step

• Work out which rules apply to you and whether your switch can be made in Spain (start with the overview and the modify-or-reapply articles): before you start. Applications filed from 20 May 2025 follow the current rules; earlier ones follow the old rules

• Gather your documents for your route: employer, self-employed, student or family: before you file, while your current permit is still valid

• File the modification, using the article for your switch (employer change, employee to self-employed, student to employee, student to self-employed, non-lucrative to work): while your current permit is still valid, because filing in time extends that permit until the application is resolved

• Start the new work if you qualify: in many cases once the application is admitted for processing; otherwise only after approval. See Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit.

• Wait for the decision: the maximum time to decide most modifications is three months from the day the application is registered

• If you are switching to the family-of-citizen regime, file in person at the immigration office or police station: before your stay or permit expires; the decision is due within 3 months

• After approval of a self-employed switch, register with Social Security (RETA) and with the tax agency: within the deadline set in your grant

• Apply for your new residence card (TIE) at the police station: within 1 month of the grant

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your passport and your TIE — Switching from employee to self-employed residence, Moving from a student permit to self-employed residence
• Your passport and your residence card — Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit
• The new employer's identity and tax documents — Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit
• Valid passport and a copy of it — Switching to the family-of-citizen regime after marrying an EU citizen or Spaniard

Income and work

• Proof that you are up to date with Social Security and tax
• Proof of your funds or investment — Switching from employee to self-employed residence, Moving from a student permit to self-employed residence
• The new employment contract or a binding job offer — Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit

Other documents

• A business plan showing the expected investment — Switching from employee to self-employed residence, Moving from a student permit to self-employed residence
• Application form for the modification — Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit
• Proof that you are registered in Social Security — Changing employer, sector or province on a work permit
• Completed EX-19 application form — Switching to the family-of-citizen regime after marrying an EU citizen or Spaniard
• Proof that you paid the fee — Switching to the family-of-citizen regime after marrying an EU citizen or Spaniard

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Changing your permit type in Spain: questions that cross several articles

Which permit switches can I make without leaving Spain?

You can make several switches in Spain, mainly student to work, employee to self-employed or the reverse, temporary to long-term residence, and some moves from arraigo (residence on exceptional grounds). Short-stay visas and permits that need a consular visa generally require applying from your home country.

Do the old or the new rules apply to my application?

Applications filed from 20 May 2025 follow the new rules, and earlier ones continue under the old rules. Permits already granted stay valid until they expire, and you renew them under the new rules. The article for your switch shows which conditions apply.

Is it risky to leave Spain and apply again instead of modifying?

Yes, leaving can cost you your status if the permit expires, and you may wait a long time for a visa and risk refusal. Time abroad does not count towards the five years you need, and absences of more than 6 months in a year can break continuity. Read "Modify your permit or apply for a different route?" before deciding.

Can I start a new job or self-employment before the decision?

In many cases yes, you can start once your application is admitted for processing, if you filed in time and meet the conditions. If it is refused, that right ends.

What do I need to prove to switch to self-employment?

You need a business plan showing investment, jobs and enough income to support you and your family, plus proof of funds and any licences or professional membership. See Moving from a student permit to self-employed residence.

Check the current list of permitted switches and your start-work rights with your Oficina de Extranjería.