When your job, income or situation changes before renewal

Terms used

• Oficina de Extranjería — The Oficina de Extranjería is the local immigration office that handles residence permits.
• UGE-CE — The UGE-CE is the national unit that handles skilled and business residence routes.
• Padrón — The padrón is the register of residents kept by your town hall, proving your address.
• Requerimiento — A requerimiento is an official request to fix or complete your file.
• IRPF — The IRPF is Spain's personal income tax.

Key rules

• Before signing: Ask the immigration office or an adviser whether your permit allows the new contract before you start work.
• If the answer is no: Keep your old job until a modification or new authorization is granted.
• Fixing your file: If the office asks you to fix or complete your file, you have 10 working days to respond.
• Renewal window: You can file a renewal from 60 days before your permit expires until 90 days after, and you stay in lawful status while it is pending.
• Document age: Criminal record and padrón certificates are usually accepted if issued within 3 months before filing.

Rules vary by permit type and office, so confirm your exact case with your local Oficina de Extranjería or a lawyer before acting.

Start by naming what changed

Write down exactly what changed: work, income, employer approval, partner, household or your main reason for staying. Then check whether your permit still meets the conditions it was granted on. If you can no longer meet them, contact the Oficina de Extranjería (or the UGE-CE for skilled routes) before the permit expires. A lawyer who handles immigration (abogado de extranjería) can assess your case.

Which permits are tied to a job

Tied to an employer, job or company:

• The initial employee work permit is usually tied to the employer, the occupation and the territory.
• Highly qualified, EU Blue Card and intra-company transfer permits are tied to the employer or company group.
• Self-employed permits are tied to your business activity.

Not tied to one employer:

• Long-term resident permits.
• Family reunification permits (for the spouse).
• Arraigo permits after authorization.
• After the first year, the work permit generally allows a change of employer or sector.

Student, non-lucrative and golden visa permits do not authorize work in the same way. The rules differ by permit, so check yours exactly.

Questions to ask before you sign a new contract

Put these to the Oficina de Extranjería (or the UGE-CE for skilled routes), to the 060 information line, or to an adviser:

• Do I need a modification of the permit, or a new authorization, first?
• Is this only a notification, or something to raise at renewal?

The offices can usually give general information, not a binding decision. A lawyer can give a firmer view. The decision below walks you through the choice.

If the answer is no

Keep your old job. Do not start the new one. Apply for a modification of the permit, or for a new work authorization with the new employer, and wait until it is granted. Working under a contract your permit does not allow is an infringement and may lead to a fine. Your current status continues while the existing authorization is valid. The procedure depends on your permit type.

What each change can reopen

• Employer or sector: may need a modification, a new authorization or only a notification, depending on the permit.
• Work to self-employment, or the reverse: usually needs a modification or a new application.
• Main reason for staying (for example study to work): needs a new application or a change-of-status procedure.
• Marriage, a new partner or a change in household: can open a family route or an independent permit.
• Address: must be notified and registered on the padrón.
• Income or employer approval: assessed at renewal. Losing the basis of your permit can lead to refusal.

What to report now and what waits for renewal

Report changes of address, civil status, nationality or passport to the Oficina de Extranjería or the Policía Nacional. A change of employer, income or employer approval is generally not reported in advance. It is assessed at renewal, unless your permit needs a modification first. If you cannot tell whether a change matters, ask the Oficina de Extranjería before acting, and get advice from a lawyer if the stakes are high. Renewal timing is set out in the process below.

Showing income that changed or is partly documented

The office looks at your whole picture and whether your means cover the whole permit period, not one date. You can use:

• recent payslips or a new employment contract;
• a tax return (IRPF) and tax-status certificates from the tax agency;
• bank statements and savings certificates;
• pension or benefit statements;
• property or rental income evidence;
• a partner's or sponsor's income.

If anything is missing, the office sends a requerimiento, a request to fix your file. You then have 10 working days to respond. If you do not, the file may be closed as abandoned. The amount needed depends on your permit and household.

Documents by path and how old they can be

The documents for your path are in the list below, not repeated here. Who issues them, and how old they can be:

• Padrón certificate: from your town hall, usually accepted if issued within 3 months before filing.
• Criminal record certificate: from your country of origin or residence, with apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation if not in Spanish. Usually accepted within 3 months before filing. A new one is generally not required at renewal.
• Medical certificate: from a doctor, similar age limit.
• Tax certificates: from the tax agency.
• Work-life report and contribution certificates: from Social Security.
• Bank certificates: from your bank.
• Private health insurance: from an insurer authorised in Spain, valid for the full period, with no co-payments or waiting periods.
• Birth and marriage certificates: from the civil registry, usually valid 3 to 6 months, with apostille and translation.

Age limits differ by office and permit, so confirm locally.

If your partner holds their own permit

A partner with an independent permit renews on their own basis, not through you. On a work permit they must show continued employment or Social Security contributions, a contract or activity, and the usual tax and fee proofs. On an independent permit obtained after a family one, they must meet that permit's conditions, such as their own work or means. A partner who still depends on your permit must prove the relationship, the shared household and your means.

Can you sign this new contract with your current permit?

Does your current permit allow you to take this new job?

• Your permit is not tied to one job: Long-term resident permits, spouse family reunification permits and arraigo permits after authorization are not tied to an employer. After the first year, a work permit generally allows a change of employer or sector. Student, non-lucrative and golden visa permits do not allow work in the same way, so check them too.

• Ask the office or an adviser before signing: Ask the Oficina de Extranjería (or the UGE-CE for skilled routes) whether the permit allows a change of employer, sector or occupation, and whether the salary and hours meet its conditions. The 060 information line and the Inclusion Ministry's website also help.

• The answer is no: Keep your old job for now, because working under the new contract without authorization is an infringement and may lead to a fine. Apply to modify your permit, or for a new work authorization with the new employer, and start the new job only once it is granted.

If the office or adviser confirms the contract fits your permit, sign. If not, change the permit first and keep your old job until the change is granted.

Changes in your situation and what they affect

• This applies to you if you hold a Spanish residence permit as a non-EU national and something changed: work, income, employer approval, partner, household or your main reason for staying: before your permit expires

• Identify exactly what changed: work, income, employer approval, partner, household or main reason for staying: as soon as it happens

• Check whether your permit still meets its original conditions: before you sign anything new

• Report address, civil status, nationality or passport changes to the Oficina de Extranjería or the Policía Nacional, and register a new address on the padrón: when the change happens

• Expect a change of employer, income or employer approval to be assessed at renewal, not reported in advance, unless your permit needs a modification; losing the basis of your permit can lead to refusal: at your next renewal

• Ask for a permit modification or a new application if you change employer or sector (on some permits), move between work and self-employment, or change your main reason for staying, for example from study to work: before you start the new situation

• Look at family routes if you marry, have a new partner or your household changes, since they can open family reunification or an independent permit: when your household changes

• File your renewal within the window: 60 days before your permit expires until 90 days after, and you stay in lawful status while it is pending: from 60 days before expiry to 90 days after

• If you cannot tell whether a change matters, ask the Oficina de Extranjería or a lawyer (abogado de extranjería); if renewal conditions are no longer met, contact the office before the permit expires. If it matters, follow the steps above; if not, keep your documents and mention it at renewal: if you are unsure, or at the decision point

Documents to gather for your renewal path

• For every renewal: the application form for your permit, your passport, your current foreigner card (TIE), and proof you paid the fee (form 790, code 052).

• If you live in Spain without working (non-lucrative): private health insurance from an insurer authorised in Spain, valid for the full period with no co-payments or waiting periods, plus bank statements or certificates showing your funds.

• If you are an employee: your employment contract or Social Security registration, and the record of your employer's contributions. The Social Security working-life report (vida laboral) comes from the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social.

• If you are self-employed: proof of your activity, your tax and Social Security payments, and your income. Tax-status certificates come from the Agencia Tributaria, Spain's tax agency.

• If you hold a family reunification permit: proof of the family link, plus the sponsor's means and housing.

• Padrón certificate (proof of registered address) from your town hall. It is usually accepted if issued within 3 months before filing.

• Criminal record certificate, only if the office asks for one at renewal. It comes from your country of origin or residence and is usually accepted if issued within 3 months before filing, with apostille and a sworn translation if not in Spanish.

• Birth or marriage certificates, if your path needs them. They come from the civil registry and are usually valid for 3 to 6 months, with apostille and translation.

• If your income has changed or is only partly documented: add recent payslips, a new employment contract, your tax return, bank statements or savings certificates, pension or benefit statements, property or rental income evidence, or a partner's income. The office looks at whether your means are enough over the whole permit period, not on one date.

• If your partner holds their own basis, such as their own work or self-employment permit: they renew on their own and show continued employment or contributions, a contract or activity, and the usual tax and fee proofs. If their permit came from a family one, they must meet the conditions for the independent permit, such as their own work or means.

• If your partner still depends on your permit: they show the relationship, the shared household and your means.

Checklist

• Check whether your permit is tied to an employer or kind of job. Initial employee, highly qualified, EU Blue Card and company-transfer permits are.

• If the answer is no, keep your old job and apply for a modification of the permit or a new work authorization with the new employer.

• Leave changes of income or employer approval for renewal, where they are assessed, unless your permit needs a formal modification.

• Ask for a modification or new application if you switch between work and self-employment, or change your main reason for staying, for example from study to work.

• Look at family routes if you marry, have a new partner or your household changes.

• Gather documents for your chosen path only, and check the age limit for each one with your local Oficina de Extranjería.

• Show changed or partly documented income with recent payslips, a new contract, a tax return, bank or savings statements, pension statements or a sponsor's or partner's income.

• Ask an immigration lawyer or the Oficina de Extranjería if you cannot tell whether a change matters, before your permit expires.

• Collect your partner's own proof if they hold their own basis: continued employment or contributions, a contract or activity, and tax and fee proofs.

What to watch out for

• Working on a contract your permit does not allow: Working under a new contract without authorization is an infringement and may lead to a fine. Keep your old job until a modification or new work authorization is granted.

• Losing the basis of your permit: Changes in work, income, employer approval, partner, household or main reason for staying each trigger a different procedure. Losing the basis can lead to refusal of renewal. Report address, civil status, nationality or passport changes when they happen. Income and employer approval are assessed at renewal. Switching between work and self-employment, or changing your main reason for staying, needs a modification or new application.

What if your income, job, enrolment or sponsor changed before renewal?

Start by working out what changed, then check whether your permit still fits your new situation. Do this before the permit expires, not at renewal time.

What to do first

1. Name the change: income, job, enrolment or sponsor.
2. Compare it with the conditions your permit was granted on. If you still meet them, you can renew as normal.
3. If your job or sponsor changed, check whether the permit allows the new situation. Some changes need a formal modification of the permit or a new authorization.

An abogado de extranjería (immigration lawyer) can assess your case quickly. This is worth doing if the change affects the reason you hold the permit.

Do you have to tell the authorities?

It depends on what changed.

• Address, civil status, nationality or passport: you must notify these through the Oficina de Extranjería or the Policía Nacional.
• Income, employer or enrolment: these are generally not reported in advance. They are assessed when you renew. The exception is a change that needs a modification or a new authorization (see step 3 above).

If you are unsure which group your change falls into, ask the Oficina de Extranjería before acting.

Timing

You can file a renewal from 60 days before your permit expires until 90 days after, and you stay in lawful status while it is pending. If your circumstances changed, use that time to prepare proof that you meet the conditions now.

If the renewal is refused

You have three options. The deadlines are strict, so act quickly.

• Ask the same office to reconsider. This is a recurso de reposición. File it within 1 month of being notified of the refusal.
• Go to court. A contencioso-administrativo appeal must be filed within 2 months of notification. If you filed a reposición, it must be resolved first.
• Apply under a different route. Your new situation may fit another permit, such as arraigo, a work permit or a study permit.

The best option depends on your facts, so take advice from a lawyer before choosing.

Frequently asked questions

Can the immigration office tell me for sure that a new contract is allowed?

No, the offices can usually give general information only, not a binding decision. You can ask the Oficina de Extranjería, the 060 information line or the Inclusion Ministry's website. For a firmer view, ask an immigration lawyer (abogado de extranjería).

Which offices handle skilled routes when I check a contract?

For skilled routes such as the highly qualified, EU Blue Card and company-transfer permits, ask the UGE-CE instead of the local Oficina de Extranjería. These permits are tied to the employer or company group, so check before you change anything.

What happens if I start the new job without authorization?

Working under a contract your permit does not allow is an infringement and may lead to a fine. Keep the old job until a modification or new work authorization is granted, because your current status continues while the existing authorization is valid.