Free legal aid if you are not resident or live abroad

Key rules

• EU residents: If you are lawfully resident in an EU country other than Spain (not Denmark), you can apply for legal aid in civil and commercial disputes heard in Spain.
• Where you apply: You send the standard EU form to the authority in your country of residence, not to a Spanish court.
• Case types: The cross-border route does not cover criminal or administrative matters.
• Non-EU, living abroad: Your access is narrower and usually depends on a treaty or reciprocity.

Which route applies to you

If you live in another EU country, you can use the EU cross-border legal aid regime. If you are a non-EU citizen who does not live in Spain, your access is narrower and depends on your situation.

If you live in another EU country

You can ask for free legal aid for a civil or commercial dispute that will be heard in Spain. You qualify if you are lawfully resident or domiciled in an EU country other than Spain. Denmark is excluded. Non-EU nationals with legal residence in an EU country also qualify.

This route does not cover criminal or administrative matters.

It covers:

• advice before a case starts
• help with sending your application
• translation and interpretation
• travel costs, where they are needed

How to apply from abroad

You do not apply to a Spanish court. You apply in your own country of residence.

1. Fill in the standard EU application form. It is available in all EU languages.
2. Send it to the transmitting authority in your country of residence. That authority has 15 days to forward it.
3. The form goes to Spain's Ministry of Justice, which handles the application with the Bar's help.
4. Supporting documents must be in Spanish or another language Spain accepts. The Spanish side may ask you for a translation.

The timeline and documents below give the same steps in checklist form.

If you are a non-EU citizen who does not live in Spain

Spain's legal aid is mainly for Spanish citizens, EU nationals and foreigners lawfully resident in Spain. Living abroad outside the EU, you have no general right to it.

You may still qualify in these cases:

• A treaty Spain has ratified, such as the 1977 Council of Europe Agreement, covers your country. Whether it applies depends on the treaty. Ask the Bar Association whether one covers your country.
• Reciprocity allows it.
• You are physically in Spain and your case is one where foreigners qualify even without legal residence. These include entry, stay or expulsion, asylum and international protection, and victims of violence or trafficking.

A non-EU citizen living legally in another EU country

You can use the EU cross-border route described above, because legal residence in an EU country is what counts.

Timeline and deadlines

• Fill in the standard EU application form and prepare your documents in a language Spain accepts: before you send the application

• Send the form to the transmitting authority in your country of residence: after the form and documents are ready

• The transmitting authority forwards the form to Spain's Ministry of Justice: within 15 days of receiving it

• Provide a translation if the Spanish side asks for one: if the Spanish side requests it

Documents you need

• The standard EU legal aid application form, available in all EU languages and sent to the authority in your country of residence.

• Supporting documents in Spanish or another language Spain accepts; the Spanish side may ask you to provide a translation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get cross-border legal aid for a criminal case in Spain?

No, the EU cross-border legal aid scheme only covers civil and commercial disputes, not criminal or administrative matters. It also does not apply if you live in Denmark. Ask the Bar Association in Spain what help exists for your type of case.

Which language must my cross-border legal aid application be in?

Your documents must be in Spanish or another language Spain accepts. The application form itself exists in all EU languages, but the Spanish side may ask you to translate the supporting papers. Check the accepted languages before you send anything.

Can a non-EU citizen who lives abroad get legal aid in Spanish proceedings?

Sometimes, but access is narrower than for EU residents. It depends on whether a treaty Spain has ratified, such as the 1977 Council of Europe Agreement, covers your country. Ask the Bar Association whether a treaty applies to you.

Does a non-EU national living legally in another EU country qualify for cross-border aid?

Yes, a non-EU national with legal residence in an EU state other than the one hearing the case can use the cross-border scheme. The dispute must be civil or commercial. Apply through the authority in your country of residence.