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National long-term residence

SpainLong-term residence

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

Spain's national long-term residence authorises the holder to reside and work in Spain indefinitely under the same conditions as Spanish nationals.

See recorded sources
  • RD 1155/2024, Article 182
    Se halla en situación de residencia de larga duración nacional la persona extranjera que haya sido autorizado a residir y trabajar en España indefinidamente en las mismas condiciones que los españoles.

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

The standard basis is legal and continuous residence in Spain during the five years before the application. The authorisation is also granted in listed alternative cases, including residents born in Spain who, on reaching adulthood, have resided in Spain legally and continuously for at least the three consecutive years immediately before the application, and residents who, on reaching adulthood, have been under the guardianship of a Spanish public entity for the five consecutive years before the application.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    1. Tendrán derecho a obtener una autorización de residencia de larga duración nacional las personas extranjeras que hayan residido legalmente y de forma continuada en el territorio español durante los cinco años previos a la presentación de la solicitud.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    3. La autorización de residencia de larga duración nacional también se concederá a las personas extranjeras que acrediten que se encuentran en cualquiera de los siguientes supuestos:
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    c) Residentes que hayan nacido en España y que, al llegar a la mayoría de edad, hayan residido en España de forma legal y continuada durante, al menos, los tres años consecutivos inmediatamente anteriores a la solicitud.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    e) Residentes que, al llegar a la mayoría de edad, hayan estado bajo la tutela de una entidad pública española de forma consecutiva durante los cinco años anteriores a la solicitud.

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

For a foreign national covered by the voluntary-return provisions who later obtains a new temporary residence (or residence and work) authorisation, temporary residence is treated as continuous for access to long-term residence, but the time from the voluntary return to the country of origin or previous residence until the new authorisation is not counted. The official source does not state which other types of prior residence count fully, partially or not at all.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Apart from this voluntary-return rule, the captured national long-term residence provisions (Arts. 182-185) do not state which types of prior residence count fully, partially or not at all (unlike Art. 176 for EU long-term residence).
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    4. La situación de residencia temporal de la persona extranjera se entenderá continuada, a los efectos de acceso a la situación de residencia de larga duración, si bien dicho cómputo no incluirá el tiempo transcurrido desde el retorno voluntario de la persona extranjera a su país de origen o país de anterior residencia, hasta la concesión de la nueva autorización de residencia temporal o de residencia temporal y trabajo.

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

Continuity of the five-year period is not affected by absences from Spain of up to six continuous months, provided their total does not exceed ten months within the five years, unless the departures were made irregularly. For work-related absences, absences of up to six continuous months are allowed provided their total does not exceed eighteen months within the five years. Duly justified force-majeure absences do not affect continuity; the deciding authority assesses individually whether an exceptional situation justifies them. Continuity is also not affected where the holder is employed as a cooperant by officially recognised public-utility NGOs, foundations or associations carrying out research, development-cooperation or humanitarian projects abroad.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    2. La continuidad a que se refiere el apartado anterior no quedará afectada por ausencias del territorio español de hasta seis meses continuados, siempre que la suma de éstas no supere el total de diez meses dentro de los cinco años referidos en el apartado 1, salvo que las correspondientes salidas se hubieran efectuado de manera irregular.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    En caso de ausencias por motivos laborales, la continuación de la residencia no quedará afectada por ausencias del territorio español de hasta seis meses continuados, siempre que la suma de éstas no supere el total de dieciocho meses dentro de los cinco años requeridos.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    La continuidad a que se refiere el apartado anterior no quedará afectada por ausencias del territorio español por causas de fuerza mayor debidamente justificadas.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    En este caso será el órgano competente en resolver el encargado de valorar de forma individualizada si existe una situación excepcional que justifique dichas ausencias.
  • https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2024/11/19/1155/con
    Tampoco se verá afectada cuando el titular de la autorización esté vinculado mediante una relación laboral a organizaciones no gubernamentales, fundaciones o asociaciones, inscritas en el registro general correspondiente y reconocidas oficialmente de utilidad pública como cooperantes, y que realicen para aquéllas proyectos de investigación, cooperación al desarrollo o acción humanitaria, llevados a cabo en el extranjero.

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

Applicants in Spain file on the official form with the immigration office of the province where they live (or, where prior residence is not required, where they will settle); applicants abroad file in person at the consulate for their area. The application is filed during the two months immediately before the current residence authorisation expires, accompanied by a copy of a valid passport, travel document or registration card and proof of fee payment. The authority must decide and notify within three months of receipt; after that period the application is deemed granted. Once granted, the applicant must apply in person for the foreigner identity card within one month of notification. The card is first renewed after five years, then every five years until the holder turns thirty and every ten years afterwards; failing to apply for card renewal on time never extinguishes the national long-term residence authorisation, although the office checks that the conditions of access are still met. The long-term authorisation is extinguished, among other listed cases, if obtained fraudulently, on an expulsion order, or after absence from EU territory for twelve consecutive months.

See recorded sources

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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