If you have been living in Spain for two or more years, arraigo (a residence permit for people with established ties to Spain) may be your route to legal status, even without a visa.
Arraigo (literally, «rootedness») is a category of residence permit available to non-EU nationals who can demonstrate that they have established genuine ties to Spain, even if they entered or stayed without legal authorization. The underlying logic of the system is that someone who has been building a life in Spain, working, raising children, contributing to a community, deserves a legal pathway that reflects that reality.
The program does not require a job offer from abroad, a minimum income threshold, or a prior visa. It requires time, documentation of ties, and a clean record.
Under RD 1155/2024, arraigo was expanded and restructured into five distinct types. Choosing the right one matters: the requirements, documents, and outcomes differ.
Here is a plain-English guide to each type. Use this as a starting point. A lawyer can confirm which one fits your specific situation.
The most commonly applied route. You need two years of continuous residence in Spain, plus evidence of «integration ties» (employment history, community ties, language skills, or other indicators of integration). You must also demonstrate either a signed job contract (offering at least 30 hours per week) or sufficient financial means to support yourself. There is no longer a requirement to demonstrate family ties to a Spanish national under this route.
For people who can demonstrate that they have been working in Spain, whether formally or informally. You need two years of residence and documented proof that you have worked for at least six months: this can include informal or undeclared work, evidenced through testimony, payslips, contracts, or other records. The labor inspection process (inspección de trabajo) can be used to establish informal work history.
For non-EU nationals who have a child with Spanish nationality, or who are the parent of a Spanish national child born in Spain. Length of residency is less central here: the family connection is the qualifying factor. This route does not require the two-year general threshold in the same way.
A combined route that merges elements of the social and labor tracks. It is available to people who have both established social ties and a documented work history, and may in some cases provide a stronger basis for approval than either route alone. Your lawyer can advise whether the sociolaboral or one of the individual tracks is the better fit for your profile.
Specifically designed for people who are committed to formal training or education in Spain. Rather than requiring a job contract, this track accepts enrollment in an accredited training program as the «integration path.» It was created to give people a realistic route even where formal employment is not yet possible.
This matrix is a starting point, not a legal determination. Every case has specific facts that affect the outcome.
If you are also evaluating the 2026 extraordinary regularization (open until June 30, 2026) as a parallel option, that program has different requirements, notably a five-month presence threshold rather than two years. We can assess which route, or which combination of routes, makes sense in a single consultation.
Requirements vary slightly by arraigo type, but the core documents are consistent across all tracks:
The padrón (empadronamiento — registering your address at your local town hall) is the single most important document in an arraigo application. If you are not registered, you should do so immediately. Even late registration is better than none, and it can be supported by other evidence of presence.
Arraigo applications are among the most document-intensive processes in Spanish immigration. The success of an application often depends less on whether you technically qualify and more on how thoroughly your file is built and presented. Here is what we do:
Arraigo is often a stepping stone, not a final destination. These are the pages most relevant to clients considering this route:
If you arrived in Spain before January 1, 2026 and have been here for at least five months, the extraordinary regularization may be a faster path. It runs in parallel to arraigo and closes June 30, 2026.
After your arraigo is approved, your immediate next step is obtaining your TIE card. We handle the appointment and the full process.
If there is also a relationship element in your situation (a registered partnership or marriage with an EU or Spanish citizen), this may be the more direct route for your circumstances.
Two years in Spain is enough to begin. Whether your ties are through work, family, training, or community, there is an arraigo track designed for your situation. We will tell you which one fits, what you need to gather, and what to expect from the process.
Your first consultation is free.
Under Royal Decree 1155/2024 (in force May 2025), the general residency threshold for Arraigo Social, Laboral, and Sociolaboral dropped from three years to two years. Arraigo Familiar does not have the same residency threshold: it depends on the family connection rather than length of stay. Arraigo Formación also allows applications after two years, combined with enrollment in an accredited training program.
Yes. Arraigo is explicitly designed for people who are in irregular status, whether they entered without authorization or overstayed a visa or tourist entry. What matters is the two years of continuous presence and the relevant ties, not how you originally entered. The application does not penalize you for the manner of entry.
The padrón certificate (your registration at the local town hall) is the cornerstone document. Beyond that, any official record that documents your presence in Spain can contribute: medical records from Spain’s public health system, children’s school enrollment records, utility bills, rental contracts, bank statements, tax records, or official correspondence from Spanish public bodies. A lawyer can advise on which combination is strongest for your specific history.
Yes. An approved arraigo permit authorizes both residence and work in Spain. You can work for an employer or independently (as an autónomo, meaning self-employed), depending on the type of arraigo and the terms of approval. The job contract required for Arraigo Social must offer a minimum number of working hours to satisfy the requirement at the point of application.
Arraigo Social requires a job contract as part of the application. Arraigo Sociolaboral, introduced under RD 1155/2024, allows for a combined presentation of both work history and social ties. It may suit applicants who have documented informal work alongside community roots, and who want to avoid the dependency on a new formal job contract. The better option depends on your specific evidence profile.
In most cases, you would pursue one route or the other rather than both simultaneously. The extraordinary regularization (open until June 30, 2026) is faster and has a lower presence threshold (five months versus two years). If you qualify for both, we would typically advise applying under the regularization first and using arraigo as a backup or future pathway if needed. Speak to a lawyer before submitting under either program.
Once your arraigo is approved, you receive a residence and work authorization for an initial period. Your next immediate step is obtaining your TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero — your Spanish residence card). This requires booking a cita previa (appointment) at your local immigration office, submitting the EX-17 form, paying the Modelo 790 fee, and attending in person. We handle this process as a follow-on service.
