Residencia de Larga Duración (Long-Term Residency)
Residencia de Larga Duración (Long-Term Residency) — Residencia de Larga Duración (Long-Term Residency) is a permanent-style residence permit granted to non-EU citizens who have lived legally and continuously in Spain for five years. It gives the holder the right to live and work in Spain indefinitely, with the card renewed every five years as a formality.
Long-term residency is the immigration milestone that most expats in Spain work toward. After five years of holding temporary residence permits (whether through work, family reunification, arraigo, or other routes), you become eligible for this status. It removes the uncertainty of temporary permits and grants you rights equivalent to Spanish citizens in many areas, including employment, education, and social services.
Requirements
You must have resided legally and continuously in Spain for five years. “Continuously” means that absences cannot exceed 10 months in total over the 5-year period, with no single absence longer than 6 consecutive months. You must not have a criminal record and must demonstrate sufficient financial means. The five years must be on valid, legal residence permits — time spent undocumented does not count, even if you later regularised your situation.
Key Facts About Long-Term Residency
- Valid indefinitely — the TIE card is renewed every 5 years, but the status is permanent
- Grants unrestricted right to work anywhere in Spain, in any sector
- You can lose it if you live outside Spain for 12 consecutive months
- Holders can apply for Spanish nationality after the required period (typically 10 years total)
- EU long-term residents can also apply for long-term residency in other EU countries
- Children born in Spain to long-term residents may have a pathway to nationality
- The application is free (no government fee for the permit itself, only the TIE card fee)
Related Legal Terms
- TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero)
- Arraigo Social (Social Roots Permit)
- Empadronamiento (Municipal Registration)
- Reagrupación Familiar (Family Reunification)
- Back to Legal Encyclopedia — A-Z Guide
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This entry is part of our Legal Encyclopedia for Expats in Spain. Browse the full A-Z guide for more terms.
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