Everything you need to know about arraigo social in Spain in this article! Find out how to get residency for exceptional circumstances after 2 years in the country. Now with much more flexible requirements after the immigration law update.
Detailed requirements, the step-by-step legal application process to get social arraigo in Spain, and other key tips below.
Social arraigo is the regularisation procedure by which a foreigner who has lived in Spain continuously for 2 years can obtain residency in Spanish territory.
This residency under social arraigo will allow him/her to reside and work in the country for 1 year, with the possibility of renewing (what is called “prórroga”) or modifying it to another type of residence later on.
Usually, this renewal means a work permit modification; hence, the social arraigo is one of the best ways for all those foreigners in an irregular situation to stay in the country in the long run and start work, instead of expulsion or deportation from Spain.
It is also called a residence permit for exceptional circumstances, and is regulated by the Organic Law 4/2000, of 11 January, as regulated in Royal Decree 1155/2024 and Instruction SEM 1/2025; in addition, certain provisions of the concept are amended in Royal Decree 316/2026, such as the requirement to demonstrate financial means, which we will discuss later, as a prerequisite for social arraigo.
Together with arraigo sociolaboral, arraigo socioformativo, arraigo familiar and second chance arraigo, they constitute the five they constitute the four types of temporary residence that any foreigner may obtain while in an irregular situation, after having resided in the country for a period longer than 2 years.
Tips that will help you obtain social roots in Spain
Below you will find what we consider to be the main indispensable keys that will make your application for arraigo successful.
Many of these recommendations are applicable during the 2 years prior to your application.
That is why it will be crucial that you take them into account before that period begins. If you do not comply with any of them and try to remedy it just before you apply for your social arraigo residency, it will most likely be too late.
Your social arraigo application would be rejected.
Hence, to avoid legal problems, start applying them from the very moment you enter Spain for the first time.
Register at the city hall once you arrive in Spain
The census or “empadronamiento”. This is undoubtedly one of the documents you will most need during the application procedure.
The census is the document that registers you at your local town hall, specifying where your address is, and who lives in your same home.
We recommend that you formalize this registration once you arrive in Spain. As we will see in the next section, it will help you to prove the temporary requirement.
Furthermore, this is what the administration requires to process your file: depending on where you are registered, you will be assigned to one of the different immigration offices.
Do you have any doubts? Get in touch with our immigration lawyers and receive personalized legal advice and all your doubts solved:
Be careful with your criminal records
If you have read other articles in our blog, you will already know that this is one of the requirements that we constantly repeat when talking about any residence permit or visa application.
Well, also in the case of social roots it will be crucial that you do not have criminal records in Spain.
But be careful. Not only in Spain. You can neither have them in any other country where you lived during the 5 years before arriving in the Spanish territory.
But fulfilling this requirement will not be enough. You will have to prove it actively.
How?
By asking for the certificate of criminal records from your country of residence before entering Spain, translating it into Spanish, and duly legalizing it.
This criminal record may be valid for a maximum of 3 months.
If you have lived in more than one country during this period of 5 years, you must request this certificate from all the countries in which you have resided.
If you have committed any type of crime, we suggest you read this article in which we explain how to cancel your criminal and police records (so they don’t have any effect).
However, the immigration regulation accepts that in the following 2 cases it will not be necessary to provide this criminal record:
- If you have been in Spain for at least 5 years on a permanent basis and you can prove it
- If you have recently submitted another application to the immigration office in which you included your criminal records
Demonstrate your integration with Spain through the arraigo interview
If you have Spanish relatives (nationals) or relatives with a residence permit in the country, this requirement is not for you.
However, if, as in most cases, it is not your situation, it is very important that you demonstrate that you have integrated yourself into the Spanish culture and society during your 2 years in the national territory.
This is, without a doubt, something that you can cultivate from the very first minute.
We strongly recommend that you start to speak Spanish and get to know and inform yourself about the customs of the local population.
You will be able to demonstrate all this knowledge through an interview with a worker from the local council (a social integrator) where you are registered.
This interview finally generates what is known as the social integration report; which you must include in your application file for social roots.
Prove that you have lived in Spain for 2 years
As you know, one of the main requirements when applying for this type of arraigo is proving that you have lived in Spanish territory for the 3 years prior to your application.
The question is, how do I do this effectively so that my application is not rejected?
As we have said in the previous section, the census is the best option in this regard. Make sure you have been registered at an address for the last 3 years.
If you need to leave the country during those 2 years, take this into consideration
The Spanish immigration law states that the required 2-year stay in the country must be uninterrupted and continuous (consider the cons of leaving Spain in an irregular status).
That is to say, it will be essential that you prove that the residence (although illegal) in Spain has been uninterrupted, with no trips or travel abroad.
However, if you have to leave the country for any reason, you may not do so for more than 90 days.
We are talking about 90 days in total during the 2 years, and they do not necessarily need to be consecutive.
Our advice is to think twice before traveling if you intend to apply for the arraigo.
The immigration office will check your passport, and by means of the entry and exit stamps, they can easily check if it meets this requirement.
Get help from an specialized immigration lawyer
Although we have included it in the end, it is maybe the most useful of them all.
An immigration lawyer has already presented hundreds of application like yours, and knows exactly how to prepare the documentation so that you can get social roots easily (obtaining “papers”) and successfully.
So once you decide to apply for this special type of residency, talk to a lawyer first so he can review your file.
On the other hand, there is one point we haven’t discussed yet.
Where and how do you apply for arraigo?
Until now, applications for social roots were presented through an appointment at your nearest immigration office. However, we are seeing how after the Covid-19 health crisis, many procedures can be done online.
So ask your lawyer first to see if you can submit all the documents online instead of attending to the immigration office yourself – it will save you a lot of time!
Our team of experts is at your disposal.
Arraigo social requirements
In order to understand the main requirements for arraigo social in Spain, it is worth understanding the main reasons your file may get rejected. In
Thus, some of the most important requirements are:
- The applicant does not have a criminal record (and has not expunged it)
- You must be in Spain at the moment of the application
- You must pay the corresponding tax (790/052)
- The employer or hiring company has no debts with the Treasury or Social Security
- The foreigner sufficiently demonstrates that he/she has been continuously in Spain for the last 2 years prior to the application (in an irregular situation)
- Demonstrate that you have sufficient personal funds so as not to be a burden on the Spanish system, with an income equivalent to 100% of the IPREM (this amounts to €7,200 per year). If you are coming based on a family relationship, you must also prove that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself; this means an additional 100% of the IPREM (100% of the IPREM for you and 100% of the IPREM for your family member, for a total of €14,400 per year).
- Have a direct relative with a residence permit in Spain or, in the absence of such a relative, submit a social integration report issued by the relevant autonomous community
Social arraigo documents
What documentation will you need to prepare to apply for social ties?
Below is a list of the key documents:
- First, a complete copy of your passport
- The EX-10 application form
- Documentation proving continuous residence in Spain for at least 2 years
- A criminal record certificate covering the last 5 years
- A social integration report issued by the City Council or Autonomous Community, or a document proving family ties (such as a child’s birth certificate or a civil partnership registration)
- A document demonstrating sufficient means of support, which can be provided through one of the following options:
- Proof of sufficient financial resources (100% of the annual Minimum Living Income, IPREM)
Social arraigo frequently asked questions
To wrap up this article, let’s address the three most common questions our clients ask us about this residence permit granted under exceptional circumstances.
Can I apply for arraigo without a job contract?
Yes, it’s possible.
Before, having a job contract was mandatory in order to get your residence in Spain through a social arraigo; however, after the new RD 1155/2024, this requirement has been revoked.
The need to have an employment offer is now the main requirement for arraigo sociolaboral, the new equivalent to labor arraigo.
Therefore, as we explained in this article, the requirements to opt for social roots in Spain do not include having a job offer or a contract; you just need to prove financial means, a family relationship, or your social integration through an interview.
Social roots after 2 years or 3 years?
How long does the social integration process take?
The law stipulates that the Immigration Office has 3 months to issue a decision, starting the day after your application is received. However, in reality, this is not always the case. Especially in large cities like Madrid or Barcelona (which receive a high volume of applications), the social ties assessment takes between 4 and 6 months. What if you haven’t heard back yet? Don’t worry, due to the high volume of applications, it may take longer to receive a response. It’s impossible to predict exactly how long your specific application will take, but we do recommend that you be patient, as delays are very common.How to renew social arraigo
A social ties permit in Spain can be:
- Extended (rather than “renewing” it, you extend it for another year)
- Be converted to another type of residence permit
During the two months prior to the expiration date of your residence permit, you can apply to convert your social ties permit.
If you are unable to apply to convert your social ties permit (because you haven’t found a job, for example), you can extend it for another year; provided you meet certain requirements:
- Prove that you are actively seeking employment and are registered with the public employment service
- Provide a report on your integration efforts issued by the competent authorities of the Autonomous Community where you live, recommending the extension.
However, an extension may be granted if there are circumstances that prevent you from accessing employment for duly justified reasons, such as serious illness, having reached the legal retirement age, or a disability. In these specific cases, the extension will last four years and will be considered extraordinary social integration.
What happens if my application gets denied?
Has your application for social ties been denied? Don’t worry; all is not lost yet.
First of all, read the reasons for the denial; the authorities will usually provide them in a letter when they deny your application.
If the reason for the denial is an error in a document, missing documentation, or something similar, you’ll have no trouble fixing it, since it’s easily corrected. Simply gather your documents, make sure everything is in order, and correct any errors that may be present. Once you’ve done that, resubmit your application; everything should go smoothly this time.
If, on the other hand, you disagree with the reason for the denial of your application for residency and it is not related to documentation, or if you are certain that it is a mistake, you have two options:
- File an appeal for reconsideration within one month of the denial. This is an optional, free administrative appeal filed with the same agency that denied your application.
- File an administrative-litigious appeal within two months of the negative decision on your application. This is a judicial appeal, which is considerably more expensive than the appeal for reconsideration but has a higher likelihood of success.
Speak with one of our
immigration lawyers
Not sure which immigration pathway fits your situation? Our legal team will evaluate your case, recommend the best strategy, and handle the process from start to finish.
2 Replies to “How to Get Arraigo Social in Spain”
In order to be able to assess what would be the best option for you, ideally we would like to have a consultation with you so that one of the lawyers can advise you on your case. You can send an email to info@immigrationspain.es.
Hello, First of all, thank you very much for such information.
I would really appreciate it If you answer about my case.
I am going to complete my 3 years in Spain this September 2021 but My 3 years were not completely illegal. My 1st year was Student, 2nd year was Residencia temporal no lucrative and 3rd year is illegal. So out of my 3 years in Spain, my last year was illegal. Can I still able to apply for arraigo?
Please respond,
Un saludo,