Five years in Spain.
Time to stop renewing.
Long-term residence lets you work in any sector, employed or self-employed, with the same labour and social rights as Spanish citizens, and you keep your nationality. The hard part is proving five continuous years. We rebuild your padrón history and count your days abroad before anything is filed.
Government fee (Tasa 790-052, €21.87) paid directly by you. Approved or you don't pay us.
€350 per child
for a decision
the last payment
Is this your service?
A good fit if
- 5 years of continuous legal residence in Spain
- Absences under 10 months in total and 6 in a row
- No criminal record in Spain and no entry ban
Look elsewhere if
- Most of your five years were on a student visa (it doesn't count)
- You're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen (different process)
Your case manager calculates your eligibility in a free review.
Five years is easy to live. Harder to prove.
Gaps in the padrón and miscounted trips are what stop most applications. Here's what we do at every stage.
Before filing
- Eligibility calculation: residence time and absences
- Help rebuilding your full 5-year padrón history
- Status check: which years count (student time doesn't)
- EX-11 form prepared
Filing
- Filed through Mercurio or in person
- Filing window tracked: 2 months before to 3 months after expiry
- Follow-up during the 3-month decision period
- Proof of approval secured, even after administrative silence
Permanent
- TIE at the National Police within one month
- 5-year card, then a 10-year card once you're over 30
- Citizenship timeline mapped if you want it
- Partners for buying property, if you want them
Honest note: the TIE appointment is in person, within a month of approval.
Continuous means continuous. We count every trip.
Over the 5 years you can be away, within two limits, and only some kinds of residence count at all. A miscounted trip is the most common reason an application gets into trouble.
We check every one of these before filing.
Main requirements
- 5 years of continuous legal residence in a residence-based status
- Absences of no more than 10 months in total, or 6 in a row
- Full 5-year padrón history
- Passport, EX-11 form and proof of residence, such as work history or rental contracts
- No criminal record in Spain and no return ban
Probably not for you if…
- Your years were mostly on a student visa
- You were away for more than 6 months at once (unless for work or force majeure)
- You're an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen
- You'd rather have a Spanish passport (see citizenship)
Almost everything a citizen has, without giving up your passport.
Many clients take long-term residence first and decide on citizenship later.
| Question | Long-term residence | Spanish citizenship |
|---|---|---|
| Time in Spain | 5 years | Usually 10 years, shorter for some nationalities and circumstances |
| Exams | None | CCSE and DELE A2, unless exempt |
| Your nationality | You keep it | Often renounced, with exceptions |
| Document | Residence card: 5 years, then 10 once you're over 30 | Spanish passport and DNI |
| Vote | No | Yes |
| Decision | Up to 3 months | Typically 12–24 months |
| A good next step if | You want stability and equal work rights and to keep your nationality | You want full nationality and can meet the longer timeline |
Ready for the passport? See Spanish citizenship.
No surprises on the invoice later.
Included
- Eligibility and absence calculation
- Padrón history help
- EX-11 and file preparation
- Filing via Mercurio or in person
- A dedicated case manager who knows your case
- Full document review and a checklist built for you
- Application submission and follow-up
- Your own dashboard, with Carlos our AI assistant
- DHL document delivery where it applies
- Appeals at no extra cost — full support against unfounded refusals or administrative silence.
- TIE guidance after approval
Not included
- Government fee (Tasa 790-052, €21.87)
- TIE card fee
- Certificates you request from town halls
- Government appointment booking
- Any optional partner service
Government and consular fees are not included in your service fee — those are paid directly by you to the relevant authority.
The last one waits for your approval.
- Step 1 · Start You sign up Eligibility and absences calculated. €200when you engage us
- Step 2 · Filed Submitted Via Mercurio or in person. €0nothing due
- Step 3 · Decision Up to 3 months Silence counts as approval, but you still need proof. We get it. €0nothing due
- Step 4 · Approved Permanent residence TIE within one month. €299on approval
Each family member is billed separately: €499 per adult, €350 per child. Approved or you don't pay us: if your application isn't approved, you don't make the last payment. Earlier payments and the €21.87 government fee aren't refunded. Conditions apply.
What we can't promise, and what we do instead.
Long-Term Residence questions
No. Only time under a residence-based status counts, such as employee, self-employed, arraigo or Digital Nomad Visa.
Up to 10 months in total or 6 consecutive months over the five years. Work-related absences and force majeure may be treated differently.
It has up to 3 months. Silence counts as approval by law, but you need explicit approval or documented proof to get your card.
5 years at first. It renews as a 10-year card once you're over 30; under 30, you keep receiving 5-year cards.
Long-term residence takes 5 years, needs no exams and lets you keep your nationality, but has no vote. Citizenship gives a passport and a vote, usually after 10 years.
No. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens follow a different permanent-residence process.
€499 per adult and €350 per child. For an adult that is €200 when you sign up, then €299 once your residence is approved. The government fee (Tasa 790-052, €21.87) is paid directly by you. If your application isn't approved, you don't make the last payment; earlier payments aren't refunded.
Count your five years with us.
Free account, no card. We calculate your eligibility and absences before you pay anything. Approved or you don't pay us.
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Carlos is an AI assistant. For critical decisions, always verify with an official source or speak to an advisor.
