Applies to: For eligible non-EU residents; EU citizens have a separate permanent-residence framework.
Before you start
- EX-11, full passport and current residence records.
- A dated list of absences and supporting travel evidence.
- Applicable fee, schooling or criminal-record documents.
- For the EU category, evidence of regular resources and health cover.
The steps
Choose the status
National long-term residence and EU long-term residence are distinct. The EU category has additional resource/insurance requirements and mobility rules; it is not an EU passport.
Audit qualifying residence
The ordinary national route requires five years of legal continuous residence immediately before applying. NLV residence can form part of that history; tourist time is not equivalent.
Check absences
For the ordinary national calculation, the Ministry describes up to six continuous months away and ten months total over five years, with specific work and exceptional provisions. Have unusual histories assessed.
Prepare the correct EX-11 file
Use the information sheet for the chosen category. Check which identity, schooling, records and payment evidence apply rather than submitting a mixed file.
Submit through the proper channel
Use the competent immigration office or the route the Ministry specifies for your location. Keep the full registration receipt.
Obtain the card after approval
The underlying status and the physical TIE have different lifecycles. Keep following card renewal requirements even though the residence right is long-term.
Important details
EU mobility
Larga duración-UE can support a later application in another participating state; it does not waive that state’s residence procedure.
Students and special histories
Study, protection and Blue Card periods can be treated differently by category. Use the exact calculation in the current official sheet instead of simply counting years since arrival.
See the bigger picture
Pair these practical steps with the Spain-wide essentials.
Sources & next steps
Reviewed 30 September 2026. This independent guide provides general information. Requirements, fees and office arrangements can change; the responsible authority’s current instructions control your application. Commercial service links explain products, not official rules.