Arraigo social (in English, social roots residency) is one of the main routes for a non-EU national who is living in Spain in an irregular situation to obtain an initial residence — and work — authorization. It rewards people who have genuinely built a life here: you prove your time in Spain, your integration, a clean record, and sufficient means, and you get a one-year authorization that lets you work and that you can renew. This page explains who qualifies, the documents, the process, the costs, and the timelines, in plain English.
One thing to get right from the start, because most of the advice still online is out of date: arraigo social is now governed by the new Immigration Regulation, Real Decreto 1155/2024 (articles 124–127 and 130–132), together with Instructions SEM 1/2025, in force since 20 May 2025. The reform changed two things that matter a great deal — it reduced the required time in Spain from three years to two, and it removed the work contract from arraigo social, moving that to a separate route. We explain both below, because filing the wrong route is one of the most common and most avoidable reasons for refusal.
What changed in 2025 (read this first)
Two corrections to what you may have read elsewhere:
- Two years, not three. You now need two years of continuous residence in Spain (down from three), with absences of no more than 90 days across that period.
- No work contract is required for arraigo social. What used to be “arraigo social with a contract” is now its own separate route, arraigo sociolaboral. Today’s arraigo social rests on family ties or an integration report, plus sufficient financial means — not on a job offer. If your case is built around a contract, the sociolaboral route is the one to look at.
Getting this distinction right is the first decision in the file, not a footnote — two applicants with similar facts can end up on different routes depending on how their residence, integration, and finances are documented.
What arraigo social gives you
Arraigo social grants an initial residence authorization, valid for one year, and under the new regulation every arraigo authorization allows you to work — employed or self-employed — from the moment it is granted. It is also now renewable for successive one-year periods while you continue to meet the conditions, and it can be modified into an ordinary residence-and-work authorization. That renewability is itself a change: under the old rules the permit was effectively a dead end unless you converted it.
Who qualifies
The core requirements Extranjería expects to see clearly proven:
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss national who is in Spain at the time of the application.
- Two years of continuous residence in Spain immediately before applying, with absences not exceeding 90 days. Time spent as an international protection applicant generally does not count toward the two years.
- Either family ties or a favourable integration report (the two alternative pathways, explained below).
- Sufficient financial means, referenced to the IPREM (€600/month in 2026) — the exact threshold depends on which pathway you use.
- No criminal record in Spain or in the countries where you have lived in the last five years, and no entry ban.
- Not within a non-return commitment period from a previous voluntary return.
The two pathways: family ties or integration report
This is the heart of arraigo social. You qualify on one of two bases, and the financial requirement differs:
- Family ties with a legally resident foreign national — specifically a spouse, registered partner, or first-degree direct relative (parent or child) who holds a residence authorization. Here you must show 200% of the IPREM in total: 100% for the resident relative and 100% for the arraigo applicant. The means must be available in Spain and come from those relatives.
- A favourable social integration report (informe de integración / esfuerzo de integración), issued by your Autonomous Community or town hall, when you do not have qualifying family ties. Here the reference is 100% of the IPREM for the applicant. See our dedicated page on the social integration report, which is usually the anchor document on this pathway.
On either pathway, the means can come from self-employment if you meet the requirements of article 84 of the regulation — arraigo social does allow a self-employment (autónomo) basis, with a viable business project. What it no longer requires is an employee work contract; that belongs to arraigo sociolaboral.
Arraigo social vs arraigo sociolaboral
| Topic | Arraigo social | Arraigo sociolaboral |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Family ties or integration report | A job offer / work contract |
| Time in Spain | 2 years (absences ≤ 90 days) | 2 years (absences ≤ 90 days) |
| Financial proof | 200% IPREM (family ties) or 100% IPREM (integration report) | Contract at SMI or collective-agreement wage, ≥ 20 hours/week average |
| Self-employment | Allowed (art. 84) | Not allowed — employed work only |
| Initial permit | 1 year, renewable, allows work | 1 year, renewable, allows work |
If you already have an employer willing to hire you, arraigo sociolaboral is usually the cleaner route. If your strength is your integration and your own or your family’s means, arraigo social is yours. Our first step in any case is confirming which one genuinely fits, because pushing a weak contract through the wrong route is a needless refusal.
Documents
The core document set for the application:
- Form EX-10, completed and signed.
- Full copy of a valid passport.
- Pathway proof: either the family-ties documents (marriage or partnership certificate, birth certificates) or the favourable social integration report.
- Criminal record certificate from the countries where you have lived in the last five years — original, apostilled or legalised, and sworn-translated into Spanish where needed.
- Proof of two years’ continuous residence (see the proof strategy below).
- Evidence of financial means to the threshold for your pathway, available in Spain — or, for a self-employment basis, the business project and the documents required under article 84.
- Fee (model 790-052), paid once the application is admitted for processing.
The goal is not to “attach papers” but to file a coherent, credible evidence file. Mismatched names or dates, a criminal record certificate with the wrong scope or missing legalisation, or gaps in the residence timeline are the usual triggers for a request to fix the file (subsanación).
Proving two years of continuous residence
Proving your time in Spain is where many files are won or lost. The two-year period counts from your arrival, and absences must stay within 90 days. The strongest files don’t rely on a single document — they build a timeline in layers:
- Padrón (municipal registration) is the primary proof, especially when continuous — so register as early as you can.
- Supporting evidence: medical appointments and records, dated invoices and receipts that identify you, money transfers, rental contracts, utility bills, transport passes, school records, and NGO or community certificates.
The practical advice is simple: keep dated documents month by month, don’t rely on one proof type, and make sure the timeline in your arraigo file matches the one in your integration report. If you have gaps, document any travel clearly and reinforce the period with alternative proofs.
The process, step by step
- Get the integration report (if you don’t have family ties). You request it from your Autonomous Community or town hall where you are registered, and it usually involves an interview with a social worker assessing your language and ties to the community. Some regions charge a fee — around €30.30 in Madrid, free in Barcelona — and the legal timeframe is up to 30 days, though it varies in practice.
- Prepare and file the application. Submit a complete, consistent file — identity, the two-year timeline, your pathway proof, criminal record, and means — in person by appointment at the Immigration Office, or online through the Mercurio platform with a digital certificate or an authorised representative. Pay the 790-052 fee once admitted.
- Respond to any subsanación. If Extranjería asks for more documents, the deadline is strict; a focused, consistent response is what keeps the file alive.
- Decision. The usual resolution time is about three months, and you can check the status online.
- After a favourable decision: register with Social Security within one month, then book a police appointment for fingerprints and the TIE card (form EX-17, fee 790-012, three passport photos). You collect the physical card about a month later.
If the decision is unfavourable, you can file an administrative appeal (recurso de reposición) within one month, or a judicial appeal within two months — and in some cases it is better to rebuild and re-file. The right move depends on the refusal ground.
After the first year: modifying to a stable permit
The arraigo social permit lasts one year. Beyond renewing it, you can modify it into a residence-and-work authorization with a longer duration, which is usually the goal — to move into stable status aligned with your work, whether employed or self-employed. Plan this early: start within the 60 days before your card expires (or up to 90 days after, which may carry a penalty), so you don’t fall back into irregularity. What you need to show depends on whether your roots were built through employment or a business, and on having maintained that activity.
How we help
Lexmovea provides lawyer-led support for English-speaking applicants across the whole process: confirming the right route (arraigo social vs sociolaboral, and which pathway within social), designing the two-year proof strategy and closing gaps, preparing you for the integration-report interview, building a coherent and consistent file, filing online or in person, handling any subsanación, and guiding the post-approval Social Security and TIE steps. We set clear expectations — appointment availability and the authority’s decision are outside anyone’s control — but the quality of your evidence and the speed of responses are exactly what we control, and they strongly influence the outcome.
If you want to apply for arraigo social with English-speaking support, contact Lexmovea and we’ll identify your best route and the exact document plan for a strong application.
Frequently asked questions
How many years do I need in Spain?
Two years of continuous residence immediately before applying, with absences of no more than 90 days across that period. This was reduced from three years under the old rules. Time as an international protection applicant generally does not count.
Do I need a work contract for arraigo social?
No. Under the new regulation, a work contract belongs to the separate arraigo sociolaboral route. Arraigo social is based on family ties or a favourable integration report, plus sufficient financial means — and it does allow a self-employment basis under article 84.
What income do I need to show?
It depends on the pathway. On the family-ties pathway, 200% of the IPREM in total (100% for the resident relative and 100% for you). On the integration-report pathway, 100% of the IPREM for you. The IPREM is €600/month in 2026, and the means must be available in Spain.
Can I work once it’s granted?
Yes. Under the new regulation every arraigo authorization allows you to work, employed or self-employed, from the moment it is granted, and the permit is renewable while you meet the conditions.
What documents are required?
The EX-10 form, passport, your pathway proof (family-ties documents or the integration report), a criminal record certificate prepared correctly for Spain, proof of two years’ residence (padrón plus alternatives), and evidence of financial means. Foreign documents usually need apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation.
How do I prove two years of residence?
Continuous padrón history is the strongest proof, reinforced with dated evidence such as medical records, invoices, money transfers, rental and utility documents, transport passes, school records, and community certificates. A timeline covering the full period is far stronger than a single document.
How long does it take, and how do I submit it?
The usual resolution time is around three months. You can file in person by appointment at the Immigration Office, or online through Mercurio with a digital certificate or authorised representative.
What if I’m refused?
A refusal is not always the end. Depending on the ground, you can file an administrative appeal within one month or a judicial appeal within two months, and in some cases it is better to rebuild the file and re-apply. The right move depends on why you were refused.
How do I get the TIE card after approval?
After a favourable decision, register with Social Security within one month, then attend a police appointment with form EX-17, proof of the 790-012 fee, Social Security registration proof if you’ll be working, and three photos. You’re fingerprinted and collect the card about a month later.