Arraigo in Barcelona: Residence Through Your Ties to Spain

Arraigo is the residence authorisation for foreigners who are already in Spain and can show ties to the country: work, family, training or social integration. Since 20 May 2025 it is regulated by Royal Decree 1155/2024, which sets five types: second chance, sociolaboral, social, socioformativo and family arraigo. In general you need two years of continuous stay in Spain before applying, and the authorisation is granted for one year, or five years in the case of family arraigo.

We handle the whole application for 300 € + VAT: we decide which type fits you, review every document, file the application and follow it until there is a decision. If you want an opinion first, the case study costs 100 € + VAT and is deducted from the price if you then hire the full service.

Who this service is for

• People living in Barcelona without a residence authorisation who have been in Spain for at least two years.
• People whose residence authorisation was not renewed and who want to recover a legal status.
• People with a job offer, a family tie in Spain or a training course who are not sure whether that is enough.
• People with family in Spain who want to know whether family arraigo, which has no minimum stay, applies to them.

Choosing the right type is the decision that matters

Each type of arraigo has its own specific requirements, and an application filed under a type whose requirements you do not meet will not succeed, even if another type would have fitted.

Second chance (segunda oportunidad)

For people who held a residence authorisation in the two years immediately before applying, other than one for exceptional circumstances, and lost it because it was not renewed for reasons other than public order, security or health.

Sociolaboral

Based on one or more employment contracts that guarantee at least the minimum wage, or the salary of the applicable collective agreement, in proportion to the hours worked. Together they must add up to at least 20 hours a week. Several contracts are allowed for seasonal work or for part-time jobs held at the same time.

Social

Based on family ties with foreigners who hold residence, meaning a spouse or registered partner or first-degree direct relatives, together with sufficient means of at least 100% of the IPREM available in Spain. Without those ties, you need a favourable social integration report from the regional authority, or from the town hall where so established, which must be issued within one month.

Socioformativo

For people who are enrolled in, or taking, one of the types of training listed in the regulation, which include adult compulsory education.

Family (familiar)

Family arraigo has its own conditions. It does not require a minimum period of stay and is granted for five years. We explain it in detail on our page on Spanish nationality and family arraigo.

The general requirements, all of them at once

Whatever the type, article 126 of the regulation sets general requirements that must all be met:

• Being in Spain, and not being an applicant for international protection when you apply or while the application is processed.
• Having stayed in Spain continuously for at least two years before applying, except for family arraigo. Time spent as an applicant for international protection does not count.
• Not being a threat to public order, security or public health.
• Having no criminal record, for offences that exist under Spanish law, in Spain and in the countries where you lived during the five years before entering Spain.
• Not being listed as inadmissible in countries that have an agreement with Spain, and not being within a no-return commitment period.
• Paying the official fee.
• Since Royal Decree 316/2026 of 14 April 2026, not holding a stay or residence authorisation and not being a party to a procedure for one.

Where applications go wrong

Two years that are not continuous or not provable

The stay must be continuous and you have to be able to prove it. Gaps, trips abroad and periods with no document in your name are what we look at first before anything is filed.

The criminal record from abroad

The certificate from Spain is not enough. You also need the record from the countries where you lived during the five years before you arrived, and obtaining it from abroad, with the legalisation or apostille and translation it may need, often takes longer than people plan for.

Another procedure still open

Since the 2026 reform, having another stay or residence procedure in progress blocks the arraigo application. If you have an earlier application pending, we check its status and tell you what has to happen first.

What we do

1. Assessment. We review your history in Spain and decide which type of arraigo fits, or tell you honestly if none does yet.
2. Document file. We tell you exactly which documents apply to your case and review each one against the requirements before filing.
3. Filing. We prepare the forms and the fee and submit the application.
4. Follow-up. We track the file, answer any request for further documents and keep you informed until the decision.

Once arraigo is granted, the next step is usually the TIE card. Our other residence routes are described on our residency applications page.

Prices

• Full arraigo application: 300 € + VAT. Assessment, document review, filing and follow-up until the decision.
• Case study: 100 € + VAT, deducted from the full service if you hire it.

The official fee is paid separately. All our prices are shown without VAT; Spanish VAT applies to clients resident in the EU.

Frequently asked questions

Which type of arraigo should I apply for? It depends on your work, family ties, training or previous residence. Choosing the type is the first thing we decide in the case study.

Do the two years in Spain have to be continuous? Yes. The stay must be continuous for at least two years before applying, and you must be able to prove it. Family arraigo does not require a minimum stay.

Can I apply for arraigo if I have another immigration application pending? Since Royal Decree 316/2026, you cannot hold a stay or residence authorisation or be a party to a procedure for one when you apply. We check any open procedure before filing.

How long is arraigo granted for? One year for second chance, sociolaboral, social and socioformativo arraigo, and five years for family arraigo.

Requirements, fees and procedures can change, so we confirm the current ones for your case before you file.