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Arraigo extension (“renewing arraigo”)

Official name: Extension of the temporary residence authorisation for exceptional circumstances based on arraigo (Prórroga de la autorización de residencia temporal por circunstancias excepcionales por razón de arraigo, RD 1155/2024, art. 132)

We give you a fixed price before we start

+ €35.70 in government fees

See the price breakdown

Your arraigo authorisation lasts 1 year. To keep it, you can apply for the extension (prórroga) in the 2 months before the expiry date. For socio-labour, social and second-chance arraigo, the key is to look for work actively and register with the public employment service. If you already have a contract, moving to residence and work may suit you better.

In short

Who it is for
People with socio-labour, social, second-chance or socio-training arraigo whose authorisation expires soon.
Duration
1 more year (art. 132.1).
Can I work?
Yes, as before (art. 131). With socio-training arraigo, up to 30 hours a week.
Where to apply
At the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) of your province, in person or electronically (art. 197.1).
Message us on WhatsApp
Tell us about your situation

To talk about your case, at any time (24 hours). Please don't send documents on WhatsApp: if we need any, we'll give you a secure way to send them.

Is this your procedure?

It is for you if…

  • Your socio-labour, social or second-chance arraigo authorisation expires in the next few months.
  • You do not have a contract right now to move to residence and work, but you are looking for work and are registered with the public employment service.
  • An illness, a disability or having reached the legal retirement age prevents you from working.
  • Your arraigo is socio-training and you are moving up to the second year or have already finished the course.

It is not for you if…

  • You have a contract or self-employed activity and would rather have a residence and work authorisation: see the art. 191 change.

    See: Change to residence and work

  • Your authorisation comes from the 2026 extraordinary regularisation (extraordinary arraigo or additional provision 20): it has its own rules.

    See: Extraordinary arraigo

  • Your arraigo is family arraigo: it lasts 5 years, not 1 (art. 125.2).

    See: Family arraigo

  • Your authorisation is not based on arraigo (for example, residence and work or family reunification): what you need is a renewal.

    See: Residence renewal

  • You do not have arraigo yet and want to apply for it for the first time.

    See: Arraigo

If you were looking for…

«renew arraigo»
With arraigo, the rules do not talk about renewal but about extension (prórroga, art. 132). It is the procedure on this page.
«renewing the card for social arraigo»
First the authorisation is extended. Then you apply in person for the new TIE (foreigner identity card).

Extension or change?

Before you apply for the extension, check whether changing authorisation would suit you better:

  • You have a contract or self-employed activity. See the change to residence and work (art. 191). Depending on your case, the new authorisation lasts 1 or 4 years.
  • You are looking for work and are registered with the public employment service. The extension gives you 1 more year of arraigo.
  • You cannot work because of illness, disability or retirement. You can apply for the extension without proving a job search, by explaining and documenting your situation.

Work out your window

The 2-month window is counted backwards from your authorisation’s expiry date. You can work it out with the renewal and extension deadline calculator.

Please don’t send documents on WhatsApp. If we need any, we’ll give you a secure way to send them.

Requirements

  • Apply in the 2 months before your authorisation expires. Applications are also accepted up to 3 months afterwards, but disciplinary proceedings for a minor offence may be opened against you.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 132.3; LO 4/2000, art. 52.b

  • Socio-labour, social or second-chance arraigo: show that you are actively looking for work and that you are registered with the public employment service.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 132.2.a (as worded by RD 316/2026)

  • If you cannot take up employment for a justified reason, it can be extended without those two requirements. For example: an illness, a disability or having reached the legal retirement age.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 132.2.a

  • Socio-training arraigo: a report from the centre certifying that you are moving up to the second year (basic or intermediate vocational courses). If you finished the course before the end of the year: the qualification or certificate, an active job search and registration with the public employment service.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 132.2.b

  • Pay the government fee for an extension for exceptional circumstances (form 790-052).

    Order PJC/617/2025, heading 2.4

Documents

Guide list only. Before we start, we tell you exactly which ones you need in your case.

  • The authorities' application form, signed.
  • Full copy of your passport.
  • Document proving your registration as a jobseeker.
  • Proof that you are actively looking for work.
  • If you cannot work: a medical report, a disability certificate or proof of your retirement age.
  • Socio-training arraigo: the centre's report, or the qualification or certificate obtained.
  • Receipt for payment of fee 790-052.

Please don't send documents on WhatsApp or by email. If we need any, we'll give you a secure way to send them.

Deadlines

When to apply
In the 2 months before your authorisation's expiry date (art. 132.3). If you apply within that period, your authorisation remains valid until you get an answer.
If it has already expired
You can apply up to 3 months afterwards. Your authorisation is also extended until the decision, but disciplinary proceedings for a minor offence may be opened against you (art. 132.3; LO 4/2000, art. 52.b).
Time limit for a decision
The law gives the authorities 3 months to decide (LO 4/2000, additional provision 1). Sometimes it takes longer.
After it is granted
Next you apply for the new TIE. Fingerprinting is done in person.

How we work

  1. 1. You tell us about your situation

    On WhatsApp, by phone or with the form. A few lines are enough.

  2. 2. We tell you which procedure, which documents and what it costs

    Before we start, with a fixed price and government fees on top. If it isn't the right procedure for you, we tell you.

  3. 3. We prepare your application file

    We review your documents and make sure the file is complete and well explained. Once we have everything, we tell you the date it will be ready.

    Online submission on your behalf when the procedure allows it.

  4. 4. Follow-up and an update on every development

    We follow your file until the decision. If the authorities ask for anything else, we prepare it with you.

Fingerprinting for the TIE is done in person, by you: that part is yours.

In Barcelona and Catalonia

In Catalonia, the public employment service is the Servei Públic d'Ocupació de Catalunya (SOC), run by the Generalitat (the Catalan government). Registration as a jobseeker is handled through its procedure “Gestió de la demanda d'ocupació” (management of your job application). The extension is requested from the Immigration Office of your province.

Immigration in Barcelona: offices and data for the province

Frequently asked questions

Is an extension the same as renewing arraigo?

Many people search for it as “renewing arraigo”, but the rules call it an extension (prórroga, art. 132). It gives you 1 more year with the same authorisation.

I do not have a job right now. Can I extend my social or socio-labour arraigo?

Yes, if you show that you are actively looking for work and are registered with the public employment service (art. 132.2.a). If you cannot work because of illness, disability or retirement, those two requirements are not needed.

Can I keep working while it is being decided?

Yes, if you apply in the 2 months before it expires or in the 3 months after. In that case, your authorisation is extended until the decision (art. 132.3).

My authorisation expired a few weeks ago. Am I still in time?

Applications are accepted up to 3 months after expiry. Bear in mind that disciplinary proceedings for a minor offence may be opened against you (LO 4/2000, art. 52.b). Tell us the exact date.

Which suits me better, the extension or the change?

If you have a contract or self-employed activity, the art. 191 change moves you to residence and work, for 1 or 4 years depending on your case. The extension keeps your arraigo for 1 more year. We look at it with your dates and your documents.

Do I have to go in person?

The application can be submitted in person or electronically (art. 197.1). Fingerprinting for the new TIE is done in person.

Review and sources

Written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Un Papel Menos team on 13 October 2026.

Last updated: .

Legislation

Sources

Related procedures

Change to residence and work

To move from temporary residence, such as arraigo, to a residence and work authorisation without leaving Spain.

Fixed price before we start

Extraordinary arraigo

For people who already have the authorisation from the 2026 extraordinary regularisation and must decide what to apply for before it expires.

Fixed price before we start

Residence renewal

If your work, family reunification or non-lucrative residence is about to expire: renewal of the authorisation and a new TIE.

€245VAT included · government fees not included

Appeal for reconsideration

To ask the same authority to review an immigration refusal, within the month after the notification.

From €540VAT included · government fees not included

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