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Social arraigo (arraigo social)

Official name: Temporary residence authorisation for exceptional circumstances based on social arraigo (Autorización de residencia temporal por circunstancias excepcionales por razón de arraigo social)

€445VAT included

+ €54.36 in government fees · Estimated total cost: €499.36

See the price breakdown

Social arraigo (arraigo social) is the authorisation for people who have lived in Spain for 2 years and have ties here. There are two routes. One: close family with residence and financial means. The other: a favourable integration report. You do not need a job contract. If it is granted, you can work.

In short

Who it is for
People with 2 continuous years in Spain and close family with residence, or with a favourable integration report
Duration
1 year, can be extended
Can I work?
Yes, as an employee or self-employed, once it is granted
Where to apply
The Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) of your province, in person or online through the Mercurio platform
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…

  • You have lived in Spain for at least 2 continuous years.
  • Your spouse or registered partner, your mother, father, sons or daughters have a residence authorisation, and there are financial means to support you.
  • You do not have that family here, but you can get a favourable integration report.

It is not for you if…

  • Your family member has Spanish nationality: your procedure is residence as a family member of a Spanish national.

    See: Family of a Spanish national

  • You have a contract of 20 hours a week or more: with socio-labour arraigo you can work from the moment your application is accepted for processing.

    See: Socio-labour arraigo

  • Your partner or close family member is a national of another EU (European Union) country: you may qualify for the EU family member card.

    See: Family of an EU citizen

  • You already have a residence authorisation or a residence application in progress: you cannot apply for arraigo (art. 126.h).

If you were looking for…

«social arraigo 3 years»
Since 20 May 2025 it is 2 years of continuous stay (art. 126.b). And a job contract is no longer needed.
«arraigo report (informe de arraigo)»
It is now called the social integration report (art. 127.c). In Catalonia you request it from the town hall where you are registered on the padrón.

The common requirements

Social arraigo also requires the requirements common to all types of arraigo. For example, having no criminal record and no open asylum application. You can find them all in types of arraigo.

The integration report in Catalonia

If you take the route without family, you need the report before you apply. We explain how to request it in the guide to the integration report in Catalonia.

After the first year

You can apply for the arraigo extension in the 2 months before it expires (art. 132.3). Or move to residence and work with the article 191 change.

To extend it, you must be actively looking for work and registered as a jobseeker with the public employment service. There are exceptions, such as illness, disability or retirement age (art. 132.2.a).

Requirements

  • Have lived in Spain for at least 2 continuous years before applying. Time as an applicant for international protection does not count.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 126.b

  • Family route: have ties with foreign nationals who hold a residence authorisation. These count: spouse or registered partner, mother, father, sons and daughters.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.c

  • On that route, financial means available in Spain. The rules require at least the IPREM (the index used to calculate financial means): 600 € a month in 2026. The Ministry asks for one IPREM for your family member and another for you: 1,200 € a month. The means can come from those family members.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.c; information sheet 28 of the Ministry of Inclusion

  • The means can come from self-employment if you meet the requirements of art. 84.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 127.c and 84

  • Route without family: a favourable social integration report from the autonomous community (regional government) or, where this has been set up, from the town hall.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.c

  • The report must be issued within 1 month of your request. If it does not arrive in time and you can prove it, you can show your integration by other means.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.c

  • Not have another stay or residence authorisation or another residence application in progress.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 126.h (added by RD 316/2026)

Documents

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

  • Form EX-10, filled in and signed.
  • Full copy of your passport (or of your registration certificate, cédula de inscripción, or travel document).
  • Proof that you have lived in Spain for 2 years. For example: the padrón (your town hall's register of residents) or care in the public health system.
  • Criminal record certificate from the countries where you lived in the 5 years before arriving, translated and legalised or apostilled.
  • With family: an up-to-date marriage certificate or partnership register certificate, or a birth certificate proving the relationship.
  • With family: proof of the financial means available in Spain.
  • If the means come from self-employment: licences or responsible declaration (declaración responsable), your training and the planned investment (art. 84).
  • Without family: the favourable social integration report.

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

Integration report
The autonomous community or the town hall must issue it within 1 month of your request (art. 127.c).
Legal time limit for a reply
The authorities have 3 months from the date your application enters their register. If they do not reply, it is deemed refused (negative administrative silence) and you can appeal (additional provisions 7 and 8).
Government fee
The fee is paid within 10 working days after you submit the application (information sheet 28 of the Ministry of Inclusion).
Foreigner identity card
You have 1 month from the notification to apply in person for your TIE (foreigner identity card). Fingerprinting is done in person (art. 130.6).
If they ask for more
If a document is missing, you get up to 15 days to provide it. If you do not, the application is closed (art. 130.3).

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 integration report is requested from the town hall where you are registered on the padrón. The Generalitat (the Catalan government) works with town halls to prepare it. The arraigo application then goes to the Immigration Office of your province.

Immigration in Barcelona: offices and data for the province

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a job contract?

No. Since 20 May 2025, social arraigo does not require a contract. If you have one of 20 hours a week or more, look at socio-labour arraigo: it lets you work from the moment your application is accepted for processing.

How much money is needed if I take the family route?

The rules require means of at least the IPREM, 600 € a month in 2026 (art. 127.c). The Ministry's information sheet 28 (April 2026) gives the detail: one IPREM for your family member and another for you. In total, 1,200 € a month, however many people live in the household.

Which family members count?

Your spouse or registered partner and your first-degree relatives in direct line: mother, father, sons and daughters. They must be foreign nationals with a residence authorisation (art. 127.c). If your family member is Spanish, your procedure is a different one.

What is the integration report?

It is a report from the autonomous community or the town hall. It covers how long you have lived at your address, your financial means and the social, employment and cultural integration programmes you have taken part in (art. 127.c).

What if the report takes more than a month?

If you show that it was not issued on time, you can prove your integration by any other means of evidence (art. 127.c). Keep the receipt showing when you requested it.

From when can I work?

From the moment the authorisation is granted, as an employee or self-employed and in any sector (art. 131). With social arraigo there is no provisional work while you wait.

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

Socio-labour arraigo

For people who have lived in Spain for 2 years and have one or more job contracts adding up to 20 hours a week or more.

€445VAT included · government fees not included

Socio-training arraigo

For people with 2 years in Spain who are training: bachillerato, intermediate vocational training, professional certificates or adult education.

€445VAT included · government fees not included

Arraigo extension

To apply for 1 more year of your socio-labour, social, second-chance or socio-training arraigo before it expires.

Fixed price before we start

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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