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Change to residence and work (“changing permits”)

Official name: Change from temporary residence authorisation to residence and work authorisation (Modificación de la autorización de residencia temporal a autorización de residencia y trabajo, RD 1155/2024, art. 191)

We give you a fixed price before we start

+ €10.94 in government fees

See the price breakdown

If you have a temporary residence authorisation, for example through arraigo, you can apply for a residence and work authorisation without a visa. This is the change (modificación) under art. 191. What you need and how long it lasts depend on how long you have held residence and on whether your authorisation already let you work: it can be for 1 year or 4.

In short

Who it is for
People with a temporary residence authorisation (for example, arraigo) who want to move to residence and work.
Duration
1 year or 4 years, depending on your case (art. 191.2, 191.3 and 191.4).
Can I work?
Yes, as an employee or self-employed, depending on the authorisation you apply for.
Where to apply
At the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería), in person or electronically (art. 197.1). You or your employer can submit it (art. 191.5).
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 arraigo (socio-labour, social, socio-training or second-chance) and a contract or self-employed activity.
  • You have the authorisation from the 2026 extraordinary regularisation: the change is the step the rules provide for.
  • You have residence that does not let you work, such as non-lucrative residence, and you want to work.
  • You had a card as a family member of an EU (European Union) citizen or an authorisation as a family member of a Spanish national, and you no longer have that status (art. 191.8).

It is not for you if…

If you were looking for…

«changing permits (cambiar de permiso)»
The official name is modificación (art. 191). It moves you from temporary residence to residence and work without applying for a visa.
«moving from arraigo to residence and work»
It is this change. If you have held residence for at least 1 year and could already work, the new authorisation can be for 4 years (art. 191.3).
«changing from tarjeta comunitaria to the general regime»
If you stopped being a family member of an EU citizen or of a Spanish national, art. 191.8 lets you move to another authorisation without a visa.

The three cases in article 191

1. Less than 1 year holding residence (art. 191.2). You apply for residence and work as an employee with all the requirements of the initial authorisation (art. 74): a signed contract, conditions in line with the collective agreement, an employer that is up to date with its obligations and has the means to fulfil the contract, and a national employment situation that allows it. That last point means the job must be on the list of hard-to-fill occupations, or the employer must show that it cannot find anyone on the labour market to fill it (art. 75). It lasts 1 year and counts as an initial authorisation.

If you have held residence for less than 1 year and want to work as self-employed, the article does not provide a special case: the requirements of the authorisation you apply for apply (art. 191.1).

2. At least 1 year holding residence and you could already work (art. 191.3). For example, if you come from arraigo, which lets you work (art. 131), and you have now completed that year of residence. The renewal requirements apply. As an employee (art. 80.2), for example: having worked at least 3 months per year and having a new contract with Social Security registration, or having worked and paid contributions for at least 9 months in a 12-month period. As self-employed (art. 86.2), for example, continuing your activity. The new authorisation lasts 4 years.

3. At least 1 year holding residence and you could not work (art. 191.4), for example with non-lucrative residence. The requirements of art. 74 apply except the national employment situation, or those of art. 84 if it is self-employment. It lasts 1 year and only takes effect with Social Security registration in the month after the notification.

Which case is yours depends on your exact dates and your current authorisation. We go through it with you before we start, with the fixed price.

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

Requirements

  • Be in Spain with a temporary residence authorisation. A stay does not count.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 191.1

  • Your current authorisation must be one that can be changed. These cannot be: cross-border work; family reunification; humanitarian reasons under art. 128.1.b and c (temporary protection of displaced persons and cases provided for in the implementing rules of the asylum law); or those for victims of gender-based violence, sexual violence or trafficking, or for cooperation against organised networks (chapters II to V of title VII).

    RD 1155/2024, art. 191.7 (as worded by RD 316/2026)

  • If you have held residence for less than 1 year and apply for residence and work as an employee: all the requirements of the initial authorisation, including the national employment situation. The authorisation is for 1 year and counts as an initial one.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 191.2, 74 and 75

  • If you have held residence for at least 1 year and your authorisation already let you work: the renewal requirements for employees or the self-employed. The authorisation is for 4 years.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 191.3, 80 and 86

  • If you have held residence for at least 1 year and your authorisation did not let you work: the requirements of the initial authorisation except the national employment situation or, for self-employment, those of art. 84. The authorisation is for 1 year.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 191.4, 74 and 84

  • Pay the government fee for the change (form 790-052).

    Order PJC/617/2025, heading 2.5

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.
  • As an employee: job contract signed by both parties, you and the employer.
  • If your case is the initial authorisation one: the employer's documents, for example showing that it is up to date with the Tax Agency (Hacienda) and Social Security (art. 74.1.d).
  • Self-employed: documents for your activity (requirements to open it, qualification if needed, planned investment).
  • If you are in the 4-year case: whatever art. 80 or art. 86 requires in your situation, for example your contracts and your contribution history.
  • If you have children in your care of compulsory school age: school enrolment report (arts. 80.3 and 86.3).
  • 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
While you are in temporary residence, with your authorisation in force (art. 191.1). The article does not set a general window.
If you come from the extraordinary regularisation
There is a window: the 2 months before your authorisation expires (additional provisions 20 and 21, section 10). If you apply within that period, your authorisation remains valid until the decision.
Time limit for a decision
The general rule is 3 months (additional provision 7 of the Regulation). Sometimes it takes longer.
After it is granted
In the art. 191.4 case, the authorisation only takes effect if you register with Social Security in the month after the notification. With the new authorisation you apply in person for the TIE (foreigner identity card).

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 Generalitat (the Catalan government) handles the employment part of initial residence and work authorisations. If your change counts as an initial one (art. 191.2), we check where your case is submitted before we start.

Immigration in Barcelona: offices and data for the province

Frequently asked questions

Can I be given a 4-year authorisation?

Yes, if you have held residence for at least 1 year, your authorisation already let you work and you meet the renewal requirements of arts. 80 or 86 (art. 191.3). In the other cases it is for 1 year.

Do I have to go back to my country to apply for a visa?

No. The art. 191 change is applied for from inside Spain and without a visa (art. 191.1).

Can my employer submit it?

Yes. The application can be submitted by the employer or by the foreign national themselves (art. 191.5).

How is it different from the arraigo extension?

The extension keeps your arraigo for 1 more year and generally requires an active job search (art. 132). The change moves you to a residence and work authorisation.

I have extraordinary arraigo. Is this my procedure?

Yes: it is the step the rules provide for, in the 2 months before your authorisation expires. On the extraordinary arraigo page we explain the time limits and the exceptional extension, in case you cannot apply for the change.

From when is the new authorisation valid?

In the 4-year case, if the previous one has already expired, it is valid from the day after it expired; if not, from the date it is granted (art. 191.3). In the art. 191.4 case, it depends on your registration with Social Security.

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

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

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

From student to work

If you studied in Spain with a stay for studies: move to residence and work without a visa, as an employee or self-employed.

€395VAT included · government fees not included

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