Skip to content

We're a private service, not a government office

We speak español, English, català, français, 中文

Menu

Renewing temporary residence (renewing your card)

Official name: Renewal of the temporary residence authorisation (employment or self-employment, family reunification and non-lucrative) (Renovación de la autorización de residencia temporal)

€245VAT included

+ €35.70 in government fees · Estimated total cost: €280.70

See the price breakdown

Renewing your residence takes two steps. First the authorisation is renewed at the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) and then you apply for the new card (TIE, foreigner identity card) at the police station. You apply for the renewal in the 2 months before it expires or in the 3 months after. If you apply on time, your authorisation remains valid until you get an answer.

In short

Who it is for
Holders of temporary residence and work (as an employee or self-employed), family reunification residence or non-lucrative residence
Duration
4 years (work and family reunification) or 2 years (non-lucrative)
Can I work?
Renewed work and family reunification: yes, as an employee and self-employed. Non-lucrative: does not allow work
Where to apply
Authorisation: the Immigration Office of your province, in person or electronically. TIE: in person, at the police station
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 residence and work as an employee and you still have your job, have a new contract or fall under another of the cases in art. 80.
  • You have residence and work as self-employed and you are still running your activity, or fall under another of the cases in art. 86.
  • You came through family reunification and the person who brought you keeps their residence authorisation (art. 71).
  • You have non-lucrative residence and still have financial means and health insurance (art. 64).

It is not for you if…

  • You have socio-labour, social, socio-training or second-chance arraigo that is expiring: that is the arraigo extension.

    See: Arraigo extension

  • You have the authorisation from the extraordinary regularisation (extraordinary arraigo): your next step is a different one.

    See: Extraordinary arraigo

  • You have 5 years of legal, continuous residence: long-term residence may already apply to you.

    See: Long-term residence

  • Your authorisation expired more than 3 months ago: it can no longer be renewed. See second-chance arraigo.

    See: Second-chance arraigo

  • You want to move from residence without permission to work to residence and work: that is a change (modificación).

    See: Change to residence and work

  • You have residence as a family member of a Spanish national: its renewal follows its own rules (art. 95.4).

    See: Family of a Spanish national

If you were looking for…

«renew the NIE»
The NIE (foreigner identity number) is not renewed: it is your personal number and does not change (art. 205). What expires is your residence authorisation and, with it, the card (TIE) that shows your NIE.
«renew the residence card or TIE»
The TIE lasts as long as your authorisation (art. 209.7). First the authorisation is renewed; then you apply in person for the new card within 1 month.
«renew my papers»
It is the renewal of your temporary residence authorisation: here you can see when to apply, what is required and how much it costs.

Authorisation and card: not the same thing

  • The authorisation is your residence permit. It is granted by the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería).
  • The TIE is the physical card that proves it, and it lasts as long as the authorisation (art. 209.7).
  • First the authorisation is renewed. With the decision, you book the fingerprinting appointment and collect the new card. Here we explain how to book the appointment yourself.
  • If you lose your card or it is stolen, that is not a renewal: you apply for a new one for the time it had left (art. 209.9).

When does your window start?

Work out the exact dates with the renewal deadline calculator. To find out how your application is going, there is the guide to checking the status of your application.

Requirements

  • Apply for the renewal in the 2 months before it expires or in the 3 months after. If you apply after it expires, it is accepted, but there may be a minor penalty, with a fine of up to 500 €.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.1, 71.1, 80.1 and 86.1; LO 4/2000, arts. 52.b and 55.1.a

  • Employment: continue in the same employment relationship; or have worked at least 3 months per year and have a new contract, or have lost your job for reasons beyond your control and still be registered as a jobseeker; or have worked and paid contributions for 9 months in a 12-month period, among other cases.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 80.2

  • Self-employment: continue your activity, with a check that you are up to date with the Tax Agency (Hacienda) and Social Security, or another of the cases provided for.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 86.2

  • Family reunification: the person who brought you keeps their residence authorisation, the family tie continues and the children in your care are enrolled in school.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 71.3

  • Non-lucrative: still have financial means of 400 % of the IPREM (2,400 €/month in 2026, plus 600 €/month for each dependent family member), health insurance, and have lived in Spain for more than 183 days in the calendar year.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 62 and 64.2

  • Children in your care of compulsory school age: enrolled in school.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.2.d, 71.3.d, 80.3 and 86.3

  • Criminal record: if you served the sentence, were pardoned or have a suspended sentence, each case is assessed.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.5, 71.3.c, 80.5 and 86.5

  • If you do not meet a requirement, you can provide an integration effort report from the autonomous community (in Catalonia, the Generalitat) recommending the renewal.

    RD 1155/2024, arts. 64.6, 71.4.d, 80.6 and 86.6

  • Pay the government fees for the renewal and, afterwards, the fee for the TIE.

    Order PJC/617/2025

Documents

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

  • Renewal form for the relevant type, signed.
  • Full valid passport (or registration certificate, cédula de inscripción).
  • Employment: current or new contract, or proof of contributions; if you lost your job, registration as a jobseeker.
  • Self-employment: proof that you are still running your activity.
  • Family reunification: passport of the person who brought you and, where applicable, proof that the marriage or partnership continues.
  • Non-lucrative: proof of financial means and health insurance for the renewal period.
  • If you have children of compulsory school age: school enrolment report.
  • Receipt for payment of the fee.

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

Window to apply
From 2 months before the expiry date until 3 months after (arts. 64.1, 71.1, 80.1 and 86.1).
While you wait
For work and non-lucrative residence, if you apply within that window, your previous authorisation is extended until a decision is made (arts. 64.1, 80.1 and 86.1).
Time limit for a decision
3 months. If they do not reply within that time, the renewal is deemed granted: this is a case of positive administrative silence (arts. 64.8, 71.5, 80.9 and 87.2).
New TIE
Once the renewal is granted, apply in person for the new card within 1 month (arts. 64.9 and 81.2). Fingerprinting is done in person.
Duration
Employment, self-employment and family reunification: 4 years. Non-lucrative: 2 years (arts. 81.1, 87.1, 71.6 and 64.7).

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 renewal is submitted to the Immigration Office, which belongs to the national government, not to the Generalitat (the Catalan government): the Generalitat handles initial work authorisations and some changes. If you need an integration effort report, it is issued by the Generalitat.

Immigration in Barcelona: offices and data for the province

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I miss the date?

You have 3 months from the expiry date to apply for the renewal, although there may be a minor penalty of up to 500 € (art. 80.1; arts. 52.b and 55.1.a of LO 4/2000). After those 3 months it can no longer be renewed and you need to look for another route, such as second-chance arraigo.

I lost my job. Can I renew?

Possibly. If your contract ended for reasons beyond your control, you worked at least 3 months per year and you have been registered as a jobseeker since then, renewal is possible (art. 80.2.b.3rd). Also if you worked and paid contributions for 9 months in a 12-month period, or if a family member meets the financial requirements for family reunification (art. 80.2.d).

What happens if they do not reply within 3 months?

For these renewals silence is positive: after 3 months with no answer, the renewal is deemed granted (arts. 64.8, 71.5, 80.9 and 87.2). If that is your case, we explain the next steps to get the new TIE.

Does the renewed authorisation let me work in any sector?

Yes. The renewal of employment or self-employment lets you work as an employee and self-employed, in any activity and anywhere in Spain (arts. 81.1 and 87.1). The family reunification one does too, without limits (art. 71.6).

Should I apply for long-term residence instead of renewing?

If you have 5 years of legal, continuous residence, long-term residence may apply to you (art. 183). You apply in the same window as the renewal and, if you already meet the requirements, at any time (art. 184.2).

Can I submit the renewal online?

Yes, there is an electronic route, but it is not compulsory: you can also submit it on paper, in person. The Regulation required it for some renewals (non-lucrative and self-employment), and the Supreme Court annulled that obligation in its judgment of 8 July 2026 (STS 868/2026, art. 197.2).

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

Long-term residence

If you have 5 years of legal residence in Spain: authorisation to live and work indefinitely, national or EU.

€195VAT 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

Family reunification

If you have residence in Spain and want to bring your partner, children or parents: authorisation and visa for them.

€490VAT 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

Tell us about your situation

Before we start, we tell you which procedure fits your situation and what it costs.

Or, if you prefer:

Step 1 of 2 · What do you need?

What do you need?
Your contact details

Your first name is enough.

Only to reply to you about your case. If your number is from another country, change the +34.

Controller: the owner of Un Papel Menos (their details are in the legal notice).

Purpose: to reply to you about your procedure. Legal basis: your request.

Your rights: access, rectification, erasure and the other rights the law gives you.

Privacy policy

We're a private service, not a government office.