Long-Term

🌍 Not to be a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, or a family member of citizens of these countries.

⚖️ Have no criminal record in Spain and in the countries where they have resided in the last five years, for offences recognised under Spanish law.

🚫 Not be listed as inadmissible in Spain or the Schengen area. 

🚓 Not pose a threat to public order, security, or public health. 

🛑 Not being within the commitment to non-return period to Spain. 

✅ To be in any of the following cases:

Generic

1. Five years of residence: Having resided legally and continuously in Spanish territory for the five years prior to submitting the application.

2. Retirement: Being a resident beneficiary of a retirement pension, in its contributory modality, from the Spanish Social Security system.

3. Disability: Being a resident beneficiary of a permanent absolute disability or severe disability pension, in its contributory modality, within the Spanish Social Security system.

4. Situations analogous to the above: Being a resident beneficiary of benefits analogous to the above, sections b) and c), obtained in Spain and consisting of a life annuity, non-capitalisable, sufficient for their maintenance.

5. Coming of age, three years of residence and born in Spain: Being a resident and having been born in Spain and, upon reaching legal age, having resided in Spain legally and continuously for at least the three years prior to the application.

6. Spanish by origin: Having been Spanish by origin and having lost Spanish nationality.

7. Guardianship of a Spanish public entity: Being a resident who, upon reaching legal age, has been under the guardianship of a Spanish public entity for the five consecutive years immediately prior to the application.

8. Statelessness: Being a stateless person, refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection, being in Spanish territory and having had this status recognised in Spain or in another EU Member State.

9. Merits: Having contributed significantly to the economic, scientific or cultural progress of Spain, or to the projection of Spain abroad.

Exceptional

1. Family reunification: Being the family member of a resident who holds or has applied for long-term residence, at the time of renewing the family reunification authorisation.

2. Long-term-EU: Being the holder of a long-term EU residence authorisation granted by another Member State of the European Union.

3. Loss: Having been the holder of a long-term residence authorisation in Spain and having had it terminated or lost due to remaining outside of the European Union or the national territory for longer than permitted.

📅 Allowed absence limits: 

• Generic absences: The long-term authorisation will not be granted if absences have exceeded six continuous months or if the sum of the absences exceeds ten months in the period of 5 years immediately prior to the date of the application.

• Work-related absences: The long-term authorisation will not be granted if, for work reasons, absences have exceeded six continuous months or if the sum of the absences exceeds eighteen months in the period of 5 years immediately prior to the date of the application.

• Justified absences: The authorisation may be granted when the absences exceed the limits mentioned above, provided that there is a force majeure cause (justified cause) duly proven. The competent body will be responsible for assessing and resolving whether an exceptional situation exists on an individual basis.

⚠️ When there is an employment relationship of the applicant with non-governmental organisations, foundations or associations, registered in the corresponding registry as aid workers, and which carry out research projects, development cooperation or humanitarian action carried out abroad, absences will not be taken into account.