7 FAQs about Residency Renewal & COVID-19 in Spain

Since the state of national emergency was declared on March 14, 2020, many foreigners in Spain have been wondering what would happen to their recently expired or just about to expire residence permits. The Spanish government did extend most work and residence permits during the COVID-19 crisis, but many people are uncertain what this means for them.

1. How does this automatic extension work?

Many residence permits expired during the COVID-19 crisis, and the Spanish government made the very wise decision to extend renewal deadlines to prevent the collapse of the system in the next few months. The Ministry of Health issued a regulation to automatically extend permits that expired during the state of emergency, as well as those that expired in the 90 days prior to its declaration, that is to say, in the time frame from December 14 until June 21.

2. For how long will this extension be valid?

This extension will take effect from the next day of the expiry date of the authorization and will be extended for six months after the end of the state of emergency, except in some cases, as we will see, in which the extension will be for three months.

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3. What kind of permits are extended?

Basically, most of the most common permits: Residence and/or work permits and residence permits for study, student mobility, non-working practice or voluntary services. This applies to non-lucrative residents, work permits as employees or self-employed, students and researchers. These authorizations, and their corresponding residence cards (TIE), will be automatically extended, without the need of a resolution from the immigration office.

4. What about family members of EU citizens?

This type of permit is also automatically extended for the same period of six months from the end of the state of emergency. So will the residence cards of long-term residents—those who have permanent residency.

5. What if the person already applied for the renewal?

This automatic extension will apply even if you have already submitted an application for renewal or modification, as long as this has not yet been resolved. Once these renewal or modification requests are resolved explicitly, the automatic extension granted by the government will no longer have effect.

If you haven’t yet applied for the renewal, you can submit the renewal application at any time during the validity of the extension period.

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6. What happens to short-term visa visitors that were caught in Spain during the COVID-19 lockdown?

Those who came to Spain as tourists and their visas or visa-free stays not exceeding 90 days, will see their stay extended automatically, but for a period of three months from the date when the state of emergency was lifted. This extended period is limited to Spanish territory only, and not the rest of Europe.

7. What about foreigners with Spanish residence permits who were traveling outside of Spain during lockdown and couldn’t return, can they still apply for the renewal if they were outside of Spain for more than six months in a year?

Yes, the regulation specifically provided that for the purposes of considering continuity of residence in Spain. Absences from Spanish territory if you were not able to return to Spain due to the COVID-19 will not be counted against you.

If you have questions that you would like answered or are looking for professional advice about renewing your residency in Spain, you can contact Klev&Vera at (+34) 93 17 60 190.

Anna Klevtsova is managing partner of Klev&Vera with over 18 years of experience in public service and international cooperation projects. Anna leads the corporate and immigration practice, specializing in company formations, investment transactions and immigration strategies. Anna is fluent in English, Russian, Spanish, and also speaks French and Catalan.

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