SOCIAL INTEGRATION RESIDENCE PERMITS (ARRAIGO)

Arraigo Residence Permits

Under the category of temporary residence permits on the grounds of exceptional circumstances, foreigners may obtain the following residence permits for social integration (arraigo):

• Arraigo laboral- This procedure applies to foreigners who have legally and continuously resided in Spain for at least two years, have no criminal record, and can prove to have worked for at least six months. 
• Social- This procedure applies to foreigners who have legally and continuously resided in Spain for at least three years.  They must fulfil the following three requirements:

1. Have no criminal record
2. Submit a work contract signed by both the employer and the employee with the application. The contract must be good for at least one year.  Such employment must be based on only one contract except in the following two scenarios: 

• Jobs in the agricultural sector where you may submit two employment contracts with two different employers and in two different fields.  Each contract must be valid for at least sixth months of employment.
• The development of activites in the same occupation, working part time and simultaneously for more than one employer.  You may submit multiple contracts adding up to at least 30 hours a week with a duration of at least a year.  

   
3. Have family ties with other foreign residents or submit an administrative report (informe de arraigo) issued by the Autonomous Community where the applicant resides, accrediting the
applicant´s social integration in Spain.  The applicant will receive the report within one month after the request.  In this case, family members may only be the applicant´s spouse, registered partner, or ascendants and descendants of the first degree.  In cases where the applicant has applied for an arraigo social through requesting the corresponding administrative report, the applicant must also submit proof of municipal registry in Spain (empadronamiento), proof of sufficient economic means, proof of family ties in Spain and proof of participation in labor market social insertion programs, or CEPI course certificate.

• Arraigo Familiar- Mother or father of a minor with Spanish nationality provided that whichever parent applying lives with the child and is responsible for him.  Children of parent´s originally of Spanish origin may also apply for an arraigo familiar.

Translated by: Katherine Pascal

SOCIAL INTEGRATION RESIDENCE PERMIT (ARRAIGO SOCIAL)

Foreign citizens may acquire a temporary residence permit on the grounds of exceptional circumstances by applying for what we call an arraigo social.  When going this route, it is understood that the foreigner has resided in our country for a certain amount of time presuming that he or she has personal connections or family ties or is socially integrated in Spanish society.

The following are some of the requirements that must be fulfilled  in order to apply for an arraigo social:

• The applicant may not be be a citizen of the European Union nor the European Economic Area or Switzerland (There are other rules and regulations that apply to citizens of these territories).
• The applicant must be clear of any criminal record either in Spain or country of origin.
• The applicant may not be prohibited from entering Spain.
• The applicant must have lived in Spain for at least three years without a gap exceeding 120 days.

The applicant must provide evidence of family ties with either family members or other foreign Spanish residents.  In other cases, the applicant may provide a report isued by the Autonomous Community on his behalf regarding his social integration in Spanish society.

Translated by:  Katherine Pascal