Arraigo Social (Social Ties Regularization) — Spain

Arraigo Social is a formal application you submit to Spain’s immigration authority to request residence based on your social ties. The process is handled by SEM and uses a specific official form.

What this form is

Arraigo Social (Social Ties Regularization) is an official application form from SEM. It’s used to request residence authorization under the arraigo social category.

This form is different from other regularization routes:

You must pick the correct form for your specific legal basis. Arraigo Social doesn’t substitute for a Non-Lucrative Residence Visa, Family Reunification Visa, or Long-Term Residence.

Applicants usually refer to the form by its official title and code, such as Form EX-10, when preparing their file. Always check you’re using the current version.

Who issues and receives it

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) issues the Arraigo Social form and sets the official process. SEM handles immigration policy and processes these residence applications.

You submit the completed form to your local immigration office, which operates under SEM. The decision-making authority is part of Spain’s national immigration administration.

Other authorities have different roles:

Arraigo Social is a domestic process. It isn’t handled by Spanish consulates and doesn’t replace visa categories managed from abroad.

Where to download the official form

You need to download the current Arraigo Social form from the official SEM website.

Steps:

1. Go to the SEM website.

2. Find the section for immigration forms.

3. Select the form titled Arraigo Social.

4. Download both the form and its instructions.

Don’t use forms from third-party sites. SEM updates forms and instructions periodically, and you must file the most recent version.

If you’re applying under Arraigo Laboral or Arraigo Familiar, get the corresponding official form from SEM.

Protect your residence status by meeting strict physical presence and documentation standards. SEM checks the continuity of your residence and supporting records at renewal or when you move to Long-Term Residence using Form EX-10.

Continuous residence and allowed absences

You must live in Spain continuously for at least two years, with absences of no more than 90 days during that time.

If you leave for longer, you risk refusal at renewal or when applying for Long-Term Residence. SEM reviews your presence based on documents, not just your word.

Use this standard if you regularized your stay through:

• Arraigo Social
• Arraigo Laboral (Employment Ties Regularization)
• Arraigo Familiar (Family Ties Regularization)
• Non-Lucrative Residence Visa
• Family Reunification Visa

Track your travel. Keep tickets, boarding passes, and any records showing your return dates.

Keeping proof of residence (empadronamiento, records)

You’ll need to prove you lived in Spain for at least two years. Weak or missing evidence is a common reason for refusal.

Maintain uninterrupted empadronamiento (municipal registration) for the whole period. Any gap can cause problems.

Keep organized records, such as:

• Updated empadronamiento certificates
• Municipal registration history
• Official correspondence showing your Spanish address
• Any other documents confirming your presence

Store everything in order. When you apply—like with EX-10 for Long-Term Residence—present a clear timeline with supporting records.

If you can’t document your stay, SEM may decide you haven’t met the requirement, even if you never left.

Common maintenance pitfalls

One frequent mistake is failing to prove continuous presence. Many assume living in Spain is enough and don’t keep documents.

Avoid:

• Gaps in empadronamiento
• Exceeding the 90-day absence limit
• Submitting incomplete residence evidence
• Waiting until renewal to gather documents

Don’t rely on memory or informal proof. SEM checks actual records.

If you plan to move from arraigo-based status to Long-Term Residence or maintain status from Family Reunification or a Non-Lucrative Residence Visa, treat documentation as an ongoing task.

Keep your residence card valid to prove your legal stay in Spain. Renewal requires specific immigration forms and, at times, travel authorization if your new card is pending.

Your residence status—whether Arraigo Social, Arraigo Laboral, Arraigo Familiar, Non-Lucrative Residence Visa, Family Reunification Visa, or Long-Term Residence—determines which form you’ll use.

Documents to allow travel while card is processed

If you need to travel while your residence card renewal is pending, request authorization to re-enter using Form EX-13.

This document lets you leave and return while your TIE is under renewal. Without it, you may have issues at the border if your card’s expired.

You’ll typically need:

• Completed EX-13 form
• Proof your renewal application is in process
• Valid passport
• Payment of the applicable fee (see SEM fee schedule)

Submit the request before you travel. The National Police manage TIE issuance; SEM oversees immigration policy.

This travel authorization applies regardless of whether your underlying status is arraigo, family reunification, non-lucrative residence, or long-term residence.

Other EX forms (EX-01, EX-02, EX-13, EX-14, EX-15)

Different residence situations require different official forms. You need to file the correct one based on your legal basis for stay.

If you obtained residence through Arraigo Social, Arraigo Laboral, or Arraigo Familiar, you might later transition to another residence category. A different EX form may apply in those cases.

For example:

• Use EX-01 if you switch to a non-lucrative residence basis.
• Use EX-02 if you later apply for a Family Reunification Visa for relatives.
• Use EX-14 for temporary movement of a foreign minor.

Confirm the correct form and fee with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) before filing.

You improve your approval chances when you seek help early, especially for the municipal social integration report and job‑offer compliance.

Most rejections happen due to missing reports or employment offers that don't meet formal requirements.

When a municipal report or expert help is needed

You need a social integration report (informe de arraigo social) from your local Ayuntamiento as part of your application. Municipal processing can take several weeks.

Request this report well before you file your Form EX-10 application with the State Secretariat for Migration (Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones) (SEM). Waiting too long can delay or block your filing.

Seek professional help if:

• Your municipality gives unclear instructions
• You face delays in scheduling appointments
• Your report contains errors or incomplete information

A lawyer can review the report before submission and confirm it matches your application strategy, especially if you previously explored Arraigo Laboral (Employment Ties Regularization), Arraigo Familiar (Family Ties Regularization), or other residence pathways such as a Non-Lucrative Residence Visa, Family Reunification Visa, or Long-Term Residence.

Filing without this report does not guarantee approval.

Complex job-offer or employment requirement issues

Your job offer must meet strict minimum standards. Many applications fail because the offer does not comply.

Ensure the offer:

• Covers at least one year
• Meets applicable regional salary thresholds

If your employer drafts a short-term contract or offers pay below the required level, SEM may reject your application.

Get legal review when:

1. The contract terms seem unclear

2. Salary calculations are close to the minimum threshold

3. You combine part-time roles to meet requirements

Careful review of the employment contract often determines the outcome.

To qualify for arraigo social, you must meet strict nationality, residence, and integration criteria.

The State Secretariat for Migration (Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones, SEM) reviews whether you meet the legal stay threshold and can prove genuine social and economic ties in Spain.

Who cannot apply

You cannot apply if you fall into any of the following categories:

• Citizen of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland
• Family member of an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen
• Person who does not meet the required period of continuous residence in Spain

Arraigo social targets non‑EU nationals who lack another regular residence pathway. If you qualify for Long-Term Residence, a Family Reunification Visa, or another established status, you should use that route instead.

You also cannot use this procedure as a substitute for Arraigo Laboral (Employment Ties Regularization) or Arraigo Familiar (Family Ties Regularization) if your situation clearly fits those categories.

Each regularization type has its own legal basis and requirements.

You must file the correct application form, typically Form EX-10, when requesting this authorization.

Minimum continuous residence rules

You must prove continuous residence in Spain for at least three years before applying.

During this period, your absences from Spain cannot exceed 90 days in total.

Authorities review entry and exit records and supporting documents to confirm this requirement.

“Continuous” means you maintained your life in Spain without relocating abroad. Short trips are permitted within the 90‑day limit, but longer or repeated absences may break continuity.

You must document your stay with reliable evidence, such as:

• Municipal registration records
• Medical or school records
• Other official documents showing presence in Spain

If you cannot prove the full three-year period, SEM will deny the application.

Time spent outside Spain beyond the 90‑day limit does not count toward eligibility.

Other contextual eligibility notes

Arraigo social requires more than physical presence. You must also demonstrate social integration in Spain.

This includes:

• A social integration report issued by your municipality
• A job offer or proof that you can work as self‑employed

The integration report confirms that you have established ties within the local community. Without it, your application will not meet the legal standard.

You must show a realistic plan to support yourself financially. A job offer or self-employment project serves this purpose.

This distinguishes arraigo social from a Non-Lucrative Residence Visa, which is based solely on passive financial means.

If your eligibility depends on family relationships, consider whether Arraigo Familiar (Family Ties Regularization) applies instead.

Choosing the correct legal pathway improves your approval prospects and avoids unnecessary refusals.

You’ll need to prove continuous residence, show a clean criminal record, and obtain a municipal social integration report. These are the core documents for your arraigo social application before the State Secretariat for Migration (Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones, SEM).

Proof of continuous residence

You need to show that you’ve lived in Spain for at least two years before applying. Your documents must clearly display your name and cover the entire period.

Gaps in your paperwork can create problems, so keep your records in chronological order. Focus on official Spanish documents that confirm you were physically present.

Each document should help build an unbroken timeline. This requirement is specific to arraigo social and isn’t the same as other regularization options like Arraigo Laboral (Employment Ties Regularization) or Arraigo Familiar (Family Ties Regularization).

SEM may ask for clarification if your evidence isn’t clear. Incomplete timelines often delay cases.

Police clearance certificates

You’ll need a police clearance certificate from every country where you’ve lived during the past five years. This applies even if your stay abroad was brief.

Each certificate must come from the competent authority in that country and confirm you don’t have a criminal record. If you lived in several countries, you’ll need one from each.

Request these documents early. processing times vary, and waiting too long can slow down your application.

SEM reviews these certificates to assess your eligibility for residence in Spain, including future options like Long-Term Residence.

Municipal social integration report (informe de arraigo social)

You must obtain an informe de arraigo social from your local Ayuntamiento. This report evaluates your social integration in Spain.

Without it, your arraigo social application can’t move forward. Request the report in advance, since municipal processing often takes several weeks.

Your local council prepares the report and handles submissions according to its own procedures. Contact your Ayuntamiento to confirm how appointments and paperwork work.

This document is unique to arraigo social and isn’t required for the Non-Lucrative Residence Visa or Family Reunification Visa.