Immigration & international mobility

From our immigration practice in Madrid, we guide you from start to finish, including when a request for further information (requerimiento) or a refusal arrives. We work with individuals, professionals and companies, in English and Spanish, and as most procedures are handled online, you don't need to live in Madrid.

What we do in immigration and nationality

• We tell you which route fits: choosing well from the outset saves time and reduces the risk of a refusal.
• We prepare your file: forms, supporting documents, translations and legalisations, making sure everything is consistent.
• We file it and follow it up: we respond to requests for further information and keep you posted on every development.
• We appeal when needed: written submissions (alegaciones), appeals for reconsideration (reposición) or to a higher authority (alzada), and judicial review before the administrative courts (recurso contencioso-administrativo).
• We plan what comes next: renewals, changes of permit, long-term residence and, later on, nationality.

Common situations

• You have been in Spain for at least two years without a residence permit, or you could not renew the one you had, and you want to know whether you can apply for roots-based residence (arraigo) on employment, social, training or second-chance grounds.
• Your permit expires soon and you are not sure whether to renew it or switch to a different one (modificación).
• You want to bring your family over (family reunification, reagrupación familiar) or you are a family member of a Spanish citizen.
• You are coming to study or carry out research and need the visa, an extension or a switch to a residence and work permit when you finish.
• You are a highly qualified professional, an entrepreneur or a digital nomad, or your company wants to hire a foreign national.
• You have been refused a permit or a visa, or you have received a request for information or notice of penalty proceedings.
• You want to apply for Spanish nationality by residence or appeal against a refusal.

Investors: since 3 April 2025, new applications for the so-called golden visa (investor residence) are no longer accepted; if you already hold one, as a general rule you can renew it.

How we handle your case

1. Free initial orientation: 10 minutes by phone to understand your situation and tell you whether it has a way forward.
2. Consultation: by phone or video call (45 minutes) or at the office (60 minutes, always by appointment). We go through your documents and options with you.
3. Proposal with a transparent quote: before we start, you know what we will do and what it costs. If something isn't viable, we'll tell you.
4. Handling: we prepare, submit and follow your file through to the decision, dealing with you directly and replying within 24 working hours.

Deadlines worth knowing

• Renewals and extensions: as a general rule, you apply in the two months before your permit expires. Applications are also accepted in the three months after expiry, although penalty proceedings may be opened. In either case, your permit remains valid until a decision is made.
• Foreigner identity card (TIE): in many cases you must apply for it within one month of notification, of your entry into Spain or of your registration with Social Security, depending on the permit.
• Appeals: against an express decision, an appeal for reconsideration (reposición) or to a higher authority (alzada) is filed within one month, and judicial review before the administrative courts within two months. Which one applies depends on the authority that made the decision.
• Nationality: if it is granted, you have 180 days from notification to swear or pledge allegiance (jura o promesa); otherwise the grant lapses.

What to bring to your first consultation

• Your full passport and, if you have them, your TIE or the decision granting your permit.
• Any decisions or requests you have received and the date you were notified.
• Evidence of your time in Spain: town hall registration (empadronamiento), contracts, employment history (vida laboral), enrolment records.
• Family documents (marriage, birth, partnership) if your case depends on a family tie.

Fees

A full consultation by phone or video call costs from €50 + VAT (€100 + VAT on Saturdays) and in person from €65 + VAT; if you then instruct us to handle the matter, the fee is deducted. Book an immigration consultation whenever you are ready. For ongoing advice, there are monthly plans for individuals from €85/month + VAT.

If you are going to be self-employed or are concerned about your tax residence, we can also help with tax for the self-employed and non-residents.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need to have been in Spain to apply for arraigo?

As a general rule, two years of continuous stay immediately before you apply (time spent as an applicant for international protection does not count), with no criminal record and no other stay or residence permit, plus the requirements of each type. Family-based arraigo has no minimum stay.

Can I still apply under the 2026 extraordinary regularisation?

Not with a new application: the deadline for extraordinary arraigo and for arraigo for applicants for international protection ended on 30 June 2026. If you applied, we can help with whatever comes next; if not, we will look at whether you fit another type of arraigo.

When can I apply for Spanish nationality by residence?

As a general rule, after 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before you apply; 5 with refugee status; 2 if you are a national by origin of an Ibero-American country, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea or Portugal, or of Sephardic origin; and 1 year if, for example, you were born in Spain or have been married to a Spanish citizen for a year, without being separated. Work out your date with our Spanish nationality tool. You will normally also need to pass the CCSE and DELE A2 exams (the DELE is not required for nationals of countries where Spanish is an official language).

My application has been refused. What should I do?

Note the date you were notified: the time limits for appealing run from the following day. We study the reasons and tell you honestly whether an appeal or a fresh application is worth it. On our immigration and nationality blog we explain cases such as nationality refusals based on police records.