Real Decreto 1155/2024: what it is and what changed in 2026

What is Real Decreto 1155/2024?

Real Decreto 1155/2024, de 19 de noviembre, is a Spanish government decree that approved the Reglamento de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, that is, the implementing regulation describing how to apply the law on the rights and freedoms of foreign nationals and their social integration. It was published in BOE No. 280 on 20 November 2024 and came into force on 20 May 2025 [1]. The previous Reglamento (Real Decreto 557/2011) was repealed [1]. The regulation is applied by the bodies that handle extranjería: Delegaciones and Subdelegaciones del Gobierno, consulates and the police.

The Reglamento ranks below the law. When a court finds that a provision of the regulation contradicts the law or lacks justification, it can annul it, which is what happened in 2026. So you need to read the consolidated BOE text, updated to 22 September 2026 [1].

What has changed compared with the 2011 Reglamento?

Below are the changes named by the government itself in the preamble. This is not a complete list but a guide for questions to a lawyer [1].

The preamble also states that the EU Blue Card (Tarjeta azul-UE) and a number of other types are now governed by Ley 14/2013 [1]. The DNV belongs there too: its conditions and procedure are set by Articles 74 bis - 74 quinquies and 76 of Ley 14/2013, not by the Reglamento [5]. How the general rules of the Reglamento apply to the DNV is something a lawyer checks issue by issue.

What happens to existing permits and applications?

The first transitional provision of the Real Decreto keeps the validity of authorisations and cards in force on the day it came into force [1]. Under the second transitional provision, applications filed before 20 May 2025 are decided under the previous rules unless the applicant asks for the new Reglamento to be applied and shows that they meet its requirements [1]. Whether to ask for this depends on the case: it is a decision for a lawyer.

What changes have there been after 2025?

Real Decreto 316/2026 of 14 April, published on 15 April and in force from the following day, amended the Reglamento in targeted ways: family members of Spanish citizens can now apply from within Spain more broadly (children over 18 and parents), the conditions for arraigo and for modifying estancia were clarified, a temporary right to work under arraigo sociolaboral and flexible renewals were introduced, and two new additional provisions were added: 20 and 21 [2]. They allowed arraigo applications for certain groups (including applicants for international protection before 1 January 2026 and people who were in Spain before that date) only until 30 June 2026 [2].

The Tribunal Supremo then annulled some provisions following challenges by civil society organisations. The judgment of 8 July 2026 (recurso 19/2025) declared void, for example, part of the rules on temporary work agencies for seasonal work, qualifications in the family articles and, in some cases, automatic refusal for a criminal record without an individual assessment. The judgment of 29 July 2026 (recurso 21/2025) repeated the annulment of Article 197.2 [3][4]. Both judgments were published in the BOE on 22 September 2026 [3][4].

Article 197.2 required electronic filing for, among other things, extensions of studies and renovación no lucrativa. More on how this works in practice: what the sede electrónica is and how to file documents there. Where to follow new changes is described in the article where to check current residence permit rules.

What does this mean for your case?

The overall conclusion is this: in 2026 the rules were adjusted twice, and the consolidated BOE text itself warns that it is for reference only and that official publications are needed for legal purposes [1]. For the DNV, the basic conditions remain in Ley 14/2013; for arraigo, studies, family and employment, the Reglamento as amended in 2026 applies, minus the annulled provisions.

Which version of a rule is in force on the date of your application must be checked article by article. There are separate articles on types of arraigo, changing the basis of your residence permit and checking the status of your case; the renewal procedure is described in the renewal route card, and a general overview of grounds is on the page residence permit in Barcelona.

We found no official summary table of “what has changed to date”, so the list above is based on the preambles and the text of the judgments.

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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.