- The Oficina de Extranjería is part of the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno of the province where you live or will live, and it handles most general-regime procedures under regulation 1155/2024 [1].
- The UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos) was set up in 2007 and handles permits under Ley 14/2013: DNV, Blue Card, ICT, entrepreneurs, researchers and their families [2].
- With the UGE, applications and all later documents are filed only electronically through the Ministry of Inclusion’s sede, and the fee is paid under tasa 038 [2][11].
- The UGE time limit for the DNV is 20 days, and silence means approval; the decision is made by the ministry’s central department, not by a local oficina [3].
- The NIE and TIE are issued by the police, visas by the consulate, and initial work permits in Catalonia are handled by the Generalitat: these are different bodies, and “extranjería” does not replace them [1][4][5].
What is extranjería?
Extranjería is the general name for the area of law and the offices that serve foreign nationals. In practice the term refers to the oficina de extranjería, a unit of the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno. Unless the regulation names another body, the procedure is handled by the Delegación or Subdelegación of the province where you actually live or intend to live [1].
An application for a general-regime permit is filed in person at the oficina de extranjería. If the applicant is in Spain, the in-person requirement is also met by electronic filing [1]. Decisions by Delegados and Subdelegados, and by the ministries of foreign affairs, the interior and inclusion, end the administrative route [1].
What is the UGE?
The UGE (Unidad de Grandes Empresas y Colectivos Estratégicos) was set up in 2007 to deal quickly and with expert support with the needs of companies and organisations that require staff from non-EU countries with specific profiles [2]. It operates within the Ministry of Inclusion and handles the permits provided for in Ley 14/2013: for entrepreneurs, highly qualified professionals and Blue Card holders, researchers, intra-company transferees (ICT), workers in the audiovisual sector, teletrabajadores de carácter internacional and their families [2].
By law, a UGE application is processed electronically, and the decision is made by the ministry’s central department (the text of Ley 14/2013 calls it the Dirección General de Migraciones). The time limit is 20 days from electronic filing; if there is silence, the permit is deemed granted, and the ordinary appeal is a recurso de alzada [3]. More on DNV processing times: how long the UGE takes to process an application; a general description of the unit is in the article what the UGE is and what it does.
Who is responsible for what: table
| Body | Responsible for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Oficina de Extranjería (Delegación / Subdelegación) [1] | receives and decides general-regime procedures | no lucrativa renewal, study from within Spain, family reunification |
| UGE, Ministry of Inclusion [2][3] | permits under Ley 14/2013, electronic only | DNV from within Spain, DNV renewal, Blue Card, ICT |
| Consulate [1] | national visas | no lucrativa visa, DNV visa |
| Policía Nacional [5][6] | assigns the NIE, issues the TIE | forms EX15 and EX17, fee modelo 790 código 012 |
| Generalitat de Catalunya [4][1] | initial work permits when the employment relationship arises in Catalonia | initial employment and cuenta propia |
One case often passes through several bodies. For example, a DNV from within Spain is filed with the UGE, and after the decision the TIE card is requested from the police [3][1].
What is the difference between filing, the tasa and an appeal?
| Item | Extranjería, general regime | UGE, Ley 14/2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Filing | oficina de extranjería, in person or electronically [1] | electronic only, through the Ministry’s sede; a digital certificate is required [2] |
| Time limit and silence | general time limit 3 months; for initial applications, silence may count as refusal [7] | 20 days, silence means approval [3] |
| Fee | modelo 790, forms 052 and 062 [8] | tasa 038 on the Ministry of Inclusion’s sede: €73.26 for an initial application [2][9][11] |
| Appeals | the decision ends the administrative route; next comes reposición or the courts [1] | recurso de alzada [3] |
In a ruling of 8 July 2026, the Supreme Court annulled article 197.2 of the regulation on mandatory electronic communication with the authorities for a number of general-regime procedures [10]. On our reading, this does not directly affect the UGE: electronic filing for permits under Ley 14/2013 is required by the UGE itself on the basis of the law [2][3]. It is worth checking current practice before filing.
Which of this does the applicant need to know?
The body is determined by your grounds, not by where you live. DNV, Blue Card and ICT go through the UGE; no lucrativa, study and family reunification go through extranjería. DNV renewal also goes to the UGE, not to the oficina de extranjería [2]. Notifications arrive where you filed, so check the right sede, not a general mailbox. Which route suits you depends on the case: a lawyer or gestor checks this before filing.
Where to take your documents in Barcelona is covered in the article offices that accept documents in Barcelona, the choice between Spain and the consulate in applying from Spain or through the consulate, and you can check your application status with the guide how to check your application status. The DNV procedure is described in the route card, and there is a general overview on the page residence permit in Barcelona.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between extranjería and the UGE?
Who decides on a DNV?
Can you file a UGE application on paper?
Which permits does the UGE handle?
Who issues the TIE after a DNV is approved?
Where do you apply for no lucrativa, arraigo or a renewal: extranjería or the UGE?
Official sources
- BOE · Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 37-39, 193, 194, 197, 205, 209 and additional provision 9 ↗
- Ministerio de Inclusión, UGE · ¿Qué autorizaciones tramita? y ¿Cómo presento la solicitud? ↗
- BOE · Ley 14/2013, artículos 74 bis - 74 quinquies, 75 y 76 (teletrabajo de carácter internacional) ↗
- BOE · Real Decreto 1463/2009, traspaso a la Generalitat de Cataluña de las autorizaciones iniciales de trabajo ↗
- Policía Nacional, sede electrónica · Trámites de extranjería ↗
- Policía Nacional, sede electrónica · Tarjeta inicial o renovación de residencia (EX17, tasa 790-012) ↗
- BOE · Ley Orgánica 4/2000, disposición adicional primera (plazo máximo para resolver) ↗
- Ministerio de Inclusión · Trámites de extranjería por Internet (tasas 052 y 062) ↗
- Ministerio de Inclusión, UGE · Preguntas frecuentes sobre teletrabajadores internacionales ↗
- BOE · Sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de 8 de julio de 2026 (nulidad del art. 197.2 del RD 1155/2024) ↗
- Sede electrónica del Ministerio de Inclusión · Autorizaciones de trabajo y residencia (Tasa 038) ↗
Sources reviewed on 02.10.2026. Consolidated texts and government reference pages are for information only: applying the law depends on official publications, amendments and the specific circumstances. Reviewed by lawyer Francisco Romero Jiménez (ICAB 33641) on 21.10.2026.
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ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.