Documents for renewing a Spanish residence permit: checklist by route

Documents for renewing a residence permit in Spain: the general set

Every ministry information sheet we opened (Hoja 7, 10, 13 and 15) repeats the same set. An application on the official form, signed by the applicant. A copy of the full valid passport or travel document. Proof of payment of the fee. A school certificate if you have school-age children. For foreign documents: a sworn translation into Spanish or the region’s official language and an apostille if the document is public and was issued abroad [2][3][4][5].

The form depends on the ground. For no lucrativa it is EX-01, for employment EX-03, for self-employment EX-07, for family reunification EX-02 (and EX-11 if the family member you joined has obtained long-term resident status) [2][3][4][5]. You apply through the ministry’s sede or in person at the oficina de extranjería: the Supreme Court annulled the general obligation to apply electronically (article 197.2 of the Reglamento) in July 2026, so check the method on the day you apply. More on how to apply: digital certificate and representative.

No lucrativa: funds, insurance and 183 days

For no lucrativa renewal, article 64 lists these conditions: valid insurance that has been in place throughout the permit and continues, sufficient funds for the renewal period without the right to work, schooling for children of compulsory school age, the fee paid, and actual residence in Spain for more than 183 days in a calendar year [1]. With the application you attach a copy of your full passport, documents on funds and insurance for the renewal period and, if you have school-age children, a certificate from the regional authorities on their schooling [1][2].

A renewed no lucrativa permit is valid for two years, unless it is time to move to long-term residence [1]. Besides the formal conditions, article 64 requires the authority to consider whether tax and Seguridad Social obligations were met while the permit was valid, and to assess the applicant’s “integration effort” [1]. More on the regime itself: no lucrativa renewal and financial means for no lucrativa.

Employment: the documents depend on the renewal ground

Article 80 lists several situations in which an employment permit is renewed. The ministry’s information sheet sets out the documents for each [1][3]:

• You keep working for the same employer: no documents other than the standard set need to be attached [3].
• You worked for at least three months a year and changed employer or have a new contract: an employment contract with the new employer or a new contract on the terms of article 74 starting after the renewal [3].
• Your employment ended through no choice of your own and you are registered as a jobseeker: proof that the employment ended and registration with the employment service [3].
• You receive unemployment benefit or social assistance for finding work: proof that the payment was granted [3].
• You worked and were registered with Seguridad Social for at least nine months out of twelve: proof of why the work ended and of an active job search [3].
• A family member can sponsor you for reunification on their income: proof of the family relationship and of their funds [1][3].

The renewal is valid for four years, unless you become entitled to long-term residence [1]. If a condition is not met, article 80 lets you attach a favourable integration report from the region: it does not replace the conditions, but it is taken into account in the decision [1][3].

Self-employment: what the authority checks itself

A self-employment permit can be renewed when the continuation of the activity that gave rise to the permit is proven, after a check of tax and Seguridad Social obligations. The authority carries out this check on its own initiative; you do not need to request it [1]. Unpaid contributions do not in themselves block the renewal if you prove that you habitually carry on the activity, but the arrears are reported to the labour inspectorate [1].

In addition, the authority requests a Spanish criminal record certificate and a police report, and you attach your passport and, if you have children, a school certificate [1][4]. If the activity has not continued, there are fallback grounds: a relative with sufficient income for reunification, cessation of activity benefit, unemployment benefit and others [1][4].

Family reunification and studies

To renew a family reunification permit, article 71 requires that the permits of both the sponsor and the reunified family member are valid or within the three-month period after expiry, and that the family relationship continues [1]. Documents: full copies of both passports, documents showing the marriage or partnership is still in force and, where needed, a school certificate and an integration report [1][5]. The renewed permit is valid for four years but depends on the sponsor’s permit [1].

For a study estancia, article 55 refers to the conditions for initial admission: enrolment at a recognised educational institution, payment of tuition fees, sufficient funds, insurance and a valid passport [1]. Exactly which documents the authority accepts from a particular school depends on the programme. Full review: renewing a study estancia.

Digital nomad visa renewal: we found no official list

For initial DNV applications the UGE publishes a list of documents; we have not found a separate list for renewal in public sources. The law only says that renewal for two years is possible if the conditions that gave the right to the permit are still met, and that the ministry may request the reports it needs [6]. These conditions include remote work for a foreign company, sufficient funds, health cover and no criminal record [6][7].

What we think is sensible to prepare in advance. Proof of a current contract or an employer’s letter setting out the remote work terms. Proof of income for recent months and a comparison with the threshold: at present it is €2,849 a month before tax; how to calculate it is covered in the article on income for the DNV. Proof that you are registered with Seguridad Social and that your tax obligations are met: the UGE states that alta in Seguridad Social is mandatory, and for the self-employed, its absence found during a check leads to the permit being terminated [7]. This is our conclusion from the text of the law, not an official list. More: DNV renewal after three years.

Translations, apostille and integration report

The authority accepts documents from other countries with a sworn translation and either an apostille or consular legalisation, unless the country is exempt from legalisation under an international treaty [2][3][4]. If you are gathering certificates in Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan, allow time for the apostille and translation: what an apostille is and sworn translation.

The integration report (informe de esfuerzo de integración) is issued by the autonomous community. It is not always required: articles 64, 80, 86 and 71 name it as an argument that is taken into account if a renewal condition is not met [1][2][3][4]. If the report is not issued within a month and you can prove it, the integration effort can be shown by any admissible means [1].

Common mistakes when gathering documents

• Using a checklist for a different ground: the no lucrativa list does not fit employment, and vice versa.
• Attaching insurance that ends before the renewal period does.
• Proving income “for the last month” when the whole period or a figure for the renewal period is needed.
• People leave the apostille and translation until the last moment or, the other way round, get them done too early, and a certificate with a limited validity has to be ordered again.
• Forgetting the school certificate for children of compulsory school age: if it is missing, the authority informs the education authorities and warns you in writing that without the certificate within a month the permit will not be renewed [1].
• Sending the full package but not keeping a copy and the submission receipt.

When you need an individual review

If your ground changed while the permit was valid, if your income level or family composition is not the same as in the first application, or if there were gaps in work or trips longer than a few weeks, it is better to draw up the list of documents with a specialist. The ministry’s information sheets give the general framework, while the articles of the Reglamento provide for separate situations in each category [1].

How we can help

We draw up a checklist for your ground, check the validity dates of your insurance, passport and certificates, and order translations and the apostille. Fees and translations are paid separately; 50% is paid upfront before work starts and 50% before submission. Book a consultation. Service: residence permit renewal; step-by-step plan: route card “Residence permit renewal”.

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