- A residence permit in Spain (residencia temporal) is issued for more than 90 days and less than five years; permanent residence in the Russian sense (PMZh) corresponds to residencia de larga duración, which is valid indefinitely [1].
- Larga duración comes in two types: national (article 182 of the Reglamento) and larga duración-UE (article 175). Both allow you to live and work indefinitely on the same terms as Spanish citizens [1].
- As a general rule, you need five years of legal, continuous residence before you apply. Absences of up to six months in a row are allowed, but no more than ten months in total over five years (up to eighteen for work-related trips) [1].
- The TIE card of a permanent resident is renewed after five years, then every five years until the holder turns 30 and every ten years after 30; an expired card does not end the status [1].
What is a residence permit in Spain?
A residence permit in Spain is residencia temporal: permission to stay in the country for longer than 90 days and less than five years. This is how article 60 of the Reglamento (Real Decreto 1155/2024) defines it [1]. It includes no lucrativa, family reunification (reagrupación familiar), employment and self-employment, permits without the right to work, and relatives of Spanish citizens, while residence permits under Ley 14/2013 (including the digital nomad one) are issued on separate terms [1][2].
The period depends on the grounds. No lucrativa is issued for one year, with renewal for two years [1]. The DNV is issued for up to three years, then renewed for two years if the conditions are still met [2].
What is permanent residence called in Spain?
Spanish law has no term for “PMZh” (the Russian word for permanent residence): the closest concept is residencia de larga duración, an indefinite permit to live and work on the same terms as Spanish citizens. There are two types [1]:
- Larga duración-UE (article 175): linked to Directive 2003/109/CE, it confirms EU long-term resident status;
- Larga duración nacional (article 182): a national status, not tied to the rules on moving between EU states.
The differences in more detail: larga duración and larga duración-UE.
How do a residence permit and long-term residence differ?
| Feature | Residencia temporal | Larga duración |
|---|---|---|
| Period | More than 90 days and less than five years [1] | Indefinite [1] |
| Condition for applying | Grounds: funds, work, study, family and others [1] | Five years of legal, continuous residence or a special case (for example, a pension) [1] |
| Work | Depends on the permit [1] | On the same terms as Spanish citizens [1] |
| TIE card | Matches the permit period [1] | First renewal after five years, then every five years until age 30 and every ten years after that [1] |
| Loss | Expiry, failure to meet the conditions [1] | Leaving the EU for twelve months in a row; for UE also six years’ absence from Spain [1] |
| Decision on the application | Depends on the grounds, for example three months for a renewal [1] | Three months, silence means approval [1] |
How many years do you need for long-term residence in Spain?
For larga duración you need five years of legal, continuous residence in Spain before you apply (articles 176 and 183) [1]. Absences of up to six months in a row do not break continuity if in total they do not exceed ten months over five years (up to eighteen for work-related trips) [1]. For UE, a study estancia counts at 50% if the applicant already holds residence at the time of applying; in article 183, for national larga duración, we did not find such a provision [1].
There are special cases that do not require five years: a Seguridad Social retirement or disability pension, birth in Spain (subject to additional conditions), former Spanish citizens, stateless persons and refugees [1]. For UE you also need regular income and health insurance [1].
For the DNV, the law gives 3 years plus a 2-year renewal, which makes 5 years, but we did not find any direct statement that this period counts towards larga duración: DNV renewal after three years.
When to apply for long-term residence and what happens next
You apply within the two months before your current permit expires: applying within this period extends its validity until the decision, and applying within three months after expiry also extends it, but penalty proceedings may be opened [1]. If the permit is still valid and the conditions are already met, the two-month window is not mandatory: you can apply earlier [1]. After approval, the TIE is obtained in person within one month [1]. Step-by-step procedure: route card “Residence permit renewal”; the overall path from padrón to card: residence permit in Barcelona on your own.
Long-term residence and citizenship: are they the same?
No. Larga duración gives you a residence permit with no expiry, whereas Spanish citizenship is granted by the Ministry of Justice through a different procedure, with a different residence period and exams. Comparison: residence permit or citizenship; timelines: how many years until citizenship.
What depends on your case
The decision on the type of larga duración, on counting previous permits and on absences depends on your residence history. We do not know how the authority counts periods under specific grounds, so draw up a table of your statuses and trips and show it to a lawyer or gestor. Preparation: renewals and permanent residence.
Frequently asked questions
What is permanent residence in Spain called in Spanish?
After how many years does Spain grant permanent residence?
Can I get permanent residence in Spain through the DNV?
Do I need to prove income for larga duración?
What happens to permanent residence if I leave for a long time?
Does permanent residence give the right to work?
Official sources
- BOE · Real Decreto 1155/2024, articles 60 - 64, 175 - 189, 201 (residencia temporal and larga duración) ↗
- BOE · Ley 14/2013, articles 74 quater, 74 quinquies, 76 (DNV: period and renewal) ↗
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.