SpainProtection

Asylum in Spain: international protection

International protection in Spain (asylum and subsidiary protection)

In short

Asylum in Spain is requested in person on Spanish territory or at a border post, at the latest within one month of entry. At border posts the Interior Ministry decides on admission within four days; the regular procedure should end within six months. Applicants get free legal aid and an interpreter and may work six months after applying.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Processing time
Border: admission decision within four days; inside Spain: within one month; regular procedure: six months, after which silence counts as refusal.
Work
Six months after the application if it is still undecided; the applicant document is marked "autoriza a trabajar".
Family
Protection can be extended to family members, or the beneficiary can apply for family reunification.
Path to permanent residence
Refugees and subsidiary protection holders can obtain long-term residence without the usual five years.
Where to apply
In Spain or at a Spanish border post, in person; not at Spanish embassies or consulates abroad.

Where and when to apply

Claims are made in person at border posts, police stations or the Interior Ministry's Asylum and Refugee Office (OAR), within one month of entering Spain or of the events causing the fear. Irregular entry is not penalised for those who qualify. Spanish embassies do not register claims, though an ambassador may arrange transfer to Spain for someone at physical risk.

Procedure

Inside Spain, admission is decided within one month, or the claim is admitted. At a border post the decision comes within four days; re-examination can be requested within two days and is answered within two more. A claim is inadmissible if EU rules make another state responsible. The Interministerial Asylum and Refugee Commission then proposes and the Interior Minister decides. Since June 2026 the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum also applies.

  1. Within one month of entry, ask for international protection at a border post, police station or the OAR.
  2. Give your account with an interpreter and hand over your documents.
  3. Wait for admission: four days at the border, one month inside Spain.
  4. Keep your applicant document valid; after six months it lets you work.
  5. If refused, appeal within the deadlines stated in the decision.

After recognition

Refugees and subsidiary protection holders receive residence and work authorisation and identity and travel documents. Protection can be extended to family members, or they can choose family reunification, and long-term residence is open to them without the usual five years.

Rights during the procedure

Applicants have free legal aid and an interpreter, mandatory at the border, health care and an applicant document, and cannot be removed while the claim is pending. Those without means receive reception services. If no decision is made within six months, they may work; the document then carries the note "autoriza a trabajar".

Appeals

Decisions can be challenged by an optional reconsideration request (recurso de reposición) and before the contentious-administrative courts; a request to suspend removal is treated as especially urgent.

Where to get information

UNHCR runs an official help site for Spain covering the procedure, documents and rights in several languages.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Any identity or travel documents you have

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • Documents proving family links

Other

  • Evidence supporting your account
  • Medical reports on particular vulnerabilities

Frequently asked questions

Is there a deadline to apply for asylum in Spain?

Yes, at the latest within one month of entry or of the events causing the fear.

Can I apply at a Spanish consulate abroad?

No, applications are made in Spain or at its border posts.

How long does the regular procedure take?

Six months; then silence counts as refusal, though the administration must still decide.

When can asylum seekers work?

Six months after applying, if the claim is still undecided.

Is legal aid free?

Yes, with a free interpreter; at the border a lawyer is mandatory.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Spain

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Processing time: Apply at least two months before studies start; once the stay authorisation is favourable, the visa is decided within one month.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: Up to 180 days for authorisations of up to six months, otherwise 365 days; seasonal contracts up to 270 days.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Digital nomad visa Validity: Visa up to one year; then a residence authorisation of up to three years, renewable for two.

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: Visa valid for 365 days; apply for the TIE within one month of arrival; renewals are filed in the two months before expiry.
  • Permanent residence Validity: The status is indefinite; the TIE card is first renewed after five years, then every five years until age 30 and every ten years after that.

Faster processing

  • Fast-track and priority visa services Validity: Visa: one year or the authorisation's length if shorter. Highly qualified, entrepreneur and teleworker authorisations: up to three years, renewable for two.

Spain visa guide