Arraigo and Family-Based Permit Processing Overview
As of early June 2026, the Madrid Immigration Office’s processing times for Arraigo (social roots) permits vary by type. Initial applications for Family Arraigo (Arraigo Familiar) are being processed up to those submitted on April 21. Initial applications for Social Arraigo (Arraigo Social), Second Chance Arraigo, and Social-Labor Arraigo are all being processed up to April 16. For Training Arraigo (Arraigo para la Formación), both initial applications and appeals are being processed up to May 7.
For family-related residence permits, the processing status is as follows:
- Residence for family members of Spanish citizens: Initial applications are being processed up to April 1, 2026, while appeals are being processed up to February 18, 2026.
- Residence for family members of EU citizens: Initial applications for both temporary and permanent cards are being processed up to March 22, 2026, with appeals being processed up to April 20.
- Family Reunification: Initial applications are being processed up to March 5, 2026, and renewals up to February 28, 2026.
Progress on Student and Work-Related Permits
The processing status for student and work-related permits, which are of high interest, is as follows:
- Student Permits: Initial applications are processed up to April 28, 2026, while renewals have advanced quickly to May 3. It’s worth noting that appeals for student permit renewals are significantly delayed, with applications from October 20, 2025, currently being processed.
- Work Permits: Initial applications for employee work permits are processed up to January 30, 2026. In contrast, initial applications for self-employed work permits are moving faster, processed up to May 17. Renewals for both employee and self-employed permits are processed up to February 1. The processing for changing other permit types to a work permit is mostly concentrated in January 2026, but the slowest category is for those changing from a permit as a family member of a Spanish or EU citizen, which is currently processing applications from December 12, 2025.
Long-Term, Non-Lucrative, and Other Permit Types
For permits aimed at long-term, stable residence, the processing progress is steady.
- Long-Term Residence: Initial applications for both Spanish and EU long-term residence permits are processed up to February 20, 2026. However, appeals for both types are processing much slower, currently at September 30, 2024.
- Non-Lucrative Residence: Initial applications are processed up to May 12, 2026, with renewals processed up to February 9. Appeals for both are currently handling files from August 31, 2025.
- Residence for Minors: Whether born inside or outside Spain, initial applications are processed up to mid-to-late April 2026.
- Other Special Permits: Initial applications for humanitarian residence are processed up to April 27, 2026, with appeals processed up to May 18, showing relatively fast progress.
Important Notes and Official Inquiry Channel
All dates mentioned above are based on data published on June 3, 2026, and are for reference only. Actual processing times may vary depending on the complexity of individual cases and policy changes.
To get the most accurate status of your personal application, it is recommended to check through the Spanish Public Administration’s Electronic Office (SEDE Electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas). The official inquiry website is: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/infoext2/
