If an illegal immigrant wants to apply for a resident permit after entering Spain, the first task they need to do is empadronamiento. This is mainly considered proof of address. When an immigrant enters Spain, they need to collect the Certificado de Empadronamiento from the nearest municipal office to complete this task. To do this, they must bring the owner of the house where they live or a contract of the house in that area to the municipal office to collect the certificate.

After registering for empadronamiento, you must continuously stay in Spain for three years to apply for a residence permit. You cannot stay outside Spain for more than 120 days during this period. The first step is obtaining the Certificado de Empadronamiento. To obtain this certificate, you must have a valid passport.

This was essentially the first step. After three years, if you can collect all the following documents, only then can you apply for a residence permit. The process of applying for TRC through empadronamiento is called arraigo social. Arraigo social is divided into several categories, such as:

• Arraigo familiar
• Arraigo Laboro
• Arraigo Social

You can apply for a resident permit under these three categories of arraigo.

Arraigo Familiar: Those whose parents are Spanish citizens and who have somehow entered Spain can apply for a resident permit under arraigo familiar. In this case, the child must be under 18 years old, and their relationship must be proven.

Arraigo Laboro: Those who have been working illegally under a company in Spain for about two years can apply for a resident permit under arraigo laboro. For this, you must show a job in a Spanish company and provide evidence of at least two years of work. When applying for a resident permit, this work must be registered with the National Employment Institute.

Our main topic today is how to obtain legal status under arraigo social. So let’s get to the main point. To obtain legal status under arraigo social, you need to keep the following things in mind:

• You are a citizen of a non-European Union country.
• You have continuously stayed in Spain for three years (from the date of empadronado registration). To prove your continuous stay for three years, you must collect the Certificado de Empadronamiento record from the municipal office.
• You have proficiency in the Spanish language.
• You have managed a job contract from a Spanish company that is a full-time job contract according to Spanish law (40 hours per week) and with a minimum salary.
• You have no criminal record.

If you meet the above criteria, you can apply for a residence permit in Spain. You must submit all documents together at the Spanish Foreign Office. They will review and notify you with a letter that your application has been accepted.

You can then go to the immigration police to apply for TRC.

Additionally, you need to provide evidence that you have stayed in Spain for three years. You can submit a medical card, bus, tram, metro card, library card, or bank statement as proof. If they meet these few conditions, they can obtain a residence permit under Spain’s arraigo social. First, you must show evidence of staying in the municipality for three years in Spain. Second, you must have a full-time job contract, and third, you must not have a criminal record. These are the main points for processing papers under arraigo social.

Benefits: If you get TRC, you will enjoy all the citizen benefits like other legal immigrants in Spain. You will get a tax number, social security number, social benefits, and the opportunity to bring your family from your home country. Initially, you will get a one-year TRC. If you renew it for the second time, you will get a two-year card, and if you renew it for the third time, you will get another two-year card. After five years of legal stay, you can apply for a long-term residence permit. After a specified period, you can apply for Spanish citizenship if you wish.

You can read other articles on my blog:

• Necessary advice and steps to obtain tourist visas for Europe, America, and Canada.
• Essential knowledge to avoid fraud while traveling abroad!
• Legal ways to settle in America.
• Steps to follow for applying for higher education in the UK if you want to study in the UK!

Note: This is my first article related to Spain. I would be grateful if you inform me of any factual errors or allow me to correct them. Thank you. Arraigo social.