EX-32 Form Spain 2026: Extraordinary Arraigo Regularization
EX-32 is Spain’s special form for the 2026 extraordinary regularization procedure known as arraigo extraordinario. The initial application window closed on 30 June 2026, so new initial EX-32 applications can no longer be submitted under this programme.
EX-32 remains highly relevant, however, for people who submitted their application before the deadline and are now waiting for a decision, responding to a requerimiento, working under provisional authorization, obtaining their TIE after approval, or preparing the next immigration step when the one-year permit approaches expiry.
The special procedure was created by Royal Decree 316/2026 through the Twenty-First Additional Provision of Spain’s Immigration Regulation.
It was designed for certain adults who were already in Spain before 1 January 2026, had remained continuously in Spain for the required period, were not already holders of another residence or stay authorization, and could demonstrate at least one of three qualifying connections: work, a qualifying family unit, or officially certified vulnerability.
For the standard current arraigo routes that remain available after the extraordinary programme, see our Arraigo in Spain guide and EX-10 Arraigo Form guide.
You can compare EX-32 with the other Spanish immigration forms in our Spain Immigration Forms: EX-00 to EX-32 guide.
What Is EX-32?
EX-32 is the official form connected with:
Autorización de residencia temporal por circunstancias excepcionales por razón de arraigo extraordinario
In English:
Temporary residence authorization for exceptional circumstances based on extraordinary arraigo.
The procedure was specifically created for Spain’s 2026 extraordinary regularization.
It was not a visa for someone planning to move to Spain from abroad and it was not a permanent new arraigo category open indefinitely.
The applicant had to already be in Spain and satisfy the special 2026 eligibility conditions.
EX-32 at a Glance
| Question | Current Rule |
|---|---|
| Form | EX-32 |
| Procedure | Extraordinary Arraigo |
| Legal basis | Twenty-First Additional Provision of RD 1155/2024 |
| Reform creating procedure | RD 316/2026 |
| Applicant had to be in Spain before | 1 January 2026 |
| Continuous-presence requirement | 5 uninterrupted months immediately before application |
| Initial online filing began | 16 April 2026 |
| Initial in-person filing began | 20 April 2026 |
| Initial filing deadline | 30 June 2026 |
| New initial applications now | Closed |
| Main qualifying routes | Work, family unit or vulnerability |
| Provisional residence while pending | Yes |
| Provisional employee work | Yes |
| Provisional self-employment | Yes |
| Geographic work restriction | No |
| Official decision period | 3 months |
| Administrative silence | Negative |
| Initial permit validity | 1 year |
| Work after approval | Employee and self-employed throughout Spain |
| TIE deadline after approval | 1 month |
| Normal next step | Modification under Article 191 |
| Exceptional extension | Possible in specified circumstances |
Is EX-32 Still Open?
No.
The deadline for submitting a new initial extraordinary arraigo application was:
30 June 2026.
A person who did not submit the special application by that date cannot now start a new EX-32 initial application merely because they have lived in Spain since 2025.
This is one of the most important corrections that should now appear prominently on any EX-32 page.
EX-32 remains relevant to people who filed before the deadline because those cases may still be pending or may have moved into the approval, TIE, modification or extension stages.
Who Could Apply for EX-32?
The special procedure was aimed at certain adults who were already in Spain before 1 January 2026 and were in an irregular administrative situation when applying.
Eligibility required both:
general EX-32 requirements
and:
at least one of three qualifying pathways.
Those pathways were employment or intention to work, residence with a qualifying family unit, or formally certified vulnerability.
General EX-32 Requirements
The applicant generally had to satisfy all of the following conditions.
| Requirement | What It Meant |
|---|---|
| Age | Applicant had to be an adult |
| Presence in Spain | Applicant had to be in Spain before 1 January 2026 and still be in Spain when applying |
| Existing immigration status | Applicant could not already hold another residence or stay authorization |
| Other pending immigration procedures | Applicant could not be an interested party in another grant, extension, renewal or modification procedure for residence or stay |
| Temporary Protection | Applicant could not be or have been a holder of residence under the specified Ukraine Temporary Protection framework |
| Identity documentation | Complete passport, Cédula de Inscripción or recognized travel document could be submitted even if expired |
| Continuous presence | Five uninterrupted months immediately before submitting EX-32 |
| Criminal record | Applicable Spanish and foreign criminal-record requirements had to be satisfied |
| Public order | Applicant could not pose a threat to public order, public security or public health |
| Entry restrictions | Applicant could not be listed as inadmissible under applicable arrangements |
| Voluntary return | Applicant could not still be within an applicable no-return commitment period |
| Fee | Applicable residence-processing fee had to be paid |
Meeting these requirements alone was not enough.
The applicant also needed to qualify through at least one of the three main EX-32 pathways.
The Two Important Presence Dates
EX-32 had two separate timing requirements that should not be confused.
First, the applicant had to have been in Spain:
before 1 January 2026.
Second, the applicant had to demonstrate:
five uninterrupted months of presence immediately before submitting the application.
These are different tests.
For example, a person filing in June 2026 needed evidence showing both that they were already in Spain before 1 January 2026 and that their presence during the five months immediately preceding the June application was uninterrupted.
It is therefore inaccurate to describe EX-32 simply as requiring “five months before 1 January 2026.”
The statutory five-month period was calculated immediately before the application date.
How Could You Prove Presence in Spain?
Spain allowed presence to be demonstrated using any evidence valid in law that contained sufficient personal information to identify the applicant.
Strong evidence could come from healthcare, municipal, administrative, immigration, education, employment or other reliable records.
The Ministry specifically encouraged applicants to provide earlier Spanish documentation even where that documentation related to an unsuccessful immigration procedure.
For example, an earlier asylum refusal or immigration proceeding can still be useful because it may prove that the applicant was physically present in Spain on a particular date.
The objective is to establish a credible chronology rather than simply produce one isolated document.
EX-32 Pathway 1: Work or Intention to Work
The first route was based on employment or economic activity.
An applicant could qualify by showing that they had already worked in Spain or intended to work after regularization.
The law recognized both:
employee work — por cuenta ajena
and:
self-employment — por cuenta propia.
Previous Employment in Spain
A person who had already worked during their period in Spain could use that activity as the qualifying EX-32 connection.
Evidence could include appropriate documentation capable of proving the employment or professional activity.
The extraordinary nature of the procedure meant that the applicant was not required to fit the same framework as an ordinary initial employer-sponsored work permit from abroad.
Intention to Work as an Employee
A person who had not yet established sufficient previous employment could demonstrate an intention to work by providing a:
job offer.
Spain accepted the contractual forms permitted by applicable labour legislation.
Where one or more contracts were relied upon, the contract or combined contracts needed to have a duration of:
more than 90 days within one year.
This was a specific EX-32 rule.
It should not be confused with the ordinary arraigo sociolaboral requirement concerning weekly working hours.
Can Several Employment Contracts Be Combined?
Yes.
The legislation expressly referred to:
the contract or the sum of contracts
having a duration exceeding 90 days in one year.
This made the special procedure more flexible for people working in sectors where employment is spread across several employers or contracts.
Did EX-32 Require the Normal Labour-Market Test?
EX-32 was not an ordinary initial work-permit application.
The applicant qualified through the exceptional-circumstances residence framework rather than through the standard national employment-situation process.
Once approved, the authorization itself provided broad work rights throughout Spain.
Intention to Become Self-Employed
A person intending to work independently could use the self-employment route.
EX-32 included a specific responsible declaration in which the applicant stated the intention to carry out self-employed activity and described the planned work.
The description should have been concrete enough to identify the intended activity.
For example, “services” is vague.
A description such as “residential cleaning and property-maintenance services for private households” gives the administration a much clearer understanding of the proposed activity.
EX-32 self-employment should not be confused with the ordinary initial EX-07 Self-Employed Residence and Work procedure.
EX-32 Pathway 2: Qualifying Family Unit
The second pathway applied to an applicant who remained in Spain together with a qualifying family unit.
For this specific EX-32 test, the family unit could involve:
| Family Member | EX-32 Family-Unit Treatment |
|---|---|
| Son or daughter under 18 | Qualifying |
| Adult son or daughter with disability requiring support | Qualifying |
| Adult child objectively unable to provide for their own needs because of health | Qualifying |
| First-degree ascendant living with applicant | Qualifying |
| Spouse alone | Not the core family-unit criterion by itself |
| Registered partner alone | Not the core family-unit criterion by itself |
This distinction is important.
The core family-unit pathway in the Twenty-First Additional Provision specifically focused on children and first-degree ascendants.
However, a spouse or registered partner who formed part of the applicant’s household could also benefit from the simultaneous-family application provisions where the applicable legal requirements were satisfied.
Proof of the Family Unit
Evidence could include documents establishing both the relationship and the actual household circumstances.
Depending on the case, relevant documentation could include birth certificates, disability evidence, medical documentation, padrón records, proof of cohabitation or other reliable records.
Foreign public documents could require apostille or legalization and sworn translation before being used in Spain.
For document preparation, see our Documents Needed in Spain guide and Translation Services in Spain.
EX-32 Pathway 3: Vulnerability
The third route concerned applicants in a legally recognized situation of vulnerability.
The vulnerability pathway was not intended to be based only on a personal statement.
The situation had to be certified through the specific mechanism created for the extraordinary regularization.
For EX-32 purposes, vulnerability could arise where irregular immigration status together with personal, economic, social, psychosocial, family or housing circumstances affected the applicant’s living conditions or effective access to rights.
Who Could Certify Vulnerability?
The certificate could be issued or validated by competent social-assistance bodies.
Current government guidance also allowed qualifying social entities and trade-union organizations registered in Spain’s Electronic Registry of Immigration Collaborators to certify the situation under the applicable procedure.
The EX-32 package contained the corresponding vulnerability certificate as Annex II.
Does Every EX-32 Applicant Need a Vulnerability Certificate?
No.
This is an important correction.
The applicant needed to satisfy one of the three principal pathways, not all three.
Therefore:
work route → vulnerability certificate not necessary
family-unit route → vulnerability certificate not necessary
vulnerability route → qualifying vulnerability certificate required
A person should not obtain or pay for unnecessary vulnerability documentation where another qualifying route already applies.
The Ministry also made clear that issuance or validation of the specific vulnerability certificate was not a service for which applicants should be charged.
EX-32 and International Protection
EX-32 and EX-31 were created at the same time but served different groups.
The decisive issue was the applicant’s history in Spain’s international-protection system.
International Protection Before 1 January 2026
People who had requested access to, registered or formally submitted an international-protection application before 1 January 2026 were covered by the special EX-31 framework where its requirements were met.
See our EX-31 International Protection Arraigo guide.
International Protection First Requested After 1 January 2026
Government technical guidance specifically addressed people who were already in Spain before 1 January 2026 but first requested international protection after that date.
Where they otherwise satisfied the extraordinary regularization requirements, the appropriate special form was EX-32 rather than EX-31.
If the international-protection application remained pending and EX-32 was approved, the applicant needed to withdraw the pending protection application before completing the corresponding TIE stage.
Someone Who Never Applied for Asylum
A person did not need a history of asylum or international protection to use EX-32.
EX-32 was primarily the extraordinary arraigo route for people outside the pre-2026 international-protection group, provided the other requirements were satisfied.
EX-32 vs EX-31
| EX-31 | EX-32 |
|---|---|
| Special route linked to qualifying international-protection history before 1 January 2026 | Extraordinary arraigo route |
| International-protection history central | International-protection history not generally required |
| Special five-month presence rule | Special five-month presence rule |
| Filing closed 30 June 2026 | Filing closed 30 June 2026 |
| One-year initial residence | One-year initial residence |
| Broad work rights | Broad work rights |
| Normal next step is Article 191 modification | Normal next step is Article 191 modification |
The two forms should not be treated as interchangeable.
Temporary Protection for Ukraine and EX-32
The extraordinary arraigo rules specifically excluded a person who was or had been a holder of residence granted under the EU Temporary Protection framework activated for displaced people from Ukraine.
This did not mean Temporary Protection holders had no Spanish immigration options.
Spain’s 2026 reforms separately expanded the ability of Temporary Protection beneficiaries to move into qualifying ordinary residence or stay categories.
But EX-32 itself was not the special regularization route for someone who had held that Temporary Protection residence.
Criminal Record Requirements
Applicants needed to satisfy both Spanish and foreign criminal-record requirements.
Spain obtained relevant information from its own criminal-record system, EU databases and police reports.
The applicant generally had to provide a criminal-record certificate from the country of origin and other countries where they had lived during the:
five years before entering Spain.
Criminal records that were legally eligible for cancellation in Spain received specific treatment under the regulation.
Does a Police Record Automatically Cause Refusal?
No.
The law expressly stated that the existence of information in a police report did not automatically require refusal by itself.
The administration had to assess whether the applicant actually represented a threat to public order, public security, public health or other protected interests.
The circumstances had to be considered individually.
What If You Could Not Obtain the Foreign Criminal Record?
EX-32 contained a special mechanism for applicants who had genuinely requested the required foreign criminal-record certificate but had not received it.
If the applicant could demonstrate that the certificate had been requested and:
one month had passed without receipt,
Spain could attempt to obtain it through diplomatic channels.
The applicant needed to provide the required evidence and the specific annexes authorizing the Spanish authorities to make the request.
Can Processing Be Suspended for Criminal-Record Checks?
Yes.
Where the diplomatic criminal-record procedure was activated, processing could be suspended for up to:
three months.
The applicant’s provisional authorization remained valid during that permitted suspension.
If the certificate still could not be obtained, the administration could eventually require the applicant to provide it within a further specified period.
Failure to comply could result in the application being treated as withdrawn.
Identity Documents Could Be Expired
The extraordinary regularization contained unusually flexible documentation rules.
The applicant could provide a complete copy of a:
passport
Cédula de Inscripción
or:
recognized travel document
even where the document had expired.
Every page of the relevant document should have been included.
This flexibility was particularly important for people who had lived irregularly in Spain and had difficulty renewing national documentation.
EX-32 Application Documents
The exact package depended on which qualifying pathway was used.
| Document | Work Route | Family Route | Vulnerability Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completed EX-32 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complete passport/travel document | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Criminal-record documentation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Evidence in Spain before 1 Jan 2026 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Five-month continuous-presence evidence | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Employment/work intention evidence | Yes | No | No |
| Family-link evidence | Where relevant | Yes | Where relevant |
| Cohabitation evidence | Where relevant | Yes | Where relevant |
| Vulnerability certificate / Annex II | No | No | Yes |
| Applicable fee evidence | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The government also recommended including earlier Spanish documents capable of proving presence even if they related to refused immigration applications.
EX-32 Fee
The residence-processing fee was paid using:
Modelo 790 Código 052
under the corresponding heading for temporary residence due to exceptional circumstances by reason of arraigo.
The fee became due when the application was:
admitted for processing
and normally had to be paid within:
10 working days.
What If the Applicant Did Not Have an NIE?
An applicant without an NIE was specifically advised not to pay the Modelo 790 Código 052 fee before the administration requested it.
The applicant should wait for the admission-for-processing communication so that the payment could be correctly associated with the immigration procedure.
How Was EX-32 Submitted?
The special application could be presented personally or through an authorized representative.
Electronic submission became available from:
16 April 2026
and the designated in-person process began from:
20 April 2026.
Applications could be channelled through specifically enabled public offices, including designated:
immigration offices, Correos offices and Social Security offices.
Electronic presentation was also available through Spain’s immigration filing system.
The complete filing period ended on:
30 June 2026.
Who Decides EX-32?
The special process was centralized through the immigration administration.
The:
Unidad de Tramitación de Expedientes de Extranjería
checks the application and documentation.
The authority responsible for the final decision is the:
Dirección General de Gestión Migratoria.
This means the legal eligibility criteria do not change because an applicant lives in Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona or Málaga.
Statistical Questionnaire
EX-32 applicants were also required to submit a specific questionnaire concerning their:
training and socio-labour circumstances.
The legislation states that the information in this questionnaire is statistical and used to evaluate the impact of the special programme.
Its contents do not determine whether the immigration application is approved.
What Happens If the Application Is Incomplete?
The administration can issue a:
requerimiento
asking the applicant to correct defects or provide missing documentation.
Under the special procedure, the correction period stated in the notification could not exceed:
15 days.
Failure to respond within the deadline can result in the applicant being treated as having withdrawn the application and the expediente being archived.
Anyone with a pending EX-32 case should therefore monitor official notifications carefully.
How Long Does EX-32 Take?
The maximum statutory decision period is:
three months
from the day after the application enters the register of the authority competent to process it.
The period can be formally suspended under legally permitted circumstances.
For example, the special diplomatic criminal-record procedure can cause a suspension.
Is EX-32 Administrative Silence Positive?
No.
If the statutory decision period expires without notification of a decision, the application is considered:
refused through negative administrative silence.
Three months without an answer should therefore never be treated as automatic residence approval.
What If More Than Three Months Have Passed?
Before assuming that the statutory period has fully expired, check whether:
the administration formally suspended processing,
a criminal-record request caused suspension,
a requerimiento affected processing,
or:
the expediente was delayed because of an action required from the applicant.
Administrative silence can create appeal rights, but it is not equivalent to receiving a favorable residence resolution.
Provisional Residence While EX-32 Is Pending
One of the strongest features of the extraordinary regularization was the provisional status granted during processing.
From the official communication confirming the start of the administrative procedure, the applicant became provisionally authorized to:
reside in Spain while EX-32 was pending.
This provisional authorization remained in force until the procedure was resolved, including during permitted formal suspensions.
Can You Work While EX-32 Is Pending?
Yes.
From the communication initiating processing, qualifying applicants were provisionally authorized to work:
as an employee
and:
as self-employed.
The authorization applied throughout Spain and was not restricted to one:
province, occupation, sector or employer.
The initiation communication should state that the applicant is provisionally authorized to work.
Can You Register With Social Security?
A person working under the valid provisional EX-32 authorization could complete the corresponding Spanish employment and Social Security formalities.
The immigration permission to work did not remove ordinary requirements concerning:
employment contracts, payroll, tax registration, Social Security or autónomo registration.
For the wider system, see our Social Security Number in Spain guide.
What Happens to Provisional Work Rights After Approval?
If EX-32 is approved, the applicant receives the definitive one-year extraordinary arraigo residence authorization.
Where applicable, the effects of the final authorization can relate back to the application date.
The definitive permit itself provides broad employee and self-employed work rights.
What Happens to Provisional Work Rights After Refusal?
A refusal automatically ends the provisional work authorization.
A separate decision cancelling the temporary work right is not necessary.
If the applicant has been working as an employee, the regulation requires them to inform the employer immediately once the result has been notified.
Do not continue relying on the provisional EX-32 authorization after a refusal.
EX-32 and Return or Expulsion Proceedings
A favorable EX-32 decision can affect certain immigration return or expulsion proceedings related to specified irregular-stay infringements.
Where the statutory conditions apply, approval results in:
closure of the relevant return or expulsion procedure
and, where applicable:
revocation of the existing order.
This does not mean EX-32 cancels every possible expulsion order regardless of why it was issued.
The legal basis of the particular proceeding matters.
How Long Is EX-32 Residence Valid?
A successful extraordinary arraigo authorization is valid for:
one year.
During that year, the holder can live and work throughout Spain.
Unlike some temporary permits, the EX-32 authorization is not restricted to:
one employer, one occupation, one province or one economic sector.
Work Rights After Approval
The definitive authorization allows:
employee work
and:
self-employment
throughout Spanish territory.
A holder can therefore potentially:
change employers,
take a new job,
work for more than one employer,
or:
establish qualifying self-employed activity
without obtaining a completely new immigration authorization simply because the type of work changes.
Normal labour, tax, licensing and Social Security requirements still apply.
TIE After EX-32 Approval
The foreign national must request the physical:
Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero — TIE
during the:
one month immediately following approval.
The card is issued for the validity period of the residence authorization.
The immigration authorization itself already produces full rights from approval; the TIE is the physical document proving that status.
For the card procedure, see our EX-17 TIE Form guide and TIE Card Spain guide.
EX-32 and Spouses, Registered Partners and Parents
The extraordinary framework also contained a simultaneous-family mechanism.
Where a qualifying applicant had a:
first-degree ascendant, spouse or registered partner
forming part of the same cohabitation unit, that family member could submit the special authorization simultaneously where the applicable requirements were met.
The related applications could then be decided together.
This did not mean every relative automatically received residence because the principal applicant qualified.
Each applicant still needed to satisfy the legal requirements applicable to the special authorization.
Children of EX-32 Applicants
The 2026 reform also created temporary flexibility for:
minor children
and:
adult children with a disability requiring support or who could not objectively provide for their own needs because of health.
Qualifying applications could be coordinated with the parent’s extraordinary regularization case.
Child Born in Spain
Children falling under Article 159 normally have a specific filing period after birth.
For applications linked to the 2026 extraordinary regularization, that normal six-month filing requirement could be waived.
Child Not Born in Spain
Article 160 normally requires more extensive conditions for a foreign child born outside Spain.
During the special 2026 measure, qualifying linked applications could be exempted from the normal requirements concerning:
two years of prior presence,
economic resources,
and:
adequate housing.
The child still had to demonstrate:
five months of uninterrupted presence in Spain before the application.
How Long Is the Child’s Residence?
Qualifying residence granted under the special Article 159 or Article 160 arrangements has a validity of:
five years.
These linked child rules were temporary and tied to applications submitted by the extraordinary programme deadline.
They do not create a new open-ended 2026/2027 route for children whose parents never filed within the special period.
For the current general rules concerning foreign children, see our EX-25 Foreign Minors guide.
What Happens When the One-Year EX-32 Permit Expires?
This is now one of the most important questions for anyone approved through EX-32.
The normal next step is:
modification under Article 191 of the Immigration Regulation.
The holder should normally apply during:
the two months before the EX-32 permit expires.
For the modification process, see our EX-26 Modification of Residence and Work Status guide.
Can You Apply for Modification After Expiry?
Yes.
The application can also be submitted during the:
three months after the previous authorization expires.
However, filing after expiry can expose the applicant to an administrative sanction.
Preparing the modification before expiry is therefore preferable.
Does Filing the Modification Extend EX-32?
Yes.
A qualifying Article 191 modification filed within the permitted period extends the validity of the previous authorization while the modification procedure is being decided.
This can protect continuity of:
residence and work rights.
What Can EX-32 Be Modified Into?
The correct Article 191 destination depends on the holder’s circumstances when the one-year authorization approaches expiry.
Common possibilities can involve ordinary:
employee residence and work
or:
self-employed residence and work.
The conditions of the requested modification must be satisfied.
A person should therefore start preparing employment, Social Security, self-employment or other supporting evidence well before the final two months.
Can EX-32 Be Extended Instead of Modified?
Yes, but extension is exceptional.
The normal rule is:
EX-32 → Article 191 modification.
If modification cannot be obtained, two special extension mechanisms exist.
One-Year Exceptional Extension
Where modification is not possible, the authorization can exceptionally be extended if the holder demonstrates either:
active job seeking plus proper registration with the public employment service
or:
a favorable integration-effort report recommending extension.
The extension is valid for:
one year.
Integration-Effort Report
The integration report is issued by the competent authority of the Autonomous Community where the applicant lives.
A favorable report can examine matters including the person’s integration effort and knowledge of the official languages of the place of residence.
The report must recommend extension.
It is not the same as simply proving that the applicant attended one course.
Four-Year Exceptional Extension
A significantly longer extension can apply where circumstances properly prevent access to employment.
Examples identified by the current regulation include serious illness or disability affecting:
the applicant,
the applicant’s spouse,
or:
a first-degree descendant who is a minor or an adult objectively unable to provide for their own needs because of health.
The four-year extension can also apply where the applicant has reached:
Spain’s legal retirement age.
Where the conditions are satisfied, this extension lasts:
four years.
Is Job-Seeking Evidence Required for the Four-Year Extension?
No.
The four-year extension is based on a different legal justification.
Where qualifying serious illness, disability or retirement circumstances apply, the holder does not need to satisfy the active-job-search or integration-report conditions used for the ordinary one-year exceptional extension.
EX-32 vs Ordinary Arraigo
EX-32 was a temporary extraordinary programme.
Standard arraigo continues after the special EX-32 application window has closed.
| EX-32 Extraordinary Arraigo | Standard Arraigo |
|---|---|
| Special 2026 programme | Ongoing immigration framework |
| Filing ended 30 June 2026 | Continues under current law |
| 5-month special presence period | Standard routes generally use their own longer presence requirements |
| Work, family-unit or vulnerability pathways | Second chance, sociolaboral, social, socioformativo and familiar |
| EX-32 | Generally EX-10 |
| Initial validity 1 year | Depends on standard category |
Someone who missed the EX-32 deadline should therefore determine whether they now qualify independently for a standard arraigo route.
EX-32 vs Arraigo Sociolaboral
The work pathway under EX-32 should not be confused with current arraigo sociolaboral.
EX-32 used its own special employment rule, including acceptance of a contract or combined contracts lasting:
more than 90 days in one year.
Ordinary arraigo sociolaboral has its own separate conditions concerning:
required period in Spain, employment contracts, weekly hours and other requirements.
Do not use the old EX-32 thresholds for a new EX-10 sociolaboral application.
EX-32 vs EX-31
EX-31 was mainly linked to people with qualifying international-protection history before 1 January 2026.
EX-32 covered the separate extraordinary arraigo population.
Both special initial filing windows closed on 30 June 2026.
For the protection-related procedure, see our EX-31 Spain guide.
EX-32 vs EX-26
These forms can appear consecutively in the same immigration journey.
A typical sequence is:
EX-32 → One-year extraordinary residence → EX-26 → Ordinary residence/work authorization
EX-32 provided the exceptional 2026 regularization.
EX-26 is normally the form used later for qualifying modification into the ordinary immigration system.
EX-32 vs EX-17
EX-32 creates the underlying extraordinary residence authorization.
EX-17 concerns the later physical TIE process.
The sequence after approval is:
EX-32 approval → TIE appointment → EX-17 → Physical TIE
The two forms should not be confused.
Can You Travel While EX-32 Is Pending?
A provisional EX-32 residence/work authorization should not automatically be treated as equivalent to a valid physical Spanish residence card for international travel.
Airlines and border authorities may require proper:
passport, residence-card or other travel documentation.
Someone with a pending EX-32 case should be particularly careful before leaving Spain.
After approval and issuance of a valid TIE, ordinary travel rules applicable to the person’s nationality and residence status can be followed.
Does EX-32 Lead Directly to Permanent Residence?
No.
The initial permit is valid for one year.
The expected pathway is generally:
EX-32 → ordinary residence/work modification → continued legal residence → potential long-term residence later
subject to the requirements applicable at each stage.
EX-32 itself is not permanent residence.
Does EX-32 Time Count Toward Long-Term Residence?
The approved authorization is a Spanish temporary residence authorization.
Periods spent legally resident can therefore be relevant to the calculation of future long-term residence subject to the applicable continuity and absence rules.
The provisional period before final approval should be considered according to the legal effect established in the final authorization and the applicant’s individual residence history.
Does EX-32 Count Toward Spanish Citizenship?
EX-32 grants legal residence rather than tourist status or ordinary irregular stay.
Legal residence can potentially count toward Spanish nationality by residence from the legally effective residence date, subject to the nationality rules applicable to the individual.
Do not count previous irregular residence in Spain as though it were automatically legal residence for nationality purposes.
What If Your EX-32 Application Is Still Pending?
If you filed by 30 June 2026 and have not received a decision, the important issues are now procedural rather than initial eligibility.
You should verify the expediente, keep the initiation communication proving provisional authorization, monitor official notifications, respond to any requerimiento within the deadline and retain documents showing your employment or self-employment situation if you are working.
The statutory three-month period should also be checked together with any formal suspension of processing.
What If EX-32 Is Approved?
After approval, the key sequence is:
Read approval → Check effective dates → Request TIE within one month → Maintain employment/Social Security records → Note one-year expiry → Prepare Article 191 modification early
Do not treat approval as the end of the immigration process.
The permit lasts only one year.
What If EX-32 Is Refused?
A refusal ends provisional work rights automatically.
The applicant should review the exact reason stated in the decision.
Possible issues can involve presence evidence, criminal records, procedural incompatibility, insufficient work/family/vulnerability evidence or another unmet statutory requirement.
The applicant can then assess:
administrative remedies,
judicial review,
or:
another independent Spanish immigration route.
Do not continue relying on the EX-32 provisional work authorization after notification of refusal.
EX-32 Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Rule |
|---|---|
| Thinking EX-32 is still open | Initial filing closed 30 June 2026 |
| Thinking five months had to be before 1 Jan 2026 | Applicant had to be in Spain before 1 Jan 2026 and have five uninterrupted months immediately before application |
| Thinking everyone needed vulnerability certification | Only applicants using the vulnerability pathway needed it |
| Thinking all three pathways were required | Only one qualifying pathway was required |
| Thinking spouse alone created the core family-unit pathway | The core family test focused on children and first-degree ascendants |
| Thinking only a full employment contract worked | Previous work, qualifying job offer or self-employment declaration could qualify |
| Thinking one contract was required | Multiple contracts could be combined |
| Confusing EX-32 with ordinary sociolaboral | Different legal requirements apply |
| Confusing EX-32 with EX-31 | EX-31 was the special pre-2026 international-protection route |
| Assuming Temporary Protection holders qualified | Specified Ukraine Temporary Protection residence was excluded |
| Assuming passport had to be current | The special procedure accepted specified expired identity/travel documents |
| Paying the fee too early without NIE | Applicants without NIE were told to wait for the administration’s request |
| Thinking application submission alone granted work rights | Provisional work rights arose from the official initiation communication |
| Thinking provisional work was employer-specific | It covered employee/self-employed work across Spain |
| Treating three months without answer as approval | Administrative silence was negative |
| Forgetting the TIE after approval | TIE must be requested within one month |
| Thinking the permit lasts several years | Initial EX-32 authorization lasts one year |
| Waiting until expiry to plan next status | Modification should normally be prepared before expiry |
| Assuming EX-32 renews automatically | Modification is the normal next route; extension is exceptional |
EX-32 Pending Case Checklist
If you submitted EX-32 before the deadline, make sure you have:
- the application submission receipt;
- your expediente information;
- the official communication initiating processing;
- proof of your provisional residence and work rights;
- evidence that the applicable fee was paid;
- complete criminal-record documentation or proof of the special criminal-record procedure;
- current contact and notification information;
- copies of all documents submitted;
- copies of any requerimientos and your responses;
- Social Security records if employed;
- tax and Social Security registration if self-employed;
- a record of any formal suspension of the procedure;
- a plan for the TIE after approval;
- a plan for Article 191 modification before the one-year permit expires.
Frequently Asked Questions About EX-32
What is EX-32 in Spain?
EX-32 is the form created for Spain’s 2026 temporary residence authorization based on extraordinary arraigo.
Can I apply for EX-32 now?
No.
The initial application period ended on 30 June 2026.
Why does EX-32 still matter?
Pending applications still need to be processed, approved applicants need TIEs, and holders later need to modify or exceptionally extend their one-year residence authorization.
When did I need to be in Spain?
Before 1 January 2026.
How long did I need to have lived continuously in Spain?
Five uninterrupted months immediately before submitting the application.
Did I need five months in Spain before 1 January 2026?
Not exactly.
You needed to have been in Spain before 1 January 2026 and separately prove five uninterrupted months immediately before your application.
Did I need a job?
Not necessarily.
Employment was only one of three qualifying pathways.
What were the three pathways?
Work or intention to work, residence with a qualifying family unit, or officially certified vulnerability.
Could previous employment qualify?
Yes.
The special route allowed evidence of previous employee or self-employed activity in Spain.
Could a job offer qualify?
Yes.
How long did the employment offer need to last?
The contract or combined contracts needed a duration exceeding 90 days in one year.
Could I combine contracts from several employers?
Yes.
Could I apply as self-employed?
The special procedure allowed intention to carry out self-employed activity to be demonstrated through the specific responsible declaration included with EX-32.
Did every applicant need a vulnerability certificate?
No.
It was needed only when vulnerability was the qualifying pathway.
Who could certify vulnerability?
Competent public social-assistance services and qualifying collaborating organizations under the special procedure.
Could they charge for the certificate?
The government stated that the special vulnerability certification process should not be charged to applicants.
Who counted in the family-unit route?
The core rule covered minor children, qualifying disabled or medically dependent adult children, and first-degree ascendants living with the applicant.
What about a spouse?
A spouse or registered partner could potentially submit simultaneously as part of the household under the special family provisions, but spouse status alone was not the wording of the core family-unit test in the principal qualifying pathway.
Could parents apply simultaneously?
Qualifying first-degree ascendants forming part of the cohabitation unit could potentially be included under the special rules.
Could children apply?
Qualifying children had special linked Article 159 and 160 procedures during the programme.
How long was a qualifying child’s residence?
Generally five years under the applicable foreign-minor rules.
Are those special child applications still open?
The special filing flexibility was tied to the 30 June 2026 deadline.
Was Temporary Protection for Ukraine compatible with EX-32?
No.
A person who was or had been a holder of the specified Temporary Protection residence was excluded from EX-32.
What if I requested asylum before 1 January 2026?
The special EX-31 route was designed for qualifying people with that international-protection history.
What if I first requested asylum after 1 January 2026?
Government technical guidance indicated that a person otherwise qualifying for the extraordinary process would use EX-32 and, after a favorable decision, withdraw the pending international-protection application before the TIE stage.
Could an expired passport be used?
Yes.
The special procedure allowed specified expired passports, Cédulas de Inscripción and recognized travel documents.
What criminal record was required?
The applicant generally needed the relevant certificate from the country of origin and countries where they had lived during the five years before entering Spain.
What if the foreign authority did not send my criminal-record certificate?
After proving that it had been requested and one month had passed, the special diplomatic-request mechanism could potentially be activated using the required annexes.
Which fee applies?
Modelo 790 Código 052 under the applicable exceptional-circumstances arraigo heading.
When was the fee due?
When the application was admitted for processing, generally with payment required within 10 working days.
What if I had no NIE?
Applicants without an NIE were advised to wait for the admission communication before paying the fee.
How long does EX-32 take?
The statutory maximum decision period is three months, subject to legally permitted suspension.
Is silence positive?
No.
Administrative silence is negative.
Can I work while EX-32 is pending?
Yes, once the official communication initiating processing grants the provisional authorization.
Can I work for any employer?
The provisional immigration work authorization is not restricted to one employer, sector, occupation or province.
Can I become autónomo?
Yes, while respecting the normal Spanish tax, Social Security and professional requirements.
What happens if EX-32 is refused?
The provisional work authorization ends automatically.
How long is the approved permit?
One year.
Can I work after approval?
Yes, both as an employee and self-employed person throughout Spain.
Do I need a TIE?
Yes.
The physical card should be requested within one month after approval.
Which form is used for the TIE?
The physical card procedure normally uses EX-17.
What happens after the one-year EX-32 permit?
The normal next step is modification under Article 191.
Which form is used for modification?
Generally EX-26.
When should I modify?
During the two months before the permit expires.
Can I apply after expiry?
The modification can also be submitted during the three months after expiry, although a sanction may be possible.
Does the previous permit remain valid while modification is pending?
Yes, when the modification is filed within the permitted period.
Can EX-32 be extended instead?
Exceptionally, when the person cannot obtain the normal modification.
How long is the ordinary exceptional extension?
One year where the active-job-search or favorable integration-report requirements are satisfied.
Can an extension last four years?
Yes, in specified cases involving serious illness, disability, qualifying family health circumstances or reaching legal retirement age.
Does EX-32 give permanent residence?
No.
It begins with a one-year temporary residence authorization.
What Should You Do Now?
The correct action depends on where you are in the EX-32 process.
You never submitted EX-32 by 30 June 2026
The special extraordinary regularization is closed. Check the ordinary current Arraigo routes in Spain instead.
You submitted EX-32 and are waiting
Monitor the expediente, official notifications, provisional work authorization and any requerimiento.
Your EX-32 has been approved
Request your TIE within one month and keep the approval resolution and employment documentation.
Your EX-32 permit is approaching its one-year expiry
Review the EX-26 Modification of Residence and Work Status guide and prepare the Article 191 transition before expiry.
You cannot qualify for normal modification
Check whether you satisfy the one-year or four-year exceptional EX-32 extension rules.
The complete immigration pathway can therefore look like:
Presence in Spain before 1 January 2026 → EX-32 filed by 30 June 2026 → Provisional residence/work → Approval → TIE → One-year residence → EX-26 modification or exceptional EX-32 extension
For standard arraigo after the extraordinary programme, see our EX-10 Arraigo Form guide.
For international-protection cases, see our EX-31 Spain guide.
For children linked to these procedures, see our EX-25 Foreign Minors guide.
For the physical residence card, see our EX-17 TIE Form guide.
You can compare every Spanish immigration form in our Spain Immigration Forms guide.
For assistance with a pending EX-32 application, TIE preparation, a requerimiento, or planning the next residence authorization before the one-year permit expires, contact Newcomer.es.