Long-term resident status can be recovered by foreigners who have held a long-term residence permit in Spain and who have, moreover, been absent from European Union territory for 12 consecutive months or have acquired EU long-term resident status in another EU Member State or have completed the period during which they committed not to return to Spain, having voluntarily agreed to return to their country of origin.
EU long-term resident status can be recovered by foreigners who have held an EU long-term residence permit in Spain and who have, moreover, been absent from European Union territory for 12 consecutive months or have acquired EU long-term resident status in another EU Member State or have been out of Spain for more than 6 years.
To obtain a long-term resident or EU long-term resident recovery visa it is first necessary to submit an application to recover the permit. For this reason, the procedure comprises two stages.
Recovering long-term residence or EU long-term residence
Required documents
1. Application form for a long-term residence or EU long-term residence permit
. Each applicant must complete and sign two visa application forms, having filled in each section of the EX-11 form. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application.
2. Passport. A photocopy of every page of a valid, unexpired passport or travel document.
3. Conditions for recovering long-term residence or EU long-term residence. Documents proving that the applicant meets at least one of the criteria for recovering long-term residence or EU long-term residence.
4. Criminal record check certificate. Applicants of legal age must submit both the original and a copy of the criminal record check certificate(s) issued by their country or countries of residence for the past 5 years, issued maximum 90 days prior to the application. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
5. Medical certificate. Original and a copy of a medical certificate accrediting that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health pursuant to the 2005 International Health Regulations. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
6. Proof of residence in the consular district. Original and photocopy of a recent document that proves the actual domicile (as electriticy bills, etc.). When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview. All the documents must be translated to Spanish, except for ID cards, residence cards, bank operation extracts or other documents of easy interpretation.
7. Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the applicant is a minor, it will be necessary to present originals and submit copies of the identity document or passport of one of their parents or of their guardian and of the document constituting proof of kinship. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
8. Payment of the visa fee. The visa fee is stated in the "Schengen Visa" section. It is imperative that the fee is paid before initiating the procedure.
9. Financial means (only to recover EU long-term residence). Originals and a copy of each of the documents accrediting that the applicant has a steady and regular financial income that is sufficient to maintain themselves and, where applicable, their family. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
10. Health insurance (only to recover EU long-term residence). Original and a copy of the certificate accrediting the public or private health insurance contracted with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain. The insurance policy must cover all the risks insured by Spain's public health system.
If the applicant is participating in a volunteer programme, in addition to the medical insurance, they must provide a copy of the civil liability insurance policy taken out by the organization.
The insurance must cover all the risks that are normally covered for nationals (i.e. the catalogue of benefits of the National Health System regulated in articles 7 and following of Law 16/2003, of 28 May, on the cohesion and quality of the National Health System). This coverage must be maintained for the entire duration of the authorization.
The health insurance must not have deficiencies, co-payments or coverage limits, that is, it must cover 100% of medical, hospital and out-of-hospital expenses. Spanish companies such as Sanitas, Adeslas, Axa, etc. offer 100% coverage of expenses and without limits.
When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.
Procedure
This Consular Office is competent to accept visa applications from individuals residing in the consular district.
- Who can apply: The application to recover long-term resident or EU long-term resident status must be submitted in person by the interested party, or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor.
Place of submission: Applications will be submitted, by appointment, at the BLS offices, depending on the place of permanent residence. BLS Office in Cape Town: Only residents of the provinces of Northern, Eastern, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal. Address: 10th Floor, the Tower Building, 2 Hertzog Boulevard, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa. Call center tel.: 010 500 2032. BLS Office in Durban: 1st floor, Silver Oaks Building, 36 Silverton Road, Musgrave, Durban. BLS Office in Pretoria: Only residents in Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State and Lesotho. Address: 1st Floor, Building B, West End Office Park, Centurion, 0157. For permanent residents of Mauritius, Madagascar or Comoros, send an email to visacapetown@maec.es and we will inform you about how to proceed. Persons entitled to an EU family reunification Visa: Possibility of application directly from the Consulate or at the BLS offices. If application through the Consulate, an appointment must be booked in advance by sending an email to visacapetown@maec.es
- Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant party with a copy of the application EX-11 form and, where applicable, the receipt substantiating the payment of the fee (form 790-52) and will forward the dossier to the competent Foreign Nationals' Office. The Consular Office has a period of 3 months to reach a decision, counted as of the day following the date on which the application is received.
- Notification: The Consular Office will inform the applicant of the decision issued by the competent Government Delegation or Sub-delegation.
- In the event of a favourable decision, the Consular Office will invite the interested party to submit the visa application.
- If the decision is not favourable, the interested party may submit an appeal for reconsideration to the Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which the notification of the refusal is received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the permit refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
Obtaining a long-term residence or EU long-term residence recovery visa
Required documents
1. National visa application form. Each applicant must complete and sign a visa application, filling in each of its sections. If the applicant is a minor, one of their parents must sign the application.
2. Photograph. A recent, passport-size, colour photograph, taken against a light background, facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, or any garments concealing the oval of the face.
3. Valid, unexpired passport. Original and a photocopy of the page or pages of the passport that contain biometric data. The passport must have a minimum validity period of 4 months and contain two blank pages. Passports issued more than 10 years ago will not be accepted.
4. Residence permit. Original and a copy of the favourable decision recognizing recovery of the long-term residence permit or EU long-term residence permit.
5. Proof of residence in the consular district.
6. Proof of the representative's identity and capacity. If the applicant is a minor, it will be necessary to present originals and submit copies of the identity document or passport of one of their parents or of their guardian, as well as of the document constituting proof of kinship. Foreign documents must be legalized or apostilled and, where applicable, must be submitted together with an official translation into Spanish.
7. Payment of the visa fee. The visa fee is of an amount equivalent to 80 euros. For nationals of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, different rates are applied for reasons of reciprocity. In these cases, the amount of the fee must be consulted with the Consular Office.
When necessary to assess the application, the Consular Office may request additional documents or data and may also ask the applicant to come in for a personal interview.
Procedure
- Who can apply for a visa: Visa applications must be submitted in person by the applicant, or by one of their parents if the applicant is a minor.
Place of submission: Applications must be submitted in person at our external visa service provider BLS, "Spain Visa Application Center" . The Tower Building 2, 10th Floor, 2 Hertzog Boulevard, Foreshore, Cape Town 8000, An appointment is necessary.
- Proof of receipt: The Consular Office will provide the applicant with proof of receipt of the application with a code that enables them to check the status of the dossier through the following link: https://sutramiteconsular.maec.es/Home.aspx
- Rectifying the application: The Consular Office may ask the applicant to submit any missing documents, or to provide additional documents or data that are necessary for a decision regarding the application. The applicant may also be called in for a personal interview.
- Decision period: The legal period for reaching a decision is of 3 months from the day after the application submission date, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents are requested.
- Collecting the visa: The visa must be collected in person by the applicant or by their legal representative (if the applicant is a minor) within a maximum period of 1 month, counted as of the day after the date on which the favourable decision is notified. The Consular Office will inform the applicant regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documentation.
- Visa refusal: Visa refusals will always be notified in writing, setting forth the grounds on which the decision adopted is based.
- Appeals: If a visa is refused, the applicant may submit an appeal for reconsideration to this Consular Office within 1 month of the day following the date on which the notification of the refusal was received. An application for judicial review may also be filed with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within the 2-month period beginning the day after the date on which the applicant receives notification of the visa refusal or of the dismissal of the reconsideration appeal.
- Validity period of the visa: The visa will be valid for 90 days. Once in Spain, a Foreigner Identity Card must be applied for within a period of 1 month from the applicant's entry into Spain, at the Foreign Nationals' Office or the corresponding Police Station.