Sheet 68 - Authorization of Temporary Residence and Research Work

* The content of this page is for guidance only. Only the provisions of the regulations in force at the time of submission of the application are applicable. 

Last Updated: May 2025

Index of contents 

  • Type of Authorization
  • Basic regulations
  • Requirements
  • Exigible documentation
  • Procedure
  • Family members
  • Renovation

TYPE OF AUTHORISATION

  • It is an authorization that enables third-country nationals to reside and work throughout the national territory to carry out training, research, development and innovation activities in public or private entities.
  • To do this, it will be necessary for foreign persons to prove any of the applicable assumptions included in article 72 of Law 14/2013:
    • That they are research personnel referred to in article 13 and the first additional provision of Law 14/2011, of 1 June, on Science, Technology and Innovation.
    • That they are scientific and technical personnel who carry out scientific research, development and technological innovation works, in business entities or centers of R+D+I established in Spain.
    • Researchers covered by a convention by public or private research bodies.
    • Que se trate de profesores contratados por universidades, órganos o centros de educación superior e investigación, o escuelas de negocios establecidos en España.  
  • The residence permit for research will have two modalities:
    • Residence authorization for national research: it will apply to personnel who are in any of the cases mentioned above.   
    • Residence authorisation for EU research: this shall apply to staff in any of the above-mentioned cases who are holders of a doctorate or higher education qualification allowing access to doctoral programmes, and who have been selected by the research entity for the purpose of carrying out a research activity.

The residence permit for EU research will enable the teaching of classes related to the research activity, in addition to the research activity, without prejudice to the need to comply with specific requirements in accordance with the corresponding sectoral regulations.

BASIC REGULATIONS

  • Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, internships, volunteering, pupil exchange programmes or educational projects and au pair placement.
  • Law 14/2013, of 27 September, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalisation (articles 61, 62 and 72).
  • Instruction DGM 3/2018 on the transposition into the Spanish legal system of Directive 2016/801/EU: researchers.

REQUIREMENTS

The general requirements to be met by applicants for this authorization, regardless of their modality, will be the following:

  • Not to be a citizen of a State of the European Union, of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or of Switzerland, or a family of citizens of these countries to whom the law of the European Union applies as beneficiaries of the rights of free movement and residence.
  • Not found irregularly in Spanish territory.
  • Be older than 18 years
  • Lack of criminal record in Spain and in the countries where he has resided for the last two years, for crimes existing in the Spanish legislation.  
  • Not to appear as rejectable in the territorial space of countries with which Spain has signed an agreement in this regard.  
  • Have a public insurance or private health insurance arranged with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain.
  • Have sufficient economic resources for themselves and their family members during their period of residence in Spain.  
  • That the research entity requesting the initial authorization is aware of the fulfillment of its tax and social security obligations.  
  • Pay the fee corresponding to the processing of the procedure.

Applicants for a residence permit for EU research, in addition, must submit a reception agreement or employment contract which, without prejudice to the requirements of the relevant contractual modality, must include the following elements:

  • The title or purpose of the research activity or the field of research.
  • The commitment, by the foreign person, to try to complete the research activity.
  • The commitment, on the part of the research entity, to receive the foreign person in order to complete the research activity.
  • The initial and final date of the research activity or its estimated duration.
  • Information, where applicable, on the planned mobility in other Member States.

Letters of invitation accepted by the researcher may be considered as agreements when they comply with this minimum content.

EXIGIBLE DOCUMENTATION

Note: in general, copies of the documents must be provided and the originals must be displayed at the time of submitting the application.

  • Application form in official MI-T model (International Mobility-Holder), duly completed and signed by the company or entity that requires the services of the foreign person.
    • *Note. The existing application models are only three:
    • Model of application for residence authorization holders. Movilidad Internacional - Titular (MI- T): solicitud genérica que deberá presentar el solicitante- titular.
    • Model of application for authorization of residence or stay holders of the audiovisual sector. International Mobility – Audiovisual Owner (MI-T Audiovisual): application valid only for the audiovisual field, must be submitted by the applicant - owner.
    • Model of application for authorization of relatives. International Family Mobility (MI-F): generic and unique model of application for residence authorization for family members of the classes included in Law 14/2013, of 27 September, on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization (investors, entrepreneurs, highly qualified professionals, researchers, workers who carry out intra-company movements, workers in audiovisual and cultural productions).

 

  • Documentation related to the worker:
    • Full copy of the passport or travel document in force.
    • Criminal record certificate, original, of the country or countries in which you have resided for the past two years. In addition, a responsible statement of the absence of a criminal record for the last five years will be presented.
    • Accreditation of sufficient economic resources for themselves and their family members during their period of residence in Spain, which can be justified, where appropriate, through the corresponding employment contract or documentation accrediting a professional relationship or for training reasons.
    • A public or private health insurance concluded with an insurance company authorized to operate in Spain, unless it is carrying out an activity which has the status of insured in the National Health System.
    • Documentation accrediting the professional qualification required for the exercise of the profession.
    • Submit a reception agreement or employment contract with the entity, if it is a residence permit for EU research.

 

  • Documentation relating to the contracting or host entity:
    • Copy of the NIF of the applicant entity and accreditation of the relationship with that institution of the person signing the application, as well as a copy of the identity document of the person signing the application.
      • Accredit the assumption of article 72 of Law 14/2013 applicable to the entity:
      • Body to which the Law of Science refers (public universities, public research, state and autonomous bodies; universities and private entities according to the first additional provision of this law, etc. ).
      • Business entity or R+D+I center established in Spain.
      • Public or private research agency that has signed an agreement.
      • Organ or center of higher education and research.
      • Business school established in Spain.  
    • Copy of the contract of employment, reception agreement or letter of invitation with the signature of both parties:  
      • A copy of the contract or document that links the researcher to the entity, signed by both parties. If the contract does not indicate the project to which the researcher is incorporated, a brief explanatory report should be provided.
      • If you submit an agreement or letter of invitation for research, the minimum content must be: title or purpose of the research activity or the field of research; commitment, on the part of the foreign person, to try to complete the research activity; commitment, on the part of the research entity, to welcome the foreign person in order to complete the research activity and the initial and final date of the research activity or its estimated duration.
      • In the case of contracts for teachers, it must include the specific area of the teaching activity that will be taught.
    • Proof of having paid the fee.

Important note: when documents are provided from other countries they must be translated into Spanish or co-official language of the territory where the request is presented by a sworn translator.  

List of sworn translators.

On the other hand, any foreign public document must be previously legalized by the Consular Office of Spain with jurisdiction in the country in which the document has been issued or, as the case may be, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation except in the case where the document has been apostilled by the competent authority of the issuing country in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 and unless the document is exempt from legalization under the International Convention.

Information on translation and legalization of documents.

https://extranjeros.inclusion.gob.es/es/InformacionInteres/InformacionProcedimientos/Ciudadanosnocomunitarios/hoja005/index.html

PROCEDURE

  • Legitimate subject to submit the application: the business entity or research center that requires the services of the foreign person, or the duly accredited representative of such company.   
  • Place of presentation:  
  • Corresponding rate:
    • Model 790 code 038, heading 7.1. “solitude of authorizations of international mobility (Law 14/2013) – authorization of initial residence”
    • The form for the subscription can be downloaded from this page.
    • *Important note: in the form of the tax you must mark in the section “TAXABLE FACT” point 7. APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORIZATIONS (Law 14/2013)
    • Within it there are two options among which you should select one depending on whether it is an initial application or a renewal:
      • Initial residence permit
      • Authorisation for renewed residence
  • Application period: during the sixty calendar days prior to the expiry date of the authorisation. It may also be requested within ninety calendar days subsequent to the date on which the validity of the authorization has ended, without prejudice to the possibility of the corresponding sanctioning procedure being initiated.
  • Deadline for the resolution of the application: twenty working days from the electronic submission of the application to the competent body for its processing. If it is not resolved within that period, the authorisation shall be deemed estimated by administrative silence.
  • The period of validity of a residence permit for research shall be three s years or equal to the duration of the reception agreement or contract, if it is less. The period of validity of the authorization begins at the moment in which the favorable resolution is issued
  • If the residence abroad of the investigator has been indicated in the application, he must apply for the corresponding visa at the Spanish consulate corresponding to him by residence.
  • If the duration of the authorization is more than six months, the foreign person must personally request the alien identity card at the competent police station or police services in his place of residence.
  • The documentation to be provided in the application for the alien identity card can be consulted at the following link:
  • Once the research activity is finished, foreign people may remain in Spain for a maximum period of twelve months in order to seek a job related to the research carried out or to undertake a business project:
    • The researcher must communicate by electronic means to the Unit of Large Companies and Strategic Groups (UGE) the desire to remain in Spain, during the sixty calendar days prior to the expiration date of the validity of his residence authorization and during the ninety calendar days after the date on which the validity of said authorization has ended.
    • The UGE shall verify, before extending the authorisation, that the research activity has been completed, that it has health insurance and that sufficient resources are maintained. In order to prove the latter circumstance, the applicant shall submit a responsible declaration detailing the means by which he/she can prove the sufficiency of resources.

FAMILY

  • The spouse or person with a analogous relationship of affectivity, minor or older children who, depending financially on the holder, have not constituted themselves a family unit and the dependent ascendants, who meet or accompany the investigator.
  • Time to request the authorization of the family member: they can be requested jointly and simultaneously or successively.  
  • The authorization of the relatives will be linked to that of the researcher, and they may remain in Spanish territory for the same period and in the same situation as this one.
  • Required documentation:
    • Application form in official model MI-F (International Mobility - Family), duly completed and signed.
      • Subject entitled to submit the request for authorization, if the request of the holder and his relatives are presented simultaneously:
        • The holder who grants the right, the adult relative or the contracting or receiving entity.
        • In the case of minors: one of the parents or the contracting or receiving entity
    • Copy of the complete passport or travel document in force.  
    • Accreditation of sufficient economic resources for the period of residence in Spain, which can be justified, where appropriate, through the corresponding employment contract or documentation accrediting a professional relationship or for reasons of training of the holder who grants the right.
    • Public or private insurance of disease concluded with an insurance entity authorized to operate in Spain, salvo that has the status of beneficiary of the National Health System due to the activity to be carried out by the holder that grants him the right.
    • Accreditation of the maintenance of the family link (certificate of marriage, cohabitation, birth certificate, etc. ). The document must be original or duly legalized or apostilled and translated, where appropriate.
    • Economic accreditation: 
      • In the case of descendants over 18 years of age, accreditation of the economic dependence of the holder of the authorization and of the non-constitution of an independent family unit.
      • In the case of ascendants, proof that they are in charge of the holder who grants him the right.
    • Proof of having paid the fee.
  • Place of presentation:
  • Application period: during the 60 calendar days prior to the expiry date of the authorisation. It may also be requested within ninety calendar days subsequent to the date on which the validity of the authorization has ended, without prejudice to the possibility of the corresponding sanctioning procedure being initiated.
  • If the duration of the authorization is more than six months, the foreign person must personally request the alien identity card at the competent police station or police services in his place of residence.
  • The documentation to be provided in the application for the alien identity card can be consulted at the following link:

RENOVATION

  • The period of validity of a residence permit for research shall be three years or equal to the duration of the reception agreement or contract, whichever is shorter.  
  • Once this period has expired, you can apply for the renewal of the residence permit for two years, being able to obtain permanent residence at the age of five.
  • The submission of the application for renewal shall extend the validity of the authorisation until the termination of the procedure. The deadline for resolving this extension will be twenty days.
  • Required documentation:
    • Application form in official model, duly completed and signed, marking the “Renewal” box.
    • Subject entitled to submit the application for authorisation: 
      • The holder who grants the right, the adult relative or the contracting or receiving entity.
      • In the case of minors: one of the parents or the contracting or receiving entity.
    • Copy of the alien identity card (if you have been in Spain for more than 6 months).
    • Updated copy of the passport, complete, in force.
    • Proof of payment of the fee (to be paid by the holder of the authorization and, in the case of minors, by the father, mother or legal representative of the minor in favour of the latter).
    • Employment contract or accreditation of the professional relationship that justifies that the conditions that generated the right are maintained (that the contracting or host entity is the same and that the research activity is maintained, even if it is a different contract or project).
    • In the case of renewal of family members, it will be necessary to present the following documentation:
      • Spouse:
        • Responsible statement of the owner that he maintains the family bond and coexistence.
        • Copy of the full passport in force
      • Children:
        • Responsible declaration of the owner that family coexistence is maintained.
        • Copy of the full passport in force
        • In case of being over 18 years disabled, accreditation of the maintenance of the disability
      • Ascendants:
        • Responsible statement by the owner that family coexistence is maintained
        • Copy of the full passport in force
  • Place of presentation:
  • Application period: during the 60 calendar days prior to the expiry date of the authorisation. It may also be requested within ninety calendar days after the date on which the validity of the authorization has ended, without prejudice to the possibility of the corresponding sanctioning procedure being initiated.
  • Deadline for resolution of the application: the maximum deadline for resolution shall be twenty working days from the electronic submission of the application to the competent body for processing it. If it is not resolved within that time limit, the authorization will be understood as estimated by administrative silence.