Go online. Visit the Oficina de Extranjeros (Office of the Interior) online and read through the document requirements. Write down the opening hours and if possible, print out the residency application form.
Prepare for your departure. Before you leave for Spain, contact the Spanish Embassy in Washington DC. If you’re staying in Spain for more than 3 months, a Visado de Residencia must be requested from the Spanish Embassy before you leave. You will not be able to begin the residency process upon your arrival in Spain without this.
Get your paperwork in order. Make sure to bring with you, a current passport and a photocopy of your passport, three recent passport-style photos with your name clearly written on the back (you can get passport photos in many metro stations photo booths), the completed application form and three photocopies of it and a medical certificate from your home country. You may be asked for different items in different offices, so check with the local branch for their requirements.
If you have Spanish family members, bring that family member's Libro de Familia and DNI (or Residency Card), Empadronamiento, and proof of medical insurance.
Do your research on the different types of residency requirements. For contract, self-employed and unemployed expatriates, bring your employment contract or proof that you are capable of filling the requirements of self employment. In order to be self-employed or unemployed in Spain, you must be able to prove that you can support yourself without work in Spain. Unemployed residents must have proof of medical insurance.
If you are studying in Spain, bring proof of matriculation at an accredited school. You can get a certificate from the admissions office. Tell them it’s for your residency card. Students must also provide documentation of their financial support and proof of medical insurance.
Find the best office to apply in. Every Oficina de Extranjeros processes candidates locally, so you should ask people who have recently experienced the process for advice on which offices to go to. Coworkers and students in your classes will be very helpful or you can visit the American Embassy for help. A complete list of Oficinas de Extranjeros is available on the Ministerio del Interior website.
Apply for residency. Find your local office nearest you and get there before it opens. There will be a lot of people waiting in line, so get there before the doors open to join the line. Bring all of your paperwork, even the things you may not need, so you are fully prepared.
Renew your residency. You will not receive a reminder for renewal for your residency, so make sure you know when your card expires. In general, you will be granted one year after first applying, but once you renew it, you’ll have 5 years. In order to renew your residency, you’ll need two passport photos, original residency card (tarjeta de residencia) and one photocopy and the application with three photocopies. If you are not an EU citizen, you’ll need a residency visa and a medical certificate as well.
