Are you a UK National waiting for the outcome of your residency application? In this article, you will find the instructions on how to check the status of your application.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is only for orientation purposes and it does not represent any official sources of information. Please bear in mind that criteria may be different from an Immigration Office to another. For specialised advice on this matter, you may wish to seek individualised legal advice from an expert lawyer in the immigration field, or from the immigration department at your local town hall, at different organisations providing legal advice to third-country nationals, or at the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería).
VIA SMS TEXT MESSAGE
It is possible to obtain general information on the processing status of your application through SMS; by sending a text message to the following number: 600 12 43 77; free of charge if sent from a Spanish phone number
There are two options available:
- Using the NIE Number
As the body of the message, you must write the word NIE and then the NIE number. Make sure to leave a blank space between the word NIE and the first letter of your NIE number. All letters must be in capitals.
You can see an example below:
- Using the application number or ‘número de expediente’.
You can indicate the number of your application as the body of the message, by writing the word EXPE and then the number of your expediente, namely the 15 digits assigned to your application starting with the first two digits of your province postal code. Make sure to leave a blank space between the word EXPE and the number.
You will then receive a text message from”SEAMPminhap” indicating your NIE number, your expediente number, the type of residency you applied for and the status of your application.
Please find below an example of a response message indicating a positive outcome (#RESUELTO OK)
ONLINE
This option may offer a higher level of details on the status of your application.
- Using the NIE Number
Access the following link: https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/infoext2/jsp/indexnie.jsp
- Complete the requested details:
- Applicant’s NIE number
- Date of application submission in the format dd/mm/yyyy
- Applicant’s year of birth
- Check the box “No soy un robot” and finally click on “Consultar”
Please find below an example.
- Using the application number or ‘número de expediente’.
Access the following link:
https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/infoext2/jsp/indexexpe.jsp
- Complete the requested details:
- Expediente number
- Date of application submission in the format dd/mm/yyyy
- Applicant’s year of birth
- Check the box “No soy un robot” and finally click on “Consultar”
Please find below an example.
You will then be redirected to another page like the one here below:
The provided information refers to:
- the applicant’s personal details: surname, name, NIE number, date of birth and nationality
- the application data: expediente number, authorisation type, application status, date of the application’s registration, date of the resolution.
The status of the application presented above indicates that the application is in process (“EN TRÁMITE”).
Please note that sometimes, the online platform may show an error so you will need to repeat the process of introducing your data several times before getting the appropriate result as shown in the previous screenshot.
EXAMPLES OF RESIDENCY APPLICATION STATUSES
- ‘En trámite’ or in process.
Once your application has been submitted to the Immigration Office and your file is being processed.
Officially, the residency application procedure can take up to 3 months. However, the Immigration Office’s response times largely depend on the province in which you are living. In some of them the procedure can take more than 3 months.
- “Resuelto favorable” or favorable response
Happy days! This means that the application has been approved and that the applicant has been granted residency.
Depending on the channel that has been used to submit the application, you will receive the official Resolución de Concesión via the online platform or email. In some provinces, such as Valencia, the applicant wouldn’t receive any ‘resolution’ or notification that they were granted residency. Instead, they would need to frequently check the status of their application. Once they find out that the status has changed to “Resuelto OK” or “Resuelto favorable”, then they will need to apply for the biometric card or TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero).
To obtain the TIE card, you will need to book an appointment at the police station to get your fingerprints taken.
You can find a tutorial on how to exchange the Resolución de Concesión’ for a TIE card at the following link: https://asociacionbabelia.org/en/switching-from-the-green-certificate-of-residency-to-a-tie/
- “Trámite requerido” or procedure required
This occurs when the Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) requests additional documentation from you to support your application.
You will have to carefully read the requirement letter that you received either on the online platform used to submit the application,via email or via ordinary post.
Depending on the province, you will be allowed up to 10 or 15 days to provide the requested documents to the Immigration Office.
Please, access the link below for our guide on how to answer a requirement from the Immigration Office: https://asociacionbabelia.org/en/important-news-and-guide-on-how-to-answer-a-requirement-of-the-immigration-office-extranjeria/
(This tutorial only applies to submitting requested additional documents for a residency application, not for the appeal. To answer a requirement during the appeal process, please follow the instructions on the requirement letter you received after the appeal submission).
- “Archivado” or archived
This means that the Immigration Office has asked you for additional documents (requerimiento), and you have not provided them within the established time period.
In this case, you will have to submit a new application from scratch, providing all the documents requested.
We have prepared a comprehensive list of documents to provide when submitting your application, based on our experience when assisting UK nationals and their family members. You can find this list at the following link:
- “Resuelto no favorable” / “Inadmitido a trámite” – negative response
The application has been rejected. There can be different reasons behind this outcome, therefore it is very important to understand the content of the resolution received and evaluate which could be the best option to pursue.
GOOD LUCK!
