EX-11 Form: Long-Term Residence in Spain

The EX-11 is the form for long-term residence (residencia de larga duración) and for the EU long-term modality. It is the application most people reach after five years of legal residence in Spain.

Who files the EX-11

• People with five years of legal and continuous residence in Spain, applying for long-term residence.
• People applying for the EU long-term modality, which makes moving to other Union countries easier.
• Certain exempt cases with shorter periods: beneficiaries of a Spanish pension for permanent incapacity, people born in Spain who have lived here lawfully for three years before applying, former Spanish nationals, and a few others set out in the regulations.

What the form asks for

• Your identity data exactly as they appear in your passport, including full surnames.
• Your NIE.
• Your current address in Spain, which should match your registration certificate.
• The modality you are applying for — ordinary long-term or EU long-term. Ticking the wrong box is the single most common error on this form.
• Signature. An unsigned EX-11 is treated as incomplete.

Documents normally filed with it

• Full copy of your passport, valid.
• Your current TIE.
• Proof of continuous residence: renewals, working life report (vida laboral), or the documents for your case.
• Registration certificate (empadronamiento).
• Three photographs, or the photograph requirements of your office.
• Receipt for the fee, paid before filing.

Absences: the part that gets applications refused

Long-term residence requires continuous residence. Absences from Spain beyond the limits set in the regulations break that continuity, and the file is refused even when the five years appear to be complete on paper. If you have spent long periods outside Spain, count the days before filing.

After it is approved

• The approval is not the card. You still book the fingerprint appointment (toma de huellas) within one month of the notification, with form EX-17 and the paid fee.
• The card is manufactured in about 30 to 45 days and collected at a separate appointment.
• Long-term residence is renewed every five years — the authorisation itself is indefinite, the card is not.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I download the EX-11 form?

From the Ministry of the Interior’s electronic office, in the immigration forms and models section. It is free — if a site charges you for the download, it is not the official source.

What is the difference between long-term and EU long-term residence?

Both give indefinite residence and work rights in Spain. The EU modality additionally makes it easier to move to another EU country under that status. You tick the modality on the EX-11.

Do I need the EX-11 for renewing my card?

No. The EX-11 is the application for the authorisation. Renewing the physical card of a long-term resident uses the card procedure and the EX-17 with the fingerprint appointment.

How long does the decision take?

The reference is three months from the complete file, and it varies by province. The status can be checked online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate.

Can I work while it is being decided?

Yes, if your current authorisation was valid when you filed. The filing receipt evidences your situation while the file is open.