Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
If you are a pre-brexit resident, how long can you stay out of Spain in each year?
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“If your residency card has been active for less than 5 years, you can be out for 6 months in any year of residency. If you are now considered a permanent resident (5+ years) you can be absent for 5 years without necessarily losing residency.”
“This Citizenadvice.org article says that you can stay out of Spain for 6 months per year. Non EU who are not protected by the withdrawal agreement can also be out for 6 months a year, as long as it is not a total of 10 months in 5 years.”
“The Withdrawal Agreement ratified for the UK’s exit from the EU, states that “once acquired, the right of permanent residence shall be lost only through absence from the host State for a period exceeding 5 consecutive years”. This means that if you are an UK citizen who has acquired permanent residency in Spain before the Brexit, and you stay out of Spain for more than 5 consecutive years, you may lose your right to permanent residence. It’s worth noting that there are some exceptions or certain circumstances that may affect this rule.”
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