Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question about Spanish residency
Is it possible to trade another EU member state’s Long Duration residency for a Spanish residency, even when it’s Long Duration residency without the EU component?
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These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
”No”
”In theory, yes. But must obtain EU LTR first”
”EU LTR was created by the LTR Directive 2003/109/EC. In principle, it grants holders similar rights to EU citizens, including easing freedom of movement. In practice, it isn’t widely understood (as you can see by comments saying “no” without any explanation) and not well transposed into national immigration laws. This is why it’s currently being reviewed and recast”
”You cannot trade, but if you have a basis (for example, you got a job offer in Spain) you will apply for a Spanish residence card using your permanent EU residence + work contract. The same way is for studies, marriage, etc”
”No, you trade long-duration EU. For temporary of another country. Ie. Long duration only applies to the country you are in. But it is easier to start again in another. Because it’s the long duration is based on residency in that country. The right to work and live will transfer. As long as you meet the requirements of each state basically”
”Many other nations do NOT have two types of permanent residency; they only have one. So if that’s the kind someone has, they can trade it for the larga duracion-EU residency in Spain. The extranjeria has specific pages for each type of card and what types of cards from other EU nations can be used”
In conclusion, according to Spainguru Facebook group members, in theory, it is possible, but only if you have obtained EU Long-Term Residence (EU LTR) status in the other country. However, in practice, this is not always possible, as EU LTR is not widely understood or well-transposed into national immigration laws. If you do not have EU LTR status, you can still apply for a Spanish residency card using your permanent EU residence + work contract or another basis for residency. However, you will not be able to “trade” your permanent EU residence for a Spanish one. The best way to find out if you are eligible to trade your permanent EU residence for a Spanish one is to contact the Spanish immigration authorities. They will be able to assess your individual circumstances and advise you on the best course of action.
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