News · Spain
Spain: 542,953 valid residence permits based on arraigo (social ties)
According to data from Spain's Permanent Observatory on Immigration (OPI) published on 30 September 2026, 542,953 people held a valid residence permit based on arraigo (established ties) on 30 June 2026. Of these, 346,374 were registered with Social Security, 93% more than a year earlier.
Summary
In brief
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Valid arraigo permits: 542,953, up 54.7% on June 2025.
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45% of permits (244,293) are family arraigo and 33% (181,001) social-employment (sociolaboral) arraigo.
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Arraigo permit holders registered with Social Security: 346,374.
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The largest groups among those registered are Colombian (98,444), Moroccan (53,239) and Peruvian (32,975) nationals.
Background
What happened
According to the Spanish Social Security magazine, citing OPI data, 346,374 foreign nationals holding an arraigo permit were registered with Social Security on 30 June 2026, 93% more than a year earlier. The number of people holding a valid arraigo permit was 542,953, 54.7% more than in June 2025.
45% of permits (244,293) are family arraigo and 33% (181,001) social-employment arraigo. Of those registered, 55% (191,867) are men and 45% (154,507) women. The largest groups are Colombian (98,444, 28%), Moroccan (53,239, 15%) and Peruvian (32,975, 10%) nationals.
For you
What it means for you
- What arraigo is: arraigo is a permit type based on the ties of people already living in Spain; it is not a route for moving from abroad.
- If you are moving from abroad: starting from abroad, the usual permit types are the digital nomad visa or non-lucrative residence; these figures do not affect their requirements.
- Family ties: the high share of family arraigo shows that Spanish law offers several routes for family members; when you request a quote, we check which may apply to you.