Third-country nationals living in Spain may find that immigration procedures—whether initial applications or residence permit extensions or renewals—can take several months to be completed and obtain their residence card.
As a result, applicants with a ‘in process’ or expired residence permit, or those awaiting the collection of their Foreigner Identity Card (TIE) from the police station, may need to leave the country temporarily for urgent reasons.
For such cases, we can apply for an Autorización de Regreso (return authorisation). Below, we will explain what it is, when it can be requested, how to obtain it, and what you should consider before travelling.
What is a Return Authorisation?
It is an official document that allows foreign residents in Spain to return to the country if their residence permit or card is being renewed or issued.
It serves as a temporary travel document to re-enter Spain without issues at the border, provided that certain conditions are met, which we will detail as follows.
Under which circustamces can we apply?
You can apply for a return authorisation if:
- You have applied for the renewal or extension of your residence or stay permit, but you have not yet received your new TIE (Foreigner Identity Card).
- Your residence card has expired, but you have already attended the fingerprinting appointment at the National Police station for its renewal, and the process is still ongoing.
- You have applied for a new card after an initial approval or due to loss/theft, and you are awaiting its issuance.
🚩 Not all provinces process return authorisation applications for holders of an initial residence permit unless they can prove that the trip is due to force majeure—such as a serious illness or death of a family member, surgery, etc.
⚠️ Important: It won’t be granted to individuals with an ongoing residence denial process or those in an irregular situation in Spain. For example, if your residence or asylum application has been denied and you have not yet filed an appeal, you will not be able to request a return authorisation.
Steps to Obtain a Return Authorisation
The process for obtaining a return authorisation can be broken down into three simple steps:
1. Book an Appointment
You must secure an appointment at the National Police station in your province where this document is issued. You can check which police stations handle this procedure via the Cita Previa Extranjería online platform.
2. Prepare the Required Documentation
- Application form.
- Original passport.
- Proof of submission of the residence permit renewal or downloadable confirmation of the case status showing that it is being processed, or the fingerprinting receipt confirming that the fingerprinting appointment has taken place.
- In case of loss or theft, a written police report/complaint.
- Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
- Plane tickets or other travel arrangements (depending on the province and police station, pre-booked travel may be accepted—🚩 it is highly advisable to confirm this in advance with the police station in your area).
- Any additional documents justifying the reason for travel.
3. Submit the Application
- Each applicant must attend the National Police station in person on the appointment date with all required documents, both originals and copies.
- If everything is in order, the authorisation may be issued on the same day or, depending on the police station, within approximately 2 to 5 working days.
Validity of the Document
- The return authorisation is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.
- It allows a single entry into Spain within that period. However, if the document is not retained by border control upon re-entry, it may still be used as long as it remains valid.
- Payment of the administrative fee does not guarantee that the police officer processing the application will approve it. There is a possibility that the officer may determine that the reasons for travel are not urgent and may deny the request.
🚩 And what about traveling within the Schengen Area?
❌ The return authorisation cannot be used as a substitute for a residence card to travel to other Schengen countries. It is only valid for a direct re-entry into Spain and does not grant freedom of movement within the Schengen Area.
✅ If travelling to a country outside the Schengen Area, you must ensure that your return trip is directly to Spain and doesn’t have a layover in another Schengen country first, as this document is only valid for re-entering Spain.
⚠️ Before travelling, it is highly advisable to check with the airline to avoid issues when boarding or at the border.
✍️ It is important to remember that while you do not have a valid residence card, you will be subject to the limitations of your national passport and the permissions it grants for travel.
Due to the subjective nature of this process, which varies depending on each applicant’s specific circumstances and the criteria applied by different National police stations across the Spanish provinces, it is always strongly advisable to seek assistance from professionals specialized in immigration law. Their expertise will support us during this procedure effectively and maximize the chances of successfully obtaining the return authorisation.