Updated: 3 October 2026
The social integration report, known in Spanish as the informe de integración social, assesses your integration in Spain for certain immigration applications. It is a supporting document: it does not grant residence or permission to work by itself.
Before requesting it, check whether your chosen immigration route requires it.
When is the social integration report required?
For arraigo social, a favourable report is required when you cannot establish the qualifying family ties provided for this route. These ties concern a spouse, registered partner, parent or child who holds a Spanish residence authorisation.
If you qualify through those family ties and meet the applicable financial requirements, the report is not a general requirement for that pathway.
For arraigo socioformativo, the report is required alongside the relevant training conditions.
It is not a general requirement for arraigo sociolaboral, which has its own employment contract requirements. See our arraigo sociolaboral guide or compare the different options in our guide to arraigo in Spain.
Who issues the report?
The competent authority is the autonomous community where you habitually live. A town hall may issue it where the autonomous community has authorised this arrangement.
Your current municipal registration, or padrón, identifies your habitual address for this purpose. The application channel, appointment system and supporting documents vary locally, so check the official procedure for your place of residence.
Do you need two years registered at the same address?
For ordinary arraigo social and arraigo socioformativo applications, you must demonstrate at least two years of continuous presence in Spain before applying. Absences during that period cannot exceed 90 days.
Time spent awaiting a final decision on an asylum application is not counted towards that qualifying period.
This is different from having two years of registration at one address. Moving between municipalities does not automatically prevent you from proving your presence. Historical registration certificates and other dated evidence, particularly documents from Spanish public authorities, can support your timeline.
How to request the report
- Find the competent authority. Check your autonomous community’s official instructions and whether your town hall handles applications.
- Prepare the requested documents. These commonly include identification, current municipal registration and evidence of your time in Spain. Follow the local checklist.
- Gather evidence of integration. Include relevant training, language learning and participation in cultural or social integration programmes, together with any requested information about housing, financial resources and family relationships.
- Submit a formal request. Keep the registration receipt showing the submission date. An appointment booking alone may not establish that you have requested the report.
- Attend any requested interview or appointment. Bring the documents specified by the authority and explain your circumstances accurately.
- Check the issued report. Review your identifying details, the issuing authority and the date before including it in your residence application.
What does the report assess?
The assessment may consider your participation in training and integration programmes, knowledge of relevant constitutional values and rights, learning of the official languages where you live, housing, means of support and family connections.
Check local requirements and any applicable exemptions. There is no single national language-test requirement that should be assumed to apply identically to every applicant.
For arraigo social, a favourable report does not replace the applicable financial requirements or the other conditions for the residence authorisation.
How long does it take, and how long is it valid?
The report must be issued within a maximum of one month from the request.
It is valid for six months from its issue date. Plan your residence application so that the report remains valid when you submit it.
The administrative procedure for obtaining the report is free. Residence application fees and any private professional services are separate.
What if the report is delayed?
If the report has not been issued within one month, you may demonstrate the relevant integration requirement through legally admissible alternative evidence before the Immigration Office.
You must prove the delay, so retain your dated application receipt and any relevant communications. Prepare evidence addressing your presence and integration in Spain.
This substitution applies after the one-month period has elapsed. A delay does not mean that the report or the residence application has been automatically approved.
Frequently asked questions
Does a favourable report guarantee residence approval?
No. The report is not binding, and the Immigration Office assesses the complete residence application and all applicable requirements.
Do I need a job offer to obtain the report?
A job offer is not a universal requirement for the report. Employment contract requirements belong to particular immigration routes, especially arraigo sociolaboral. First establish which route fits your circumstances.
What if the report is unfavourable?
Read the reasons carefully. Check whether it contains incorrect information or overlooks relevant evidence, and ask the issuing authority about the procedure for correcting or supplementing it.
Obtain advice on how it affects your residence application and any procedural deadlines.
If you need help identifying the appropriate route or preparing your supporting documents, you can book a free immigration consultation with Nodisea.
Legal review: Francisco Javier Theuer Carmona, immigration lawyer and member of the Granada Bar Association (ICAGR 7984).
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
Official sources
Share this article: Facebook LinkedIn X WhatsApp
Got questions?
Reach Out for Answers and Guidance
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our immigration advisers.
Table of contents
Got questions?
Reach Out for Answers and Guidance
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our immigration advisers.