10,000€ Fines for Residency Breaches

Spanish Residency Breaches That Could Cost You Up to €10,000

At SGM Abogados, we understand how valuable Spanish residency is to our international clients. For many, it represents not only the opportunity to live in Spain long-term, but a gateway to building a new life in Europe. However, maintaining your residency status requires staying on top of your legal obligations—and unfortunately, certain breaches can lead to serious fines.

The Spanish Interior Ministry has published a list of infractions that can result in administrative sanctions. Minor breaches may lead to fines of up to €500, while more serious violations can reach as high as €10,000. In rare but extreme cases, these issues can even jeopardise your right to remain in Spain.

Let’s break it down.

What Counts as a Minor Offence?

Minor infractions—often due to oversight or administrative delays—can still lead to penalties of up to €500. These include:

Not informing the authorities of changes in nationality, marital status, or home address
Delays of up to three months in renewing your residency permit
Working as a self-employed person without the proper administrative authorisation, even if you have temporary residency
Working in a different job, sector or region not covered by your current permit
Employers hiring foreign workers outside of their permitted conditions
Failing to notify authorities about the whereabouts of unaccompanied foreign minors under your care or supervision

These may seem like minor oversights, but they can quickly become costly if not addressed properly.

What Is Considered a Serious Offence?

More severe breaches can result in fines of up to €10,000 and often involve intentional misconduct or prolonged non-compliance. These include:

Staying in Spain illegally, either by overstaying a visa or failing to renew your permit more than three months past its expiry date
Working without any permit when no valid residency authorisation exists
Providing false information when registering your residence or concealing changes in personal details
Ignoring public safety measures or failing to report to authorities when required
Repeating the same minor offence three times within one year
Participating in activities deemed contrary to public order
Exiting Spain through unauthorised points or violating movement restrictions
Failing to apply for your foreigner’s identity card (TIE) within the legally required timeframe
Employers who fail to register a legally authorised foreign worker with Social Security or under-report employment conditions
Entering into a fake marriage or pareja de hecho to gain residency, or helping someone else do so, especially if done for profit or to gain legal rights improperly
Assisting someone to overstay their visa—such as by inviting them and continuing to cover their expenses after their authorisation has expired
Registering a foreigner at an address where they do not actually reside

Spanish courts, including the Supreme Court, generally favour fines over deportation for first-time offenders—but it’s not something to take lightly.

How Can SGM Abogados Help?

Whether you’re applying for your first residency permit, managing a renewal, or unsure about your obligations, our team at SGM Abogados is here to help. We specialise in assisting non-EU nationals with their legal residency matters, offering tailored advice to ensure you stay compliant and avoid unnecessary penalties.

📌 Don’t risk your residency—reach out to our team today for expert legal guidance.