TIE received this year, but out of country for 7 months - Advice sought.

Good morning

The rules differ depending if you have been issued a permeant or temporary resident TIE.

With temporary card

The Royal Decree 557/2011, Article 162.2 in its sets the maximum period of absence with such cards.

To know the maximum time you can be outside the country with a temporary residence, you must take into account two different conditions.

• In the first place, you cannot be more than 6 months outside of Spain within a period of one year.
• In the case of sporadic departures (in your first year in the country 1 month, in the second 3 months, etc.); the sum of these periods outside of Spanish territory during the last 5 years cannot exceed 1 year .

If you meet these two requirements, you will be able to keep your residence card and renew it (as long as you meet all the other requirements of the renewal, which are different depending on the type of residence).

With permanent card

In the case of long-term , long-term EU cards or permanent community cards , the terms are extended.

In this case, if we want to avoid that our card is extinguished, we cannot be outside Spain for more than 12 months continuously , nor more than 30 months (adding all the exits of less time), during the last 5 years .