The return authorisation lets you travel outside Spain and re-enter when your card has expired and you have filed the renewal, or when the card is being produced and you have not collected it yet.
It is also granted when you have lost your card and the duplicate is being processed.
- People with a valid residence or stay authorisation whose card has expired and whose renewal is being processed.
- People whose card is being issued or duplicated.
- You must have filed the renewal or the card issue/duplicate application.
- Prove that the trip is necessary if the office requires it (not always required).
Official form EX-13, completed and signedIn duplicate (original and copy) if you file it on paper. Always download it from the Ministry website so you use the current version.Official link Full passport, validA copy of every written page (including blank ones if the office asks for them) plus the original for checking. Many procedures require at least 4 months of validity. Proof of payment of fee form 790 code 012It is generated and filled in on the official fee website, paid at a bank or online, and submitted as the stamped copy.Official link Proof of the application filedReceipt of the pending renewal or of the card/duplicate application. Travel ticket or booking if applicable Some offices ask for it in order to set the departure date.
Application for a return authorisation
Always download the form from the Ministry website: the templates are updated and offices reject outdated versions.
| Form | What it covers | Who pays | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 790 código 012 | Return authorisation | The applicant | Generate fee form |
Amounts are updated periodically: the one shown when you generate form 790 is the one in force.
Immigration Office or National Police station
By appointment; some provinces attend urgent cases without one.
- Usual maximum validity: 90 days from issue.
- It is normally decided on the spot or within a few days.
The return authorisation lets you re-enter Spain, but it does not guarantee entry into or transit through other Schengen countries: check the requirements of the countries you pass through.
If your card is valid you do not need this procedure.