Integration Report
As you know, one of the requirements to apply for a residence permit (by arraigo) after 3 years of residence in Spain is to prove that you are integrated into Spanish society. Therefore, the law requires the applicant to obtain an integration report (also known as an “informe de integración social”, or “informe de arraigo” in some regions, with similar names) to prove that he or she is integrated into the Spanish society.
Note: Under certain circumtances you may not need to take the integration report interview.
What is the integration interview? All rights reserved .
In general, the integration report is issued by the local authorities or by community service center. In order to obtain a successful integration report, the applicant needs to pass an interview or test.
In most cases, the test is a conversation , so that they can learn about the person’s knowledge of Spanish, Spanish culture, cuisine, etc. The difficulty of the test may vary from place to place, but the general content of the test is similar:
-The applicant’s level of Spanish (or other regional language). It is not necessary to have a very high level of Spanish, but it is enough to be able to communicate in a simple way. The staff will also ask questions at a reduced speed, so a little Spanish is all that is needed. All rights reserved .
-Applicants are asked about their knowledge of Spanish culture and politics. For example, they will ask what kind of food they like to eat in Spain, or what is their favorite local festival in Spain. These are questions that you will also learn about if you say you have lived in Spain for a few years. Usually it is enough to answer “tapas” (snacks), “paella” (paella), “chorizo” (red salami).
-Sometimes even political questions are asked, such as what is the name of the Spanish Prime Minister or who is the mayor of the city.
-These are the most common questions, all of which are relatively shallow and generally not very difficult.
Do I have to attend a course to get the integration report?
So far, some regions will require the applicant to attend a mini-course when applying for the integration certificate. Only after completing the course can you apply for the certificate. You should go to a social service center to ask about this. In every region there are social groups that help immigrants without status.
In areas where there are no requirements for courses, you can also take the initiative to enroll in a few months of language classes. There are many social groups that offer free classes to illegal immigrants, so you can try to enroll in them. This way the integration report will be passed, because the staff will not only test the applicant’s integration status, but will also notice if the applicant has made an effort to adapt to life in Spain.
In other words, even if you do not perform well in the exam, if you can prove that you have worked hard to enroll in the course and attend lectures regularly, your success rate will be much higher.
