What this letter is
The estado del expediente (case status) is not a letter but what you see when you look up your immigration application on the sede electrónica de las Administraciones Públicas (Public Administrations online portal). It tells you which stage it is at: received, under review, with a requerimiento or already decided. It is for information only: what counts legally is the notificación (formal notification, on the portal, in DEHú or by registered post). Note: the service is not available to EU citizens.
How to read it: the key parts
| What you see in the lookup | What it means |
|---|---|
| Nº de expediente (case number) | 15-character code identifying your application |
| Tipo de solicitud (type of application) | What you applied for: arraigo, renewal, family reunification, long-term residence… |
| Fecha de presentación / entrada (filing / entry date) | The three months to decide count from here |
| En trámite (in progress) | The office has your application and is reviewing it or requesting reports |
| Requerimiento (or pendiente de requerimiento) (request for documents, or pending) | They are asking for documents or details; there is or will be a notification with a deadline |
| Resuelto – favorable (decided – favourable) | It’s granted; wait for or look for the notification |
| Resuelto – desfavorable / denegado (decided – unfavourable / refused) | It’s refused; check the reason and the appeal deadlines |
| Archivado / desistido / inadmitido (closed / withdrawn / not admitted) | Closed without examining the merits: you didn’t reply, something essential was missing or it didn’t meet the admission requirements |
The exact wording can vary by office and type of procedure.
What deadline you have
The status alone does not open any deadlines. The notificación does:
- Requerimiento: usually 10 working days; for arraigo and exceptional circumstances, whatever the letter says, up to 15 days.
- Favourable resolution: generally one month to apply for the TIE (and, if it is a work permit, Social Security registration).
- Refusal: one month for a recurso de reposición (administrative appeal) or two months for the courts.
For electronic notifications, if you don’t open the notice within 10 calendar days, it is deemed rejected and the deadline starts anyway.
Example: the status changes to «requerimiento» and you open the notification on Monday 5 October 2026. With 10 working days, and the 12 October holiday, your last day is Tuesday 20 October.
What you can do
| Option | When it makes sense | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Wait and check every week | En trámite and within the three months | Nothing; the review continues |
| Look for the notification on the portal or DEHú | It changes to requerimiento or resuelto | You download the document and see the real deadline |
| Provide documents | Requerimiento | The case continues |
| Apply for the TIE | Resuelto favorable and notified | Fingerprint appointment with the tasa 790 012 |
| Written request to move it along, or an appeal | More than three months without an answer | Depending on the type of application, silence means approval or refusal |
What happens if you do nothing
If the status shows a requerimiento and you don’t respond, the case ends up archivado por desistimiento (closed as withdrawn). If it is resuelto favorable and you don’t look for the notification, it may be deemed notified without you knowing and you miss the month for the TIE. If it is unfavourable and you don’t react, the decision becomes firme (final).
Common mistakes
- Thinking «resuelto favorable» is already the authorisation: you need the notified resolution.
- Not checking DEHú if you applied online.
- Mistyping the case number (it has 15 characters) or the NIE with a different first letter.
- Assuming three months of silence always means approval.
- Trusting websites that ask for data or payment to “check your case”.
How to respond step by step
- Go to the official información sobre el estado de expedientes de extranjería (immigration case status) service.
- Log in with Cl@ve or use the formulario (form) with your NIE or case number.
- Note the status and the date. If it changes, go to the sede (portal) or DEHú with Cl@ve or a digital certificate.
- Download the notification and find the plazo (deadline) and the pie de recursos (appeals footer).
- Respond through the registro electrónico (electronic registry) or at a registry office, always quoting the case number.
Cartamiga tip: take a dated screenshot every time the status changes. If you ever argue about deadlines or silence, you’ll have proof of what you saw and when.