How to respond to an immigration request for documents

What receiving a request means

An immigration request asks you to correct an application, provide documents or clarify information. It is not automatically a refusal. Read the whole notice to identify what is missing, which case it concerns, the deadline and where to respond.

A correction request, document request and hearing may have different purposes and deadlines. Do not use a template without checking which action you received.

How to calculate the response deadline

Law 39/2015 generally provides ten days to correct an incomplete application. A deadline stated in days without specifying calendar days generally means working days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Check specific rules, the applicable calendar and how notification occurred.

Not every request has the same deadline. Use the received act and confirm the calculation. The notification-alert email date may differ from the legally relevant date. For electronic notices, check when they were accessed or took effect under applicable rules.

Documents for a complete response

• Full request, notification date and case details.
• Original application and registration receipt.
• Specifically requested documents, complete, legible and valid.
• A written response identifying the case and linking each answer to the requested point.
• Proof of representation if a representative submits the response.

For foreign documents, check translation, apostille or legalisation and possible exemptions. For financial means or contracts, provide evidence of the requested period and conditions; a similar document may not satisfy the request.

Submitting a correction step by step

1. Read the request and note the deadline.
2. Prepare an index following the order of the requested points.
3. Label each file clearly and check every page.
4. Use the specified or legally appropriate channel to add documents to the case.
5. Check that submission was registered and keep the receipt.

Uploading files does not always complete registration. Check that the receipt identifies the correct submission. Do not open a new application assuming it automatically replaces the response to the earlier case.

If you cannot obtain a document in time

Explain the difficulty and consider requesting an extension before expiry. For Article 68 corrections, the law allows a possible extension of up to five days for special difficulties under the stated conditions. It is not automatic: requesting it does not mean extra days are granted.

Failure to respond to a correction request may lead to a formal decision treating the application as withdrawn. For closure or an adverse decision, review the act and appeal routes. Keep proof of submissions and efforts to obtain missing documents.