Choosing your family routeArticle 2 of 11 · 3 min read
Reunification versus EU-style family rules: what changes for you
Compares Spain's EU-style family rules with general family reunification on who qualifies, income and housing tests, speed, card length and work. For people bringing a relative to Spain, including those whose relative is a Spaniard.
Key rules
- Sponsor decides: you do not choose the regime; the sponsor's nationality and status does.
- EU-style card: valid five years, with no income or housing test for a spouse, partner or child.
- Parents of a Spaniard: covered only if financially dependent on the Spaniard.
| EU-style regime | General reunification | |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | A Spanish, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen | A non-EU resident who has lived legally in Spain for 1 year and holds authorisation for at least 1 more year |
| Relatives | Spouse, partner, children under 21 or dependent, dependent parents and grandparents (details) | Spouse, partner, children, parents over 65 (details) |
| Income | None for a spouse, partner or child; a dependent parent or grandparent proves the dependence | 150% of the IPREM a month for the first relative (EUR 900 in 2025), plus 50% (EUR 300) for each further one: 1, 2 or 3 relatives need EUR 900, EUR 1,200 or EUR 1,500 a month |
| Housing | No housing report | An adequate-housing report from your municipal or regional office |
| Decision | The card is issued within 3 months | The office decides within 45 days; silence means approval |
| After approval | A relative abroad whose nationality needs a visa first gets a fast, free entry visa as an EU family member, then applies for the card within 3 months of entering | The entry visa within 2 months of the grant, counted from day 45 after a silent approval, then the foreigner card within 1 month of entering Spain |
| Card length | 5 years | As long as the sponsor's authorisation |
| Work | Free once the right is recognised; the application receipt lets the relative stay and work while the card is pending | From the day the permit is granted; the TIE is the proof |
When to choose
- Your sponsor is a Spanish, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: the EU-style regime applies. A Spaniard's non-dependent parents, siblings and independent adult children are outside it; a parent can use arraigo familiar.
- Your sponsor is a non-EU resident: general reunification applies, the sponsor's income and housing tests included. The full procedure is in the reunification Topic and the income test.
- Your situation changes: a non-EU resident's family moves to the EU-style card when the sponsor becomes Spanish or you marry an EU citizen: switching regime.
- Your relative is a Spaniard's dependent parent or grandparent: the EU-style regime applies once they prove dependence. The EU family card page covers the card.
More in Choosing your family route
- Which Spanish family route applies to each relative
- Can your family come with you on your Spanish visa
- Bring your family now or reunify them later
- Can your partner or children work or study on a family permit
- Switching family regime after marriage or when your sponsor naturalises
- Family joining a UK national protected by the Withdrawal Agreement
- Family unity for refugees and people under temporary protection
- What the 2025 immigration regulation changed for families
- Moving with a partner: what changes
- Studying in Spain with a partner or children: what changes
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.