Switching family regime after marriage or when your sponsor naturalises

Switching is worth it when you qualify: the EU-style card is valid for five years and needs no income or housing test for a spouse or child. Your old permit does not convert automatically; you apply for the new card. You can switch in two situations: you marry a Spanish or EU citizen, or the person who sponsored you becomes Spanish.

If you marry a Spanish or EU citizen

Apply for a residence card as a family member of an EU citizen, as the spouse. You start with form EX-19 and apply at the Oficina de Extranjería or a police station. The fee is 16 EUR, paid with form modelo 790 code 012, in 2026. The new card replaces your existing permit. A registered partner applies the same way.

If your sponsor becomes Spanish

Once your sponsor is Spanish, you are the family of a Spanish citizen. You can apply if you are:

• the spouse,
• the registered partner,
• a dependent child or other dependent descendant, or
• a dependent parent or other dependent ascendant.

An unregistered partner needs proof of a durable relationship; the authorities check it. Other dependent relatives are facilitated case by case: who is covered. A parent who does not depend on the sponsor stays under the current permit.

When to apply

Apply while your current permit is still valid, and do not wait for the last month. You keep using the current permit until the new card is issued. If you apply late, the permit lapses and you may need to restart under another route.

If you are a UK citizen with Withdrawal Agreement rights, you follow the Withdrawal Agreement card rules, not this switch.

Documents you need

• If you marry: the marriage certificate, your spouse's identity document and proof that your spouse is registered or resident in Spain.
• If your sponsor becomes Spanish: proof of the sponsor's Spanish nationality, the certificate of your relationship, your current residence card and form EX-19.
• Foreign certificates: rules by issuing country.