Which Spanish family route applies to each relative

Key rules

• Spanish, EU, EEA or Swiss sponsor: the EU-style family card.
• Non-EU resident sponsor: general reunification.
• Unregistered partner: a stable partner with proof can come under both tracks.

Your relative's route depends on who they join, not on who they are. Look at the sponsor first, then at the relationship.

Family of a Spanish, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen

The EU-style route gives your relative a residence card as a family member of a Union citizen, valid for five years. Who it covers:

• Spouse: automatic right, proved by the marriage certificate.
• Registered partner: automatic right, proved by the certificate of the partnership entered in a public register.
• Unregistered partner: a partner with proof of a durable relationship, such as a joint lease, padrón registration or a child together, gets the family card. The authorities check the proof.
• Child under 21, or older and dependent on you (including your spouse's children): automatic right, proved by the birth certificate.
• Dependent parent or grandparent: automatic right once dependence is proved with documents.
• Other dependent relative: entry is facilitated and decided case by case, with proof of dependence.

A Spaniard's independent adult children, siblings and parents who do not depend on them cannot use the family card. They need their own route, and a parent can use arraigo familiar.

Family of a non-EU resident

General reunification applies when the sponsor has lived legally in Spain for one year and holds authorisation for at least one more year. Who it covers:

• Spouse: proved by the marriage certificate. Same-sex marriages count; polygamous marriages are excluded.
• Registered partner: reunified like a spouse, proved by the registry certificate.
• Unregistered partner: reunified on proof of a stable relationship: at least 1 year living together, or a child in common.
• Child: unmarried and under 18, or an adult who cannot support themselves because of disability or dependency. A step-child also needs the written consent of the other parent or a court custody decision.
• Parent: yours or your spouse's, over 65 and dependent on you.
• Other relatives (siblings, uncles, aunts, independent adult children): no family route; they need their own route.

Family unity based on asylum is a separate process: family unity.

Foreign civil documents

Marriage, partnership and birth certificates are treated by the country that issued them:

• Issued in another EU country: no apostille, and where a multilingual standard form exists for the document it replaces the translation.
• Issued in a non-EU country that is a Hague Convention member: an apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish.
• Issued in a non-EU country that is not a Hague member: full legalisation through the Spanish consulate and a sworn translation into Spanish.

When a relative needs their own route

A relative who is in neither list needs a route of their own: non-lucrative, work, digital nomad, student, entrepreneur or arraigo familiar. So does a relative whose sponsor does not yet meet the residence period or the funds.

Other situations

• Sponsor is a UK national protected by the Withdrawal Agreement: UK Withdrawal Agreement family.
• You hold refugee status or temporary protection: family unity.
• You hold a student, non-lucrative, digital nomad, work, entrepreneur or golden visa: family on your visa.
• You are already in Spain and marry a Spanish or EU citizen, or your sponsor becomes Spanish: switching regime.
• Your file was filed before 20 May 2025: what the 2025 regulation changed.