Parents and other relatives

It shows which route a parent can realistically use, what dependency has to be shown, and what to do if no route fits. It also covers options for relatives outside the core family definition, such as siblings, adult children and in-laws.

Start with "Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain". It explains the demanding test for ascendants, and it is the quickest way to see whether that route is open to you. If your child is a Spanish or EU citizen, go next to "Joining your Spanish or EU citizen child as a dependent parent". If a parent does not qualify, read "When a parent does not qualify: other routes to check". For other relatives, read "Siblings, adult children and in-laws: what options exist".

Healthcare for older parents, detailed dependency evidence and care in later life are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Parent age: A parent must be over 65 to be reunified by a non-EU resident, though a younger parent may be accepted for exceptional humanitarian reasons.
• Visitor stay: A visa-exempt parent can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Family card deadline: A dependent parent of an EU citizen applies for the family card within 3 months of arriving in Spain.
• Appeal deadlines: After a refusal, you have one month to file an optional reposición appeal, or two months to go to court.
• Sponsor status: You must already hold the required residence status before you file, and you file from inside Spain.
• Dependency: You must truly depend on your child's support; occasional gifts do not count.

Parents and other relatives: the whole process, step by step

• Work out which route fits your parent: reunification by a non-EU resident, or the dependent-parent route for EU and Spanish citizens (read: Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain, or Joining your Spanish or EU citizen child as a dependent parent): Before you start

• If your parent does not qualify, check the other routes (read: When a parent does not qualify: other routes to check, and Siblings, adult children and in-laws: what options exist): Before you start, or if a route is refused

• Reunification route: the sponsor files the application in Spain, normally online, with the Oficina de Extranjería in their province: Only after the sponsor already holds the required residence status; it cannot be filed earlier

• Reunification route: wait for the decision from the Government Subdelegation or Delegation. Silence means refusal: The legal limit is about 3 months

• Reunification route: your parent applies for the visa at the Spanish consulate in their home country: Usually within 2 months of the grant; the visa is issued within about 1 month

• Reunification route: your parent applies for the TIE (residence card) at the police after entering Spain: Within 1 month of entering Spain

• EU and Spanish citizen route: a parent from a country that needs a Schengen visa gets a free family-member visa at a Spanish consulate. Parents of Spanish citizens need a normal national visa to settle: Before travelling

• EU citizen route: the dependent parent applies for the family card (form EX-19) at the Oficina de Extranjería or police station, after booking an appointment: Within 3 months of arriving in Spain

• EU citizen route: wait for the decision and collect the TIE card, valid 5 years: The legal period is 3 months, though it can take longer

• Visiting meanwhile: a visa-exempt parent can stay in Spain as a visitor. Extensions are only for exceptional reasons: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period

• If a route is refused, appeal or go to court (read: When a parent does not qualify: other routes to check): One month for a reposición appeal, or two months to go to court

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your valid passport — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain, Joining your Spanish or EU citizen child as a dependent parent

Income and work

• Proof of your own stable income — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain

Translations and legal papers

• A sworn translation into Spanish of every foreign document — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain

Other documents

• Proof that your parent depends on you financially — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain
• Documents showing why your parent needs to live in Spain — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain
• A housing report — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain
• A clean criminal record certificate from your parent's home country — Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain
• Your child's birth certificate showing you as the parent — Joining your Spanish or EU citizen child as a dependent parent
• Proof of your child's EU citizenship and registration in Spain — Joining your Spanish or EU citizen child as a dependent parent

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Parents and other relatives: questions that cross several articles

Does it matter whether my child is a non-EU resident or an EU or Spanish citizen?

Yes, it decides which route your parent uses, because non-EU residents use reunification and EU or Spanish citizens use a dependency route. Reunification needs the sponsor to hold a long-term or renewed residence status and the parent to be over 65. The citizen route needs only financial dependence.

How do I prove my parent depends on me financially?

You show regular money transfers over time and that your parent has little or no income of their own. Add papers from the home country, such as property certificates, and for reunification also health or care needs and no other children there. A one-off or voluntary gift is not enough. Read both route articles for the details.

Do I need to prove my own income as the sponsor?

Yes, for reunification the sponsor must show stable income, measured against the IPREM, a public income indicator set each year. The amount rises with each family member in Spain. See Can you bring a parent or grandparent to live in Spain.

Can my parent come as a visitor while the application is pending?

Yes, a visa-exempt parent can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but visiting does not start any residence process. Do not count on staying beyond that.

Who files the application, and where?

For reunification, you file as the sponsor in Spain with the Oficina de Extranjería in your province. For the EU family card, your parent files in Spain after arriving.