Partners and registered partnerships (pareja de hecho)Article 2 of 7 · 2 min read
Registering a partnership (pareja de hecho) and what it unlocks
Explains where a partnership (pareja de hecho) is registered in Spain and why the registry matters for immigration. Written for couples with a foreign partner who are deciding whether to register, with the open points to confirm before you apply.
Key rules
- Registry: Each region, and sometimes each town hall, runs its own registry, so the process depends on where you live.
- Immigration value: A registration only helps your immigration case if the immigration office accepts that registry.
- Before you apply: Ask the registry about steps, fee and timing, and ask the immigration office whether it accepts that registry.
Steps, fees, timing and which registries immigration accepts vary by region and were not confirmed here, so check them with your registry and immigration office.
Where you register
You register a pareja de hecho at a public registry, not at a notary or a court. Spain has no single national registry for this. Each region runs its own, and some town halls run one too. The process, the paperwork and the effects differ depending on where you live.
Why the registry matters for immigration
Its immigration value depends on which registry it is. A registration in one place may be accepted as proof of your relationship for family-based residence, and a registration in another may not. Do not assume that any registration counts.
Before you pay for anything or collect documents, ask the immigration office (Oficina de Extranjería) in your province whether it accepts the registry you plan to use. Ask this for your exact case: an EU citizen's partner, or a partner of someone who is not an EU citizen.
Steps, fee and timing
The steps, the fee, how long registration takes and the date it takes effect are set by the registry you use. Ask the registry that covers your address. Ask these questions:
- Do both partners have to attend in person, and is an appointment needed?
- Which documents do you need for a foreign partner? A list of documents may be shown separately on your page, if it is available for your case.
- What is the fee, if any?
- How long does it take, and does the registration count from the day you apply or the day it is approved?
If one of you is married or already registered
Being still married, or already registered with someone else, may block a new registration. The rule depends on the registry. Ask the registry before you apply, and have proof of any divorce or earlier registration ending.
Next step
Contact the registry for your region or town hall first. Then confirm with the immigration office that it accepts that registry for your case.
More in Partners and registered partnerships (pareja de hecho)
- Marry or register a partnership (pareja de hecho): which gives status
- How partnership (pareja de hecho) rules differ by region
- Spouse, registered partner or unregistered partner: how each is treated
- Which marriages Spain recognises for immigration
- Does Spain recognise a same-sex marriage or partnership formed abroad
- How authorities test whether a marriage or partnership is real
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