Proving a relative depends on you financially

Key rules

• Three proofs: You need payment records, evidence of your relative's household costs you cover, and proof your relative lacks resources.
• Timing: Start documented, regular support well before you apply, because last-minute transfers look suspicious.
• Foreign papers: Home-country documents must be legalised or apostilled and translated into Spanish.
• Office variation: Accepted documents vary by office, so ask yours before ordering certificates.

What you have to prove

You must show three things: you send money to your relative, your relative lives on your support, and your relative has little or no income of their own. The office wants to see this over a period it considers sufficient before you apply. The documents list below shows the exact papers.

Who has to prove dependency

It depends on which route you use.

• Relative of an EU citizen: parents, grandparents and other dependent family members must prove dependency. A spouse, registered partner or child under 21 does not. A child over 21 must prove it.
• Relative of a non-EU resident: a parent must be dependent and over 65, with some exceptions. An adult child can come only if disabled and unable to provide for themselves.

Immigration rules have been reformed recently, so check the current conditions with the immigration office before you start.

Proof 1: regular payments from you

Use bank or money-transfer records showing payments from you to your relative. Keep every receipt. Send the money in your own name to your relative's own name, and keep the amounts and dates regular.

Proof 2: your relative's household and costs

Show that you pay for housing, health care or daily living costs. Rent payments, medical bills and utility bills you cover all help. Add a signed statement that your relative needs your support to live.

Proof 3: your relative has no resources

Ask the tax or social-security authority in your relative's home country for a certificate showing no income or property. If that is not available, a negative income statement or a declaration of lack of resources can be used. Proof that your relative is unemployed or has no pension also helps.

Home-country documents must be legalised or apostilled and translated into Spanish. Which documents are accepted depends on the country and the office, so ask the office before you pay for certificates.

How long should the support last

No fixed minimum period applies in every case. Offices usually expect continuous, documented support before you apply, and several months or more of regular transfers is commonly asked for. Transfers that start only just before you apply are treated with suspicion. Start sending and recording payments as early as you can, and confirm the expected period with your office.

Mistakes to avoid

• Paying through someone else's account, so the records do not show you.
• Gaps between payments or irregular amounts.
• Submitting untranslated or unlegalised home-country papers.

Documents you need

• Bank or money-transfer records showing regular payments from you to your relative over several continuous months or longer

• Proof of your family relationship with the relative

• Proof that you pay for your relative's housing, health care or living costs

• A dependency declaration stating that your relative needs your support to live

• A certificate from your relative's home-country tax or social-security authority showing no income or property, or a negative income statement. It must be legalised or apostilled

• A translation into Spanish of each home-country document

• A declaration of lack of resources, or proof that your relative is unemployed or has no pension

Frequently asked questions

How many months of support do I need to show before applying?

No single minimum period applies in every case, but offices usually expect a continuous, documented run of support, and regular transfers over several months or longer are commonly asked for. Transfers made only just before you apply are treated with suspicion. Start sending money by traceable means as early as you can.

Which relatives have to prove dependency at all?

Under the EU-citizen regime, parents and other ascendants, other dependent family members and children over 21 must prove dependency, but a spouse, registered partner or child under 21 does not. Under the general regime, a parent must be dependent and over 65, with exceptions.

Do documents from my relative's home country need legalising?

Yes, proof of no income from the home country must be legalised or apostilled and translated.