The EU family residence card for non-EU relatives

Terms used

• cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you book in advance with a public office before you can be seen.
• padrón — The padrón is the local register of residents kept by your town hall; it proves where you live.
• resguardo — The resguardo is the stamped receipt the office gives you when you file or attend an appointment. It proves your application is in progress and, with your passport, covers your stay while it is pending.

Who can get the card

The card is for a non-EU relative who accompanies or joins an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen living in Spain. The EU citizen must be registered in Spain first (how they register). The right depends on the relationship:

Other relatives who depend on the EU citizen, live with them or need care for health reasons have no automatic right either; Spain decides case by case. If approved, they get the same card.

Proof of dependency is a record of the money the EU citizen has sent over the last year, or proof that you live with them, together with a certificate from your home authority showing your lack of income. Papers issued outside the EU need an apostille or legalisation and a sworn translation, as for the relationship certificate.

Where and how to apply

Apply within 3 months of entering Spain, in person at the Oficina de Extranjería in your province of residence or at the police station that takes fingerprints. Book an appointment (cita previa) first. Use form EX-19 and pay the fee of €10.40 with modelo 790 código 012. A late application is an infraction with a fine of 501 to 10,000 euros, but late applications are still accepted and fines are rarely applied; you may be asked to explain the delay.

Prove the relationship and the EU citizen's status

• Your relationship: the certificate named for your relationship. A document issued in another EU state needs no apostille or legalisation, and a multilingual standard form can replace a translation. A document from a non-EU country that belongs to the Hague Convention needs an apostille and a sworn translation into Spanish unless it is already in Spanish. A document from a non-EU country outside the Convention needs full legalisation through that country's foreign ministry and the Spanish consulate, plus a sworn translation.
• The EU citizen's status: their passport or national ID, their registration certificate and a padrón certificate. If they do not work, add proof of resources and health insurance, as in what EU citizens must prove.
• Your own papers: your valid passport and form EX-19 with proof that you paid the fee.

If your situation is different

• You are still abroad. If your nationality needs a visa, first apply for an entry visa as a family member of an EU citizen at the Spanish consulate. Spain issues it on a fast, free basis, and border officers must give you every facility to obtain one. Then apply for the card within 3 months of entering.
• You are the non-EU spouse of a Spanish citizen. The same card and the same rules apply. The Spanish citizen shows their DNI or passport instead of a registration certificate.
• You are already in Spain on another permit. You can apply for the card in Spain, and it replaces the old permit. The 3 months count from your entry, so apply now even if the permit is still valid.
• The EU citizen is a UK citizen with Withdrawal Agreement rights. You do not use this route: family members of UK beneficiaries get the Withdrawal Agreement's own residence document (family members of UK nationals).
• You are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen yourself. You register and get a paper certificate, not a family card.

After you apply

You receive a receipt (resguardo) that lets you stay and work while the application is pending. The decision takes up to 3 months from submission. If proof is missing, the office asks you to supply it within 10 working days. After the fingerprint appointment you collect the card in person; it is valid for five years.

If the application is refused

The resguardo stops covering you, so you lose the right to stay and work on that basis; the refusal notice sets the period to leave Spain. You can file an appeal (recurso de reposición) within 1 month, or go to the administrative court within 2 months. You can also make a new application with the missing proof at any time. If the refusal was for missing proof, a new application is usually the faster route.