EU citizens and their family members
EU citizens are people holding the nationality of a member state of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden), of another state of the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or of Switzerland. They are free to travel, reside and work in any other country of the Union.
On settling in Spain, the EU citizen must be in one of these situations and have public health insurance, or private insurance on the same terms as the public system, without co-payments and with hospitalisation.
- Working as an employee with a contract of at least three months.
- Working as a self-employed person or starting a business for at least three months.
- Residing with sufficient financial means without needing to work.
- Residing as a student.
Anyone arriving in Spain to settle for more than three months has the right, and the obligation, to register as a resident EU citizen: the EU Registration Certificate. It identifies the citizen as a resident in Spain and gives access to rights such as opening a bank account as a resident, Social Security and public healthcare. It is essential if the spouse, partner or family members are non-EU nationals.
If the EU citizen is a Spanish national residing in Spain (a Colombian citizen married to a Spanish citizen, for example), the family member applies directly for the residence and work card as the family member of an EU citizen.
If the EU citizen is a non-Spanish national residing in Spain (an Italian citizen married to a Venezuelan citizen), the EU citizen is first registered with the EU Registration Certificate and the family member card is then applied for on behalf of the non-EU family member. This second procedure tends to have stricter requirements.
For the spouse, partner or close family members to obtain a residence permit, or a residence and work permit, in Spain, the EU citizen must first be registered as a resident. Before looking at the non-EU family members, it is worth knowing the requirements the citizen must meet to establish their own residence.
How to apply
As a private individual
With an online appointment in the city of residence, provided you are registered with the municipality.
Through a lawyer
A specialist lawyer can file the application on the applicant's behalf, without them having to attend the Immigration Office in person, with a signed authorisation of representation.
Documentation
No criminal record certificate is needed. The decision usually takes around three months and, once granted, you must go to the police station for fingerprinting and the issue of the TIE.
- Proof of the family tie, with legalised and translated certificates.
- Joint municipal registration certificate.
- The family unit's financial means.
- The non-EU national's full passport and the EU citizen's DNI or certificate.
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