Sheet 62 - Residence card of a relative of a citizen of the European Union

* The content of this page is for guidance only. Only the provisions of the regulations in force at the time of submission of the application are applicable.

*Important note:

A foreign person who has a family relationship with a person of Spanish nationality may go through the community family channel provided that he/she has exercised the right to free movement. To do this, you must submit the application in the official model EX19. Otherwise, you will have to present it through the official model EX24.

Last Updated: May 2025

Index of contents

  • Citizens to whom it applies
  • Basic regulations
  • Requirements
  • Exigible documentation
  • Procedure

CITIZENS TO WHOM IT APPLIES

Relatives of a Spanish citizen or of another Member State of the European Union, or of another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland, who do not hold the nationality of one of these States, when they meet with him or accompany him, and are going to reside in Spain for a period of more than three months, must apply for and obtain a family card of a citizen of the Union.

  • MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND STATES PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT ON THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
      • Germany
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Bulgaria
      • Cyprus
      • Croatia
      • Denmark
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Estonia
      • Finland
      • France
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Ireland
      • Iceland*
      • Italy
      • Latvia
      • Liechtenstein*
      • Lithuania
      • Luxembourg
      • Malta
      • Norway*
      • The Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • R. Checa
      • Romania
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland**

* States Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

** Agreement of 21 June 1999 between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the free movement of personnel.


 

BASIC REGULATIONS

  • Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States.
  • Royal Decree 240/2007, of 16 February, on entry, free movement and residence in Spain of citizens of the Member States of the European Union and of other States parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.
  • Order PRE/1490/2012, of 9 July, laying down rules for the application of Article 7 of Royal Decree 240/2004, of 16 February, on the entry, free movement and residence in Spain of citizens of the Member States of the European Union and of other States parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

 

REQUIREMENTS

    • Accompany or meet a citizen of the Union or another State party to the European Economic Area, who has the right of residence for a period of more than three months, for being an employed or self-employed person, having sickness insurance and sufficient financial means for the family unit, or being a student with sickness insurance and sufficient resources for the family unit.
  • The citizen of the Union or another State party of the European Economic Area, must comply with one of the following conditions:
    • Be an employed person in Spain, or
    • Be self-employed in Spain, or
    • To have sufficient economic resources for himself and his family members so as not to become a burden for social assistance in Spain during his period of residence. You must also provide a public or private health insurance, contracted in Spain or in another country, that provides coverage in Spain during your period of residence equivalent to that provided by the National Health System. The assessment of the sufficiency of economic means shall be made on a case-by-case basis and, in any case, taking into account the applicant’s personal and family situation. The possession of resources that are greater than the amount established each year by the Law on General Budgets of the State to generate the right to receive a non-contributory benefit shall be considered sufficient accreditation for the fulfillment of this requirement, or
    • Be a student and be enrolled in a public or private center recognized or financed by the educational administration to pursue studies or professional training, as well as have a public or private health insurance contracted in Spain or another country that provides full coverage in Spain, and responsible statement that you have sufficient economic resources for yourself and your family members so as not to become a burden for social assistance from Spain during your period of residence.

Have the following relationship with the citizen of the Union:

  • If you are a student family member, you can be:
    • Spouse, provided that the agreement or declaration of nullity of the marriage bond or divorce has not fallen.
    • Couple with whom a conjugal union is maintained and registered in a public register established in a Member State of the Union, or in a State party to the European Economic Area and provided that such registration has not been cancelled, which must be sufficiently accredited. The situations of marriage and registration as a registered partner will be considered, in any case, incompatible with each other.
    • Son of the citizen of the Union or of his spouse or registered partner provided that the agreement or declaration of nullity of the matrimonial bond or divorce has not been reached, or the registration of the couple, under twenty-one years of age or older who is dependent on him or is incapable, has been cancelled.
    • Any member of the family who in the country of origin is in charge or lives with the citizen of the Union. Coexistence will be considered accredited if a continuous coexistence of 24 months in the country of origin is demonstrably demonstrated
    • Any member of the family who, for serious health or disability reasons, is strictly required to be cared for by the citizen of the Union.
    • Unregistered de facto couple with whom they have a stable and duly proven relationship by proving the existence of a lasting bond. In any case, the existence of this link will be understood if a period of marital coexistence of at least one continuous year is accredited, unless they have common offspring, in which case the duly proven accreditation of stable coexistence will suffice. The situations of marriage and couple will be considered, in any case, incompatible with each other.
  • In the other cases it may be:
    • Spouse, provided that the agreement or declaration of nullity of the marriage bond or divorce has not fallen.
    • Couple with whom a conjugal union is maintained and registered in a public register established in a Member State of the Union, or in a State party to the European Economic Area, which prevents the impossibility of two simultaneous registrations in that State, and provided that such registration has not been cancelled, which must be sufficiently accredited. The situations of marriage and registration as a registered partner will be considered, in any case, incompatible with each other.
    • Direct descendant of the citizen of the Union or of the European Economic Area or of his spouse or registered partner provided that the agreement or declaration of nullity of the matrimonial link or divorce has not been reached, or the registration as a couple has been cancelled, under twenty-one years of age, over that age living in his/her care, or incapable.
    • Direct ascendant of a citizen of the Union or of the European Economic Area or of his or her spouse or registered partner living in his or her care, provided that the agreement or declaration of nullity of the matrimonial bond or divorce has not been reached, or the registration of the couple has been cancelled.
    • Any member of the family who in the country of origin is in charge of the citizen of the Union.
    • Any member of the family living in the country of origin with the citizen of the Union. Coexistence will be considered accredited if a continuous coexistence of twenty-four months in the country of origin is demonstrably demonstrated
    • Any member of the family, which for serious health or disability reasons it is strictly necessary for the citizen of the Union to take charge of personal care
    • Unregistered de facto couple with whom they have a stable and duly proven relationship by proving the existence of a lasting bond. In any case, the existence of this link will be understood if a marital period of cohabitation of at least one continuous year is accredited, unless they have common offspring, in which case the accreditation of stable cohabitation duly proven will suffice. The situations of marriage and couple will be considered, in any case, incompatible with each other.

Family members whose financial support is provided by the EU citizen and who need material assistance to meet their basic needs will be deemed to be in charge. This dependency must occur in the country of origin.

EXIGIBLE DOCUMENTATION

Note: in general, copies of the documents must be provided and the originals must be displayed at the time of submitting the application.

    • Application form in official model (EX -19), duly completed and signed by the family member of the Union citizen.
    • Full passport valid and valid for the family member. In the event that it is expired, a copy of it and the request for renewal must be provided.
    • Documentation accrediting the existence of a family link with the citizen of the Union or of the European Economic Area.
    • In the case of an unregistered partner, documentation accrediting that they constitute a stable couple that attests to the existence of a lasting bond, as well as justification of the time of marital coexistence or, where appropriate, birth certificate of the common offspring.
  • If you are a child of a citizen of the European Union or of the European Economic Area or of your spouse or registered partner over 21 years of age, documentation accrediting your status as a dependent or dependent family member
    • If you are a minor child and do not reside in Spain with both parents, documentation accrediting your status as dependent or dependent family of the citizen of the Union or of your spouse or registered partner
  • If you are an ascendant of a citizen of the Union or of your spouse or registered partner, documentation accrediting your status as a dependent family member.
    • D.N.I. of the Spanish citizen or certificate of registration of the citizen of the Union with whom they are accompanying or with whom they are going to meet.
  • In the case of another family member, documentation proving kinship and dependency, or that in the country of origin they lived with the Union citizen, or for serious health or disability reasons.
  • Depending on the condition that the citizen of the Union or the European Economic Area meets:
    • If you are an employed person, you can provide any of the following documents:
      • Employer’s hiring declaration or employment certificate, including at least company name and address data, tax ID and contribution account code.
      • Contract of employment registered in the Public Employment Service, or the communication of the contract and its conditions through the CONTRAT@ platform.
      • Document of discharge or status assimilated to discharge in the corresponding Social Security regime or consent to the verification of data in the files of the General Treasury of Social Security.
    • Self-employed worker may provide any of the following documents:
      • Registration in the Census of Economic Activities.
      • Justification of its establishment through Registration in the Mercantile Registry.
      • Document of discharge or status assimilated to discharge in the corresponding Social Security regime, or consent to the verification of data in the files of the General Treasury of Social Security or the Tax Agency.
    • If no work activity is carried out in Spain, the following must be provided:
      • Documentation that proves to have public or private health insurance, contracted in Spain or in another country, provided that you provide coverage in Spain during your period of residence equivalent to that provided by the National Health System. Pensioners fulfil this condition by providing certification of having health care at the expense of the State for which they receive a pension.
      • Documentation that proves to have sufficient resources for the citizen of the Union and his relatives for the period of residence in Spain. It may be accredited by any legally accepted means of proof, such as property titles, certified checks, documentary evidence of obtaining capital income or bank certified credit cards that accredits the amount available as credit of the aforementioned card.
    • If you are a student, you must submit the following documentation:
      • Enrollment of the educational center, public or private, recognized or financed by the competent educational administration.
      • Documentation that proves to have public or private health insurance. It will be able to provide a European health card with a validity that covers the period of residence and entitles it to receive the necessary health benefits from a medical point of view, taking into account the nature of the benefits and the expected duration.
      • Responsible declaration that he has sufficient resources for himself and for the members of his family, for his period of residence in Spain.

The submission of supporting documentation for participation in a European Union programme favouring educational exchange for students and teachers shall be considered sufficient for the fulfilment of the requirements.

  • A photograph recently in color, on white background, size card.

Important note: when documents are provided from other countries they must be translated into Spanish or co-official language of the territory where the application is submitted by a sworn translator.

List of sworn translators.

In the case of standard forms of the European Union, neither their translation nor their legalization will be necessary in accordance with the provisions of the Community regulations that protect them. For example: healthcare models S1, E109, E121, etc.

On the other hand, any foreign public document must be previously legalized by the Consular Office of Spain with jurisdiction in the country in which the document has been issued or, as the case may be, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, except in the case where the document has been apostilled by the competent authority of the issuing country in accordance with the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 and unless the document is exempt from legalization under the International Convention.

Information on translation and legalization of documents.

PROCEDURE

  • Subject entitled to submit the application: the family member of the citizen of the Union or of another State party, personally.

Information sheet on legitimated subjects.

  • Place of presentation:
  • In person, at the Immigration Office of the province where you intend to reside or at the corresponding Police Station.

Address information, telephone numbers and hours of service to the public.

  • Deadline for submission: three months from the date of entry into Spain. A proof of proof of the presentation of the application will be delivered that is sufficient to prove the situation of legal stay until the delivery of the card.
  • Corresponding fee: it must be paid prior to the issuance of the Union citizen's family card.
  • Form 790 code 052, heading 5 “Identity documents, titles and travel documents to undocumented foreigners and other documents”.

*Note: the fees corresponding to the Certificate of Registration of Community Resident, of residence card of a family member of a citizen of the Union, of identity card of a foreigner, or of temporary residence of relatives of persons with Spanish nationality, will in any case be equivalent to that required of Spanish citizens for the obtaining and renewal of the national identity document.

The subscription form can be downloaded from this page.

  • The issuance of the residence card must take place within three months of the submission of the application. The favorable resolution has effects from the accredited date of entry into Spain being a family member of a citizen of the Union.
  • Validity of the residence card of a family member of a Union citizen: the card shall be valid for five years from the date of issue or the expected period of residence of the Union citizen, whichever is less than five years.