EU Family Member Residence Card for Spain: How to get it

What is the EU family member residence card?

The EU family permit, or tarjeta de residencia de familiar comunitario, is a type of residence permit that allows foreigners who are not from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, but who have a family relative from one of these countries, to get a residence permit in Spain valid for 5 years.

This residence authorisation gives them the right to live and work in Spain under the same conditions as their EU, EEA or Swiss relative, either as an employee or self-employed, and it can lead to permanent residence after 5 years.

It is often called the EU family card, community card or article 10 residence card, since it is issued under Directive 2004/38/EC on free movement.

Have an EU, EEA or Swiss relative

If you are the family member of a European Union, EEA or Swiss citizen who lives in Spain, you can get your residency here. These relatives qualify:

SpouseAs long as you are not legally separated or divorced
Registered partnerPartnership registered in an EU/EEA country. See civil partnership
ChildrenUnder 21, or older if they are financially dependent
ParentsOf the EU citizen or their partner, if dependent on them

Not registered as a couple? You may qualify as an unmarried stable partner.

Have sufficient means

Make sure that the EU citizen (your relative) has a work contract, is self-employed, or has sufficient economic means and health insurance for the whole family.

How to prove it

Join your EU family member

You will need to accompany or join the EU national with whom you are applying for this permit and live with them in Spain.

Demonstrate your family ties

Finally, you will need to demonstrate that you are actually the relative of the European Union citizen, with official documents legalised and translated when required.

Marriage certificate
Partnership certificate
Birth certificate
Proof of dependency

See all documents

Visas for family members of EU citizens in Spain

Are you a non-EU citizen who wants to get a Spanish residence permit? If you are the relative of an EU citizen, or you are married or in a civil partnership (pareja de hecho) with an EU national, you can start to live and work in Spain.

You avoid a long list of requirements and tedious paperwork. Getting your Spanish residency through an EU relative is one of the fastest ways to live legally in the country for a long period of time.

This procedure grants non-EU citizens who are relatives of European Union citizens a residence and work authorisation with the same rights as EU nationals.

Ask our lawyers We review your case and tell you
which route fits your family.

How will you benefit by getting your residence permit with us?

By your side from start to finish

We will accompany you through the whole process, from the beginning until you have received your EU family member residence card.

You just need to sign

We fill out all the necessary documents for you and send them to the competent authority.

Translations included

We take care of all the translations into Spanish needed during the procedure, both for the application and for the renewal.

What our clients say about us

Renewal and permanent residence after 5 years

After the first 5 years living in Spain with this card, you will need to renew your EU family card or, depending on your situation, apply for permanent residence. The requirements are basically the same: you must show that the family tie is still in place and that there are sufficient economic means.

FAQs about the EU family member residence card in Spain

Quick answers to the questions our clients ask us most often before applying.

Is the EU family card the same as family reunification?

No. Both procedures end with a similar result (your relatives living with you in Spain), but they are regulated by different laws.

The EU family member card follows the Community Regime (Royal Decree 240/2007) and applies to relatives of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens. Family reunification follows the General Immigration Regime and applies to relatives of non-EU residents, with stricter requirements such as a minimum period of residence and a minimum income.

Can I apply if I entered Spain as a tourist?

Yes. The relative of the European Union citizen has 3 months from his or her entry to Spain to present all the required documentation to the Immigration Office.

What happens if those 3 months end and you still have not got your residence card? No problem: once you apply, you will be given a receipt that guarantees your legal stay until you finally receive the card.

If your nationality needs a visa to enter Spain, the consulate must process it free of charge and through an accelerated procedure, since you are the family member of an EU citizen.

Can I work with the EU family member card?

Yes. The card gives you the right to live and work in Spain as an employee or as self-employed, with the same rights as your EU relative. You do not need a separate work permit.

How long does it take to get the EU family card?

Once your application is submitted, the Immigration Office has up to three months to resolve it. After approval, you will need to book an appointment to have your fingerprints taken and then collect the physical card.

See the full application process step by step.

Will I lose my residency if I get divorced?

Not necessarily. You can divorce, annul your marriage or cancel your registered partnership and still keep your card as a family member of an EU citizen, as long as you meet these 2 requirements:

You have lived with your partner for at least 3 years.
Of those 3 years, at least one has been in Spain.

And what happens if you do not reach those three years? There are 4 cases that would still allow you to keep your card. Find them in our guide on how to keep your residency after a divorce.

Is my marriage registered abroad valid?

That entirely depends on the country of origin of the European citizen. If you registered your marriage in a country outside of the EU, you must check whether the EU national's country is on this list.

If that is the case, the legal union will be totally valid and you will just need to legalise or apostille it. Otherwise, you must first register it in the EU relative's country.

How long can I stay outside Spain with this card?

To keep your residence, you should live in Spain for at least 6 months per year. Longer absences can break the continuity of your residence and affect your renewal or your permanent residence.

More details on the maximum time outside Spain without losing residency.

What if my EU relative is Spanish?

Since May 2025, the EU family card (form EX-19) only applies to relatives of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens other than Spanish. If your relative is Spanish, you must follow the Family Member of a Spanish Citizen procedure (form EX-24, Royal Decree 1155/2024).

EU Family Member Residence Card in Spain