EU Citizens & Family Members
Relocating to Spain
We can help EU Citizens and their non-EU family members in relocating to Spain together. If you are an EU citizen, you and your non-EU family members can enjoy the privilege of free movement and residence within the EU. Artemis Law makes the registration process straightforward.
Is This Permit Right for You?
The EU Citizen & Family regime applies to EU/EEA/Swiss nationals living in Spain, and to their family members, including non-EU spouses, partners, children, and dependent parents.
EU, EEA & Swiss Citizens
You are a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland and intend to live in Spain for more than 90 days. You register on the Central Registry of Foreign Nationals and receive a Registration Certificate.
Non-EU Family of an EU Citizen
You are the spouse, registered partner, child under 21 (or dependent), or dependent parent of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen residing in Spain, and are not yourself an EU national.
Family of Spanish Nationals
Royal Decree 240/2007 also extends to the non-EU family members of Spanish citizens in certain circumstances, including spouses, partners, children, and dependent ascendants of a Spaniard.
Returning Spaniards & Their Families
Spanish nationals returning from another EU country with a non-EU family member acquired abroad may bring that family member to Spain under the EU regime, rather than the general family reunification rules.
What the EU Family Regime Provides
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens do not need a visa or residency card to live in Spain. After 90 days, they must register on the Central Registry of Foreign Nationals, receiving a green A4 certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión) confirming their right of residence.
Family members who are not themselves EU nationals are issued a "Tarjeta de Residencia de Familiar de Ciudadano de la Unión", a biometric TIE card valid for 5 years, which grants full rights to live and work anywhere in Spain.
This route is generally faster and more flexible than the General Regime that applies to family members of other non-EU residents, with a broader definition of "family member" and no minimum waiting period before the family can join the sponsor in Spain.
After 5 years of continuous legal residence under this regime, both EU citizens and their family members can apply for permanent residency in Spain.
Key Facts at a Glance
Requirements
All documents from outside Spain must be apostilled and officially translated into Spanish by a certified translator. Artemis Law advises you on every document.
Sponsor's EU/Spanish Status
- Valid passport or national ID card of the EU/EEA/Swiss or Spanish sponsor
- Proof of the sponsor's residence in Spain (or, for returning Spaniards, prior residence in another EU state)
- EU citizen's registration certificate, where already obtained
Proof of Family Relationship
- Marriage certificate or proof of registered/de facto stable partnership
- Birth certificates for children, including proof of dependency for children over 21
- Evidence of dependency for parents or grandparents applying as ascendants
- All foreign civil documents apostilled and officially translated into Spanish
Sponsor's Means of Support
- If the EU/Spanish sponsor is employed or self-employed: payslips, employment contract, or registration as self-employed (autónomo)
- If not working: evidence of sufficient resources for the family unit and comprehensive health insurance
- Bank statements or other proof of financial means where applicable
Identity & Travel Documents
- Valid passport for the non-EU family member
- Passport-style photographs to specifications
- Current visa or residence status in Spain, if already in the country
- Proof of address (empadronamiento) in Spain
Health Insurance
- Public healthcare entitlement through the sponsor's social security registration, or
- Private health insurance with full coverage and no co-payments where public healthcare access does not yet apply
Criminal Record Certificate
- Required in certain cases for non-EU family members arriving from outside Spain
- Must be apostilled and officially translated into Spanish where applicable
- Pina will confirm whether this applies to your specific application
Bringing your family to Spain?
Book a consultation with Pina to confirm the right route for your family members.
Book Your ConsultationOur Process
From your first consultation to receiving your registration certificate or family member card, Artemis Law guides every member of your family through the process.
Initial Consultation
We confirm which route applies: EU citizen registration, family member of an EU citizen, or family member of a Spanish national. We then identify exactly which documents your family will need.
Document Checklist
Artemis Law provides a checklist tailored to your family's situation, including guidance on civil status documents, apostilles, and certified translations.
Appointment Booking (Cita Previa)
Securing an appointment with the immigration office or police station is often the most difficult step. Artemis Law manages this on your behalf and monitors for available slots.
Application Submission
We compile and submit the complete application, ensuring every document meets the specific requirements of your local immigration office.
Biometrics & Card Issuance
Non-EU family members attend a biometrics appointment for the TIE card. EU citizens collect their registration certificate, which does not expire and does not require biometrics.
Renewal & Permanent Residency Planning
We track your card's 5-year validity and advise on renewal, and on applying for permanent residency once the family has accumulated 5 years of continuous legal residence.
EU Family Regime vs General Family Reunification
Whether the EU regime or the General Regime applies makes a significant difference to timelines, income requirements, and which relatives qualify.
| Criteria | EU Family Regime (RD 240/2007) | General Regime (Family Reunification) |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, or Spanish national | Non-EU resident on a work, NLV, or other permit |
| Eligible family members | Spouse/partner, children under 21 (or dependent), dependent ascendants | Spouse/partner, minor children, ascendants only if over 65 and dependent |
| Minimum prior residence of sponsor | None. The family can apply alongside or shortly after the sponsor | Generally 1 year of legal residence required |
| Income requirement | Sufficient means for the family unit (flexible) | Specific IPREM-based thresholds per family member |
| Card validity | 5 years | Linked to sponsor's permit (typically 2 years) |
| Processing time | ~1–3 months | Often 3–6 months or longer |
| Work rights for family member | Immediate, full work rights | Generally immediate since 2021 reforms, but tied to permit |
| Best for | Families with at least one EU/Spanish member | Families where the sponsor is a non-EU resident |
Not sure which regime applies to your family? Book a consultation with Pina for a clear assessment of your family's situation.
Why Work with Pina
Artemis Law is a boutique immigration law practice founded in September 2020, led personally by Pina Espinoza. With 10 years of experience exclusively in Spanish immigration law, Pina has guided hundreds of clients, including binational couples and families, through Spain's residency system.
Pina is a dual-qualified lawyer in both Spain and Germany. As an EU citizen whose own family includes non-EU nationals, she understands the EU Family Regime from both a professional and a personal perspective. She regularly assists EU citizens registering in Spain and their non-EU family members applying for residence cards.
Securing appointments (cita previa) for these procedures is often the single biggest obstacle families face. Artemis Law's familiarity with local immigration offices across Spain helps avoid unnecessary delays.
- Dual-qualified lawyer in Spain and Germany, with 10 years in Spanish immigration law
- Personal experience navigating the EU Family Regime as part of a binational family
- Fluent in Spanish, English, and German
- Based in Barcelona, serving all of Spain and the islands
- You work directly with Pina from start to finish, with no handoffs or case managers
- Transparent pricing and clear timelines from day one
"There Is No Lawyer More Eloquent Than the Heart."
Sylvain Maréchal, 1788. The guiding principle of Artemis Law
What Clients Say
Trusted by EU citizens and binational families across Spain.
"Pina is the best immigration lawyer I have ever met. She is highly knowledgeable in her field of expertise and can navigate even the most complicated of immigration processes with great ease."
"Pina assisted me with my son's student visa to study abroad. She is an excellent communicator as exhibited by her timely responses and her thorough and clearly written emails."
Dozens of families and professionals have shared their experience of working with Pina. Read their reviews directly on Google.
Transparent Pricing.
No Hidden Costs.
Artemis Law provides a personalised quote at the outset of every engagement. You will know precisely what the legal service costs before we begin.
Our fees reflect the expertise required to identify the correct regime for your family and to navigate appointment booking, which is often the most time-consuming part of the process.
Government fees, apostille costs, and certified translation fees are separate and vary by document and country of origin.
Included in Our Legal Fee
- Full eligibility assessment to confirm the correct regime for your family
- Advice on civil status documents, apostilles, and translations
- Personalised document checklist for sponsor and family members
- Review and quality-check of every document before submission
- Appointment (cita previa) management with the immigration office
- Preparation and submission of the complete application
- Support at biometrics appointments and card collection
- Renewal and permanent residency planning
- Direct, personal access to Pina throughout the entire process
Ready to relocate together?
Book a consultation and we will handle the process for the whole family.
Book Your ConsultationCommon Questions
Ready to Bring
Your Family to Spain?
Book a consultation with Pina to confirm which regime applies to your family and get a clear plan for your registration or residence card application.
Book Your Consultation