Move to Spain
NIE, TIE, padrón, EU registration, visas, and residency.
ExploreWhere should we begin?
Vacation in Spain
Short visits, entry rules, transport, places to stay, and practical trip planning in Spain.
Live in Spain
Healthcare, banking, taxes, digital access, and the key admin steps for everyday life in Spain.
Not legal advice. Always verify with official sources before filing.
IberiGo guide
Residence card application for family member of an EU citizen in Spain
For non-EU family members joining an EU, EEA, Swiss, or qualifying Spanish citizen in Spain.
Residence card application for family member of an EU citizen
What it is: The residence card for a family member of an EU citizen (Tarjeta de Residencia de Familiar de Ciudadano de la Unión) is the route used when a non-EU family member joins or accompanies an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen who is already registered as a resident in Spain. It follows separate, generally more favourable rules than ordinary family reunification, since it derives from EU free-movement rights rather than the standard non-EU sponsorship route.
Who the sponsor must be: The EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen being joined must already hold their own EU registration certificate (the green NIE) before the non-EU family member applies for the card.
Eligible family members: Typically the EU citizen's spouse or registered partner, dependent children under 21, and dependent direct relatives in the ascending line (such as parents) can apply; each relationship has to be documented.
How the process runs: The non-EU family member applies using the EX-19 form, pays the reduced fee via Modelo 790-012, and attends a fingerprint appointment (toma de huellas) with Policía Nacional. Once approved, the card is issued and is normally valid for five years initially.
Practical note: Fingerprint appointment slots in high-demand provinces such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Alicante can be scarce — book as soon as the authorization arrives, and keep evidence of any failed booking attempts if a filing deadline is at risk.
Planning your move, not just the application?
This guide covers the residence card application (EX-19) once you already know you qualify. It applies when the person you are joining is an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen. If your sponsor is a non-EU legal resident in Spain, that is ordinary family reunification instead — see the Family reunification guide, which has a different form, fee and entry sequence. For relationship categories, eligibility, moving together vs. joining later, and common mistakes, see the broader Family Member of an EU Citizen roadmap.
Entry: do you need a visa first?
It depends on your nationality. As the family member of an EU citizen, your entry situation is more favourable than an ordinary application.
If your nationality is Schengen visa-exempt
You can travel to Spain without a prior entry visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Once in Spain, you apply for the residence card (EX-19) in person at the Oficina de Extranjería in your province or, failing that, the relevant local police station, within three months of your date of entry. You are given a certificate of application, which proves the legality of your stay until the card is issued.
If your nationality does require a visa
You apply for the entry visa at the Spanish consulate before travelling. Per the EU's official portal, where a visa is required for a core family member of an EU citizen it should be free of charge and issued under an accelerated application procedure. This is not the same process as an ordinary Schengen visa.
If you already hold an EU-family residence card
If you already hold a residence card as a family member of a Union citizen issued by any EU country, you do not need a visa to enter.
Important
This route does not require the pre-arrival family reunification visa that ordinary family reunification does (where the sponsor is a non-EU resident). This is a common point of confusion: on the EU-family route you may, depending on your nationality, enter first and apply for the card from within Spain.
The visa-exempt nationality list is set by Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 and can change. Confirm your own case with the Spanish consulate before travelling.
Next 3 steps
- Confirm the family member is an EU, EEA, Swiss, or qualifying Spanish citizen.
- Prepare relationship evidence and the EU/Spanish citizen's residence basis.
- Complete EX-19.
Forms and documents
Official source links
Requirements can vary by personal situation and may change. Always verify with official sources. This is only a starting point; your nationality, consulate, family situation, and documents can change the exact process.
Documents that often slow people down
Identity and civil records
- Valid passport or EU national ID.
- Birth, marriage, or partnership records where relevant.
- Legalization or Hague apostille for many foreign public documents.
- Sworn Spanish translations when documents are not accepted as-is.
Spain-side basics
- Address in Spain and, when requested, padrón certificate.
- Immigration appointment confirmation.
- Correct EX form for your procedure.
- Paid tasa receipt, often Modelo 790 with the matching code.
Money, health, purpose
- Proof of economic means for routes that require it.
- Health insurance or public coverage proof where required.
- School admission, remote-work evidence, family link, or permit approval.
- Criminal record certificate for some visas and residence routes.
Not every document applies to every route. The guide should help you narrow this down.
Official sources
Appointments and fees
Identity and residence
Digital access
Residence routes
This app is a planning guide, not legal advice. Spanish immigration and administration rules, document lists, fees, and appointment labels can change. Always verify your procedure with official sources before filing.
Last reviewed: July 2026