TIE HoyFamily residence in Spain — which route fits you?
Your relative’s legal status determines the framework. Check your nationality, relationship and both locations before preparing documents.
Which family residence route applies?
Start with the reference person’s status.
Non-EU resident: ordinary reunification.
Spanish citizen: Spanish-family residence.
EU/EEA/Swiss citizen: EU-family card.
Higher education or specialized medical training: qualifying student-family stay.
A Spanish relative returned after living in the EU/EEA or Switzerland: which route?
Qualifying families can choose Spanish authorization or the EU-family card, alternatively, not cumulatively.
For EU, prove the family’s residence in the previous country under Directive 2004/38 conditions.
Tourism, a second passport or saying “yes” does not prove it.
Four main routes
- Non-EU resident in Spain: ordinary reunification. Sponsor timing, eligible relatives, means and housing must qualify.
- Spanish citizen: Spanish-family authorization. Relationship and both locations determine the application; not every relative fits.
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizen: EU-family card. The reference person must meet the residence conditions; the family relationship alone does not suffice.
- Higher education or specialized medical training: student-family rules. Only qualifying relatives/support persons; dependent stay does not permit work.
Location and existing status
- Spanish citizen in Spain, applicant abroad: sponsor applies first. Both abroad: applicant starts with the consular visa. Both in Spain: only the eligible domestic relationship categories.
- Spanish citizen abroad, applicant in Spain: do not infer a procedure from these three cases. Ask competent Extranjería to identify it before filing.
- Existing permit: distinguish renewal/extension, relationship changes, retained or independent rights and long-term eligibility. The first five-year card’s expiry is not automatic permanent residence.
- Only replacing or collecting a physical card: use the card/fingerprint pathway. That does not renew residence authorization.
Other goals or special systems
- Short private visit: police invitation letter is accommodation evidence, not residence or guaranteed admission.
- UGE-category principal authorization: UGE family rules. Read the actual permit category; a job title is not proof.
- Whole family applying together for initial non-lucrative residence: initial non-lucrative route. A later family request by an existing resident is a different task.
- Long-term-EU authorization from another member state, with the family established there: special family mobility route. It is not EU citizenship.
- Andorran national or their qualifying relative: Andorran special system.
- Parent/guardian of a non-Spanish EU/EEA/Swiss minor, or relative supporting a qualifying disabled citizen: check arraigo familiar conditions.
- Changing a Spanish-family authorization or EU-family card to another category: modification rules. Student-status conversion: student modification rules.
What to do
Choose the legal framework before ordering documents or picking a form.
Bring
- Reference person’s nationality and actual permit category
- Applicant’s nationality
- Family relationship and dependency where required
- Where each person actually lives
- Existing authorization and current stage
Steps
- Read the reference person’s passport and current authorization.
- If you are a citizen of another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, check your own registration first.
- Record the relationship, dependency where relevant, both locations and any existing permit.
- Open the matching route below; returning Spanish families must compare both alternatives.
- Already hold a family permit? Use its renewal or event rules; do not restart an initial application automatically.
Basis
RD1155: ordinary (65–71), Spanish (93–99) and student family (56/58). RD240: EU family. SEM2 first(g): qualifying returning Spanish families choose alternatives without cumulation.