Spanish family residence — can you use this route?

Check the relationship

• Spouse or registered partner: over 18, valid relationship and cohabitation; incompatible with another spouse or partner.
• Stable partner: cohabitation; normally 12 continuous months together.
  No prior cohabitation period with a shared child and continuing relationship.
• Children: under 26, or older and dependent or needing disability-related support.
  They must live or intend to live together, be unmarried and have no own family unit.
  A married child or one with their own family can apply under 94.1(i) only if the entire unit is dependent; this is outside domestic 97.1(c).
• Parents: dependent and lacking family support in origin, or humanitarian grounds.
• Parent or guardian of a Spanish minor: care and cohabitation, or compliance with duties toward the child.
• One relative up to second degree caring for a Spanish person with recognised dependency.
• Children of a parent who is or was Spanish by origin. Other relatives must prove dependency.

Returning from another EU country

Qualifying families can choose Spanish-family authorization or the EU-family card, separately, not cumulatively.
For the EU option, prove the family’s residence in the previous country under Directive 2004/38 conditions. Tourism or a second passport does not prove it.
SEM 2/2025, first instruction (g)

A location that does not match

Spanish citizen abroad and you in Spain: the three procedures above do not establish your filing route.
Ask the competent Extranjería office to identify the applicable procedure before submitting. Article 94.1(i) is also outside the domestic 97.1(c) list.

What the grant means

Normally valid for five years, or the Spanish relative’s shorter intended stay. Abroad, validity starts on entry.
It permits work above the minimum working age. Existing permits and family events need their own assessment.