EU Family Member Residence Card
Everything you Need to Know
What is it?
Understanding the EU Family Member Residence Card
The EU Family Member Residence Card is a residence permit for non-EU relatives of Spanish or EU citizens. This card enables them to live and work in Spain with the same rights as EU citizens. It is valid for 5 years and can be obtained even if the applicant is under irregular status. This permit is mandatory for family members planning to stay in Spain for more than three months.
Requirements
Who Qualifies for the Residence Card?
To apply for the EU Family Member Residence Card, you must:
- Live in the same household as your EU partner in Spain.
- Ensure the EU citizen is either working, studying, or has sufficient economic means.
- Provide proof of the family relationship (e.g., marriage certificate or civil partnership).
- Submit the following documents:
- Application form.
- Applicant’s passport and a copy.
- EU citizen’s ID (DNI if Spanish) and a copy.
- Proof of health insurance (if the EU citizen is not working).
- Evidence of economic means (bank certificates or employment documents).
Depending on the EU citizen’s activity, additional documents may be required, such as employment contracts, social security registration, or enrolment certificates for students.
Renewal Process
Keeping Your Residency Valid
To renew the residence card, the EU citizen must still be a Spanish resident, and the family bond must remain valid. Renewals are completed online.
Important considerations:
- After 5 years, you can apply for permanent residency, and direct relatives will no longer need to prove the family bond.
- If the non-EU resident leaves Spain for more than 6 months, the card will expire, and a new application will be required.
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Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
The residence and work authorization as a family member of an EU citizen is valid for 5 years from the date it is issued. If the EU citizen states that he or she will be living less than that in the country, then the card will be valid for that same time frame. This is usually the case for EU citizen students who will only be studying in Spain for one or two years.
This means that the EU family permit is only valid as long as the EU national is living in Spain. The EU citizen must be in charge of the non-EU national, or be his or her partner, as a general rule for this procedure to hold. Therefore, if the first one is not in Spain, these conditions do not hold.
- Marriage certificate
- Civil partnership registration celebrated in Spain
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