Family Reunification Visa Spain

The family reunification visa in Spain is a long stay visa, also known as a National visa or a “D” visa, with the provision to extend it to a residence permit. The visa requirements vary depending on the residence status of their family members in Spain, as well as the type of relationship that exists between them.

Family reunification visa holders might be eligible to work in Spain, provided they are over 16 and meet other applicable terms and conditions. However, they can only stay in Spain as long as their family member has permission to remain in the country.

EU, EEA or Swiss citizens do not need any visa or permit to join their family members living in Spain. If you are a third country national (e.g. a US citizen) but your family member residing in Spain is an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you are entitled to a free-of-charge visa (provided you travel with or are going to join your said family member). Upon arrival, you will need to apply for a residence card for family members of a Union citizen.

You can also enter Spain without a family reunification visa if you already have a residency permit in any EU/EEA country. A residence card from an EU/EEA country and a valid passport will grant you free entry into Spain to join or travel with your EU/EEA/Swiss family member.

Page Contents

• Overview of Family Visa in Spain
• Who Qualifies for a Family Reunification Visa in Spain?
• Who Can Sponsor a Family Reunification Visa?
• Documents Required for a Family Reunification Visa
• How to Apply for a Spain Family Reunification Visa?
• Processing Time for Spain Family Reunification Visa
• Family Reunification Visa Spain Application Fees
• What If My Visa Application Has Been Refused?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Family members eligible to apply for a family reunification visa in Spain include:

• Spouse or civil partner: You must be at least 18 years of age and not separated either on a de jure or de facto basis. Visas will not be granted to more than one spouse/partner.
• Children: Minor children of the resident and that of the spouse/partner (when represented legally by the resident). Adult children with disabilities are also eligible if they are dependent on you financially or for their care due to their medical condition.
• Parents: Dependent parents of the resident or of their spouse/partner are also eligible for a family reunification visa if they are in your care and are 65 or above. For certain humanitarian reasons, parents under 65 might also be permitted to apply.

Individuals belonging to any of the categories listed below can act as sponsors for their eligible family members seeking to join them in Spain:

• A Spanish national
• An EEA or Swiss national
• A third-country national with legal residence status in Spain, holding any of the following:
• • A Spanish settlement permit
  • A Spanish temporary resident permit
  • An EU long-term residence permit
  • An EU Blue Card
  • Researcher visa
  • Student visa
• A person with a recognized refugee status in Spain

In addition, the sponsoring family member must have:

• A place of residence in Spain, rented or owned, large enough to accommodate their migrating family members
• Sufficient financial means to cover their family members’ expenses
• Private health insurance to cover the medical expenses of their family members

Family members of a recognized refugee, a person entitled to asylum or a resettled refugee can immigrate to Spain even if the above conditions are not met, when such application for family reunification is submitted within three months after completion of the asylum process.

To apply for a family reunification visa in Spain, you will need to submit the following documents along with your visa application:

• Your current passport issued in the last 10 years, valid for at least four months, and with at least two blank pages
• A National visa application form, duly completed and signed (for minor applicants, a parent or guardian can sign on their behalf)
• Recent passport photo
• Initial family reunification permit issued by the Delegation or Sub-delegation of the Government in Spain at the resident’s request
• For family members of a Spanish national, copies of their passport and identity card
• For family members of an EU national, a copy of their passport
• For family members of a third-country national, certified copies of their passport and Foreigner Identification Card (unexpired)
• Marriage certificate or civil union registration certificate for spouses or civil partners
• For unmarried partners, certificate of registration as an unmarried couple or documents proving that their relationship dates back before the resident moved to Spain
• For minor children:
  • Birth certificates
  • Proof of nationality
  • Proof of the right of care and custody of the parent residing in Spain
  • Proof of adoption, if applicable
  • Letter of consent from both parents
  • Custody decree in case parents are divorced
  • Death certificate of the parent who has passed away, if applicable
• For adult children with disabilities, medical certificates related to their medical condition and documents proving that they are solely dependent on the resident, financial or otherwise
• For parents, the birth certificate of the resident (or their spouse/partner) and documents proving the parents’ complete dependency on the resident/their spouse or partner
• Proof of financial means
• Proof of accommodation in Spain
• Criminal record check certificate issued by the US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) within six months prior to the visa application
• Additional criminal record check certificate(s) if the applicant has lived outside the US during the last five years, issued by the concerned country(s)
• Medical certificate certifying that the applicant does not suffer from any disease that could cause serious repercussions for public health in Spain as per the 2005 International Health Regulations
• Documents proving that the applicant is a legal resident in the concerned Spanish embassy or consulate’s consular jurisdiction in the US, such as a valid driver’s license, state ID, or university student ID, US Green Card or long-term stay visa (notarized copy) for non-US citizens, etc.
• Visa fee payment receipt

All official documents must be attested by relevant authorities in your country of residence, and legalized in case your home country is not a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

To apply for a family reunification visa, you will have to start with arranging for all your necessary supporting documents and completing the visa application form. You will have to submit your application in person. For minors, a parent or guardian (or a duly accredited representative) can submit on their behalf.

The Embassy of Spain is in Washington, DC, with Spanish consulates located in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico). Contact the Spanish consulate, as applicable depending on your place of residence in the US, to make a prior appointment for submitting your application.

You might have to attend an interview with a consular officer on the day of your appointment. Please carry all your required documents with you. If the consulate officer asks for additional documents, you will have to submit them within the deadline mentioned. They will also collect the visa processing fee from you.

The Spanish embassy/consulate will keep your original passport with them while processing your visa application. So, please plan accordingly while booking your appointment if you are to travel abroad around that time. If you withdraw your passport while your application is being processed, your application will be canceled, and you will have to start the process afresh.

The consular office will inform you regarding the procedure for the return of the passport and any other original documents.

A family reunification visa is valid for 90 days. After arriving in Spain on this visa, you must apply for a Foreigner Identification Card within 30 days. You can apply at the Foreign Nationals’ Office or the police station of the province where the residence permit was processed.

It takes around two months to receive a decision on your Spain family reunification visa when applying from the US. The waiting period, however, might be extended depending on various factors such as the volume of visa applications being handled by your local embassy/consulate at that time, the time of the year, your particular immigration circumstances etc.

It is of utmost importance to ensure you are submitting all relevant supporting documents during your visa interview. If the consular officer asks you to submit more documentary evidence, the processing time may increase.

You will have to pay a visa processing fee of approximately €90 per applicant if you are a US citizen. For Australian, Bangladeshi, Canadian, and UK nationals, different rates apply for reasons of reciprocity. Please check the required fee amount with your respective consular section before your visa appointment.

This visa processing fee is not refundable. If you withdraw your visa application or your application gets rejected, you will not get a refund of this fee. You will have to again pay the visa processing fee if you decide to make a fresh application for a family reunification visa, or any other type of Spanish visa.

If your family reunification visa application has been refused, you will receive a decision letter with reason(s) behind such refusal. You may then:

• Make a fresh application. Be sure to address the previous refusal reasons before you apply again
• Request your local Spanish embassy/consulate for reconsidering your visa application. You must apply within 30 days from the date of receiving the decision letter
• File an application for judicial review with the High Court of Justice of Madrid within 60 days from the date of receiving the decision letter or of the dismissal of your request of reconsideration