Family reunification: bringing your family to join you in Spain
Family reunification (reagrupación familiar) lets a non-EU national who lives legally in Spain bring close relatives to join them. The resident — the sponsor — applies in Spain; once the authorisation is granted, the relative applies for the visa at the Spanish consulate. If the person you are joining is a Spanish or EU citizen, a different and usually simpler family route applies instead.
This route suits
- Non-EU residents in Spain who want their spouse or partner to join them
- Parents bringing their children to live with them in Spain
- Residents with dependent parents, where the conditions for including them are met
- Families planning to reunite in stages after one member has settled
It’s not designed for
- Relatives of Spanish or EU citizens — the family member residence route applies to them
- Sponsors who have only just arrived and cannot yet show the required period of residence
- Families without adequate housing or sufficient means for the whole household
Key requirements
The sponsor’s residence
The sponsor must be a non-EU national residing legally in Spain — generally after at least one year of residence, with authorisation to stay at least another year. Some routes, such as highly qualified or long-term residence, have specific rules.
Qualifying relatives
Spouse or registered partner and, under the 2025 regulation, unregistered partners with a proven stable relationship; children of the sponsor or partner; and, in some cases, dependent parents.
Adequate housing
A housing report (informe de vivienda adecuada) issued by the town hall or the autonomous community, confirming the home is suitable for the family that will live there.
Sufficient means
Stable income for the whole household, expressed as a percentage of the IPREM that rises with each family member. The IPREM is updated, so we confirm the current reference at consultation.
Health cover
Public or private health cover for the relatives joining you, depending on the sponsor’s situation.
Proof of the family relationship
Marriage, partnership and birth certificates, apostilled or legalised and with a sworn translation where needed. Stable-relationship evidence for unregistered partners.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we confirm your situation in a consultation.
Last reviewed: Legal basis: LO 4/2000 (LOEX), arts. 16–19 · RD 1155/2024
How the process works
Eligibility review
We confirm that the sponsor meets the residence, housing and means conditions, and which relatives can be included now or later.
Housing report and evidence
We request the housing report from the town hall and assemble the sponsor’s income evidence and the family’s civil-status documents.
Application in Spain
The sponsor files the reunification application with the Oficina de Extranjería. Where a filing legally requires a colegiado professional, it is submitted by our named partner (abogado or gestor administrativo colegiado).
Visa at the consulate
Once the authorisation is granted, each relative applies for the visa at the Spanish consulate in their country of residence within the set period.
Arrival and TIE
After arrival we book TIE appointments, register the family on the padrón and coordinate schooling and healthcare.
After approval
Reunited relatives obtain their own TIE. Their residence is linked to the sponsor’s at first and renewed alongside it; spouses, partners and children of working age can generally work. Over time, family members can move to an independent residence authorisation. We track everyone’s dates together.
Why files get refused or delayed
- Applying before the sponsor has the required period of residence or renewal prospects
- A housing report that is missing, out of date or for a home too small for the family
- Income that falls short of the reference for the full household, or is not stable
- Civil-status documents without an apostille or a sworn translation
- Relatives missing the deadline to apply for the visa after the authorisation is granted
- Using reunification when the person being joined is a Spanish or EU citizen
Frequently asked questions
When can I bring my family to Spain?
Generally, after at least one year of legal residence in Spain and with authorisation to stay at least another year. Some routes, such as highly qualified professionals, have specific rules. We confirm your timing at consultation.
Which relatives can I bring through family reunification?
Your spouse or registered partner, unregistered partners with a proven stable relationship under the 2025 regulation, children, and in some cases dependent parents. Each category has its own conditions.
What is the housing report for family reunification?
It is a report from the town hall or autonomous community confirming that your home is adequate for the family that will live there. It is a core document, so we request it early.
My spouse is Spanish. Is this the right route?
No. If the person you are joining is a Spanish or EU citizen, you follow the family member residence route instead, which has different requirements. We help you choose the right one.
Can my spouse work after family reunification?
Generally, yes. Reunited spouses, partners and children of working age can usually work in Spain. We confirm the conditions on the authorisation issued.
Turn this into a plan
The route finder takes two minutes. A consultation turns it into a plan.