Family Reunification in Spain
One documented route of this kind in Spain, with its conditions, documents, official government fees and process.
Family Reunification Visa (Reagrupación Familiar)
Allows non-EU nationals legally residing in Spain to be joined by close family members. The resident sponsor must hold a valid residence authorization and meet income requirements. Governed by Ley Orgánica 4/2000 and updated by Real Decreto 1155/2024 (in force May 2025).
- Processing time
- Initial authorization at Oficina de Extranjería: up to 3 months. Visa at consulate: up to 2 months from submission.
- Validity
- 1 year initial visa; converts to 1-year residence authorization renewable in line with sponsor's permit.
- Language requirement
- No formal language requirement for the visa itself.
- Permanent residence
- 5 years of continuous legal residence in Spain.
- Citizenship
- 10 years (standard); 2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea, and Portugal.
Requirements
- Sponsor must hold valid Spanish residence authorization (not merely a visa)
- Sponsor must have resided legally in Spain for at least 1 year
- Sponsor's authorization must be renewed for at least 1 additional year
- Adequate accommodation for the family (certificate of habitability or equivalent)
- Sponsor's income: 150% IPREM/month (€900/month in 2026) for the first family member, plus 50% IPREM for each additional member
- Proof of family relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.) — apostilled and officially translated
- Criminal record certificate for each applicant over 18 (apostilled, translated)
- Medical certificate (within 3 months of application)
- For parent reunification: proof of financial dependency (sponsor transferred funds equal to at least 51% of per capita GDP of parent's country in prior year)
Required Documents
- Completed official visa application form (EX-02 for the initial authorization; national visa form for the consulate stage) required
- Valid passport of the family member (minimum 4 months validity, at least 2 blank pages) required
- Initial family reunification authorization (Autorización de residencia por reagrupación familiar inicial) from Delegación del Gobierno in Spain required
- Sponsor's valid Foreigners Identification Card (TIE) required
- Proof of family relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate — apostilled and translated into Spanish) required
- Proof of adequate accommodation in Spain required
- Criminal record certificate (FBI or equivalent for the country of residence, within 6 months, apostilled, translated) required
- Medical certificate (within 3 months) required
- Proof of financial dependency (for parent reunification only)
- Proof of enrollment in education and income below 50% IPREM (for children aged 18–26 under RD 1155/2024)
Official fees
- Visa fee (most nationalities) 106 USD
- Visa fee (US citizens) 140 USD
- Residence permit authorization fee (permit stage) 13 USD
Process Steps
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1
Sponsor applies for initial authorization
The resident sponsor files the reunification authorization request at the provincial Oficina de Extranjería or Delegación del Gobierno in Spain, including proof of income, accommodation, and family relationship documents.
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2
Authorization decision
The immigration office reviews the application. The resolution period is up to 3 months. If no response is received within the deadline, the application is deemed rejected (silencio administrativo negativo).
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3
Family member applies for visa at consulate
Once the authorization is granted, the family member must apply for the family reunification visa at the Spanish consulate in their country within 2 months of notification. The visa is valid for 1 year.
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4
Enter Spain
The family member enters Spain within the visa validity period (maximum 3 months from issuance).
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5
Register and obtain residence card
Within 1 month of arrival, the family member registers at the provincial Oficina de Extranjería to obtain their TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) residence card.