Family reunification in Spain: requirements and process

Family reunification is the authorisation that lets a foreign national living legally in Spain bring certain family members over to live with them. The person who applies is called the reagrupante (the sponsor) and the relatives who arrive are the reagrupados.

To sponsor a relative, you must have lived legally in Spain for at least 1 year and hold a residence permit that has been renewed, or applied for, for at least another year. There are exceptions for holders of a long term EU residence permit obtained in another member state.

This area is governed by Ley Orgánica 4/2000 (the Spanish Immigration Act), by the immigration regulations approved by Real Decreto 1155/2024 (RD 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025) and by Directiva 2003/86/CE (the EU family reunification directive). Managora first checks that you meet the requirements and only then opens the file.

Spouse or partner: 1 person only, over 18, not separated in fact or in law. For an unmarried partner, the relationship must be proved through a public register or by a stable cohabitation of at least 12 months. A second spouse cannot be brought over in cases of polygamy.

Children: under 18 at the time of the application, or adults with a disability that prevents them from providing for their own needs. Minors, or people whose legal capacity has been modified, over whom the sponsor holds legal representation can also be brought over.

Ascendientes (ascendants): the parents of the sponsor or of their spouse, over 65, who are financially dependent on them and where there are reasons justifying the need to live in Spain. Exceptionally, parents under 65 are accepted on humanitarian grounds. To bring over a parent, the sponsor must hold, or have applied for, a long term residence permit or a long term EU residence permit.

The 2024 regulations also introduce the figure of the adult child acting as carer for a relative with a recognised degree of dependency. Managora works out which of your relatives fit each of these categories.

The sponsor has to prove that they have suitable housing to meet their own needs and those of the family, with adequate habitability and space.

Housing is proved through a report issued by the comunidad autónoma (the regional government) or by the town hall of the place of residence, which assesses the title of occupation, the layout, the number of rooms and the number of occupants. This report is only valid for a limited time, so it is worth timing the request carefully against the rest of the file.

Health insurance covering the sponsor and the relatives being brought over is also required. Managora requests the housing report for you and gathers the rest of the supporting documents.

The sponsor has to show regular and sufficient financial resources to support the family, without relying on the public social assistance system.

The amount is calculated using the IPREM (the Spanish benchmark income index) as a reference: for a household of 2 members, 150% of the monthly IPREM is required and, for each additional member, a further 50% of the IPREM. Only for the reunification of minor children, and where the best interests of the child so advise, do the regulations provide for a special case with a reduced amount linked to the Ingreso Mínimo Vital (Spain's minimum living income benefit). This is not a freely available route of general application. We do not reproduce the euro figures here: you can see the current amount on the service page.

Income is proved with payslips, an employment contract, your vida laboral (Seguridad Social, Spain's social security system, contribution history), your income tax return, bank certificates or evidence of self employed activity. Managora reviews your income and prepares the documents that best evidence the solvency required.

The process runs in 2 stages. In the first, the sponsor files the application for a residence authorisation by family reunification in Spain (modelo EX-02, the application form) with the Oficina de Extranjería (the immigration office) or through its online portal, together with the corresponding tasa (official fee, modelo 052). The exact amount of the tasa is shown on the service page.

If the authorities do not decide within the set period, administrative silence is negative, which means the application is deemed refused. That is why it is essential to file a complete and properly documented application from the outset.

In the second stage, once the authorisation has been granted, the relative has a set period to apply for the residence visa at the Spanish consulate in their country. Once the visa has been collected, they must enter Spain within the following month.

Once in Spain, the relative applies for the Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE, the foreigner identity card) within 1 month of arrival and gives their fingerprints. Managora prepares the file, submits it on your behalf and supports you through the visa and the TIE.

If the sponsor is Spanish or a citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, this general regime reunification does not apply. There is a separate regime, with the residence authorisation for a family member of a Spanish national or the EU citizen family member card, subject to different and generally faster requirements.

Identifying the right regime matters, because the documents, the deadlines and even which relatives are eligible change. Managora works out which case is yours and handles the correct route for you.