Residence card for family members of EU citizens (EX-19)

The non-EU family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who is going to live with them in Spain.

Spouse, registered partner or partner in a durable relationship, children under 21 or older dependent children, dependent parents and, in some cases, other relatives who were dependent on them or lived with them in their country. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (through the EEA) and Switzerland count too: the Australian partner of a Norwegian citizen can apply.

You can still apply if they prove health insurance and sufficient resources for the whole family.

The rules accept four situations: employee, self-employed, not working with health insurance covering Spain and sufficient resources, or enrolled student with insurance and a declaration of resources. Resources are assessed case by case and can be shown, for example, with property deeds, investment income or bank certificates. A pensioner meets the insurance requirement with a certificate of healthcare from the country paying the pension.

Yes, as a registered partnership or as a durable relationship you can prove.

If you are on a public register of partnerships in an EU or EEA country, that current registration is enough. If you are not, you must prove a durable relationship: at least one year of continuous cohabitation or, if you have children together, stable cohabitation duly proven. Marriage and registered partnership are mutually exclusive.

Five years from the date it is issued.

That is the rule in article 8.5 of Royal Decree 240/2007. If the EU citizen plans to live in Spain for less than five years, the card lasts for that planned period.

Yes, as an employee or self-employed, on the same terms as a Spanish national.

Article 3.2 of Royal Decree 240/2007 gives family members the right to any employed or self-employed activity, to provide services and to study on the same terms as Spaniards, except public-service posts reserved for nationals. Under its article 12.2, the card procedure does not stop you from carrying on your activities in the meantime.

Within three months of entering Spain.

You file in person at the immigration office of the province where you will live or at the relevant police station. When you file you get a receipt proving your lawful stay until you receive the card. It pays to gather the documents before you travel.

Only if your partner has exercised the right to free movement.

Information sheet 62 allows the EU family member route with a Spanish national only in that case. Otherwise the route is the temporary residence permit for family members of Spanish nationals under the regulation approved by Royal Decree 1155/2024, with form EX-24. We check this when we study your case.

Public documents from other countries, such as marriage or birth certificates.

They must be translated into Spanish by a sworn translator and legalised or apostilled under the Hague Convention, unless a treaty exempts them. Standard EU forms such as the S1 need neither translation nor legalisation. We tell you document by document what is needed; translation and apostille costs are paid separately.

The official sources do not agree; we confirm it when we book your appointment.

Information sheet 62 asks for one photo, while the police procedure page and Royal Decree 240/2007 ask for three, in colour, white background, passport size. The police fee table sets €12.00 for this card, but the code of form 790 differs between the two sources. Before the appointment we tell you which form to pay and how many photos to bring.