Family Reunification
Independent
The independent residence authorisation is the legal procedure that allows a foreign national, whose initial permit in Spain was obtained through a family member (the sponsor), to separate their immigration status from that person. Thus, the foreign national becomes the holder of their own residence authorisation, without continuing to depend on the maintenance of the original family link or the sponsor's situation.
Therefore, those who hold a temporary residence authorisation through family reunification will be entitled to take this step and apply for their independent authorisation, provided that they fall within one of the situations detailed in the requirements section below.
Requirements
Applicants must be able to prove that they fall within one of the situations mentioned in the following list:
Spouse or partner
🧑🏻❤️💋🧑🏽 The spouse or partner must be in one of these situations:
The reunified person has completed at least one year of family reunification residence authorisation in Spain and meets one of the following requirements:
Have sufficient own financial means, or
Meet the requirements to apply for a temporary residence and work authorisation as an employee (except for the national employment situation) or as self-employed.
The marital or partner bond is broken, and a duration of the bond of three years and cohabitation in Spain for at least one year can be proven.
⚠️ The application must be made within 6 months from the date of notification of the admission of the claim for annulment, divorce or legal separation, or of the resolution cancelling the registration of the registered partner.
The marital or partner bond is broken, and custody of the children in common has been granted to the reunified person.
⚠️ The application must be made within 6 months from the date of notification of the admission of the claim for annulment, divorce or legal separation, or of the resolution cancelling the registration of the registered partner.
The reunified person was a victim of gender-based violence or sexual violence, or a victim of an offence involving violent conduct within the family environment, or a victim of human trafficking by the reunifying person or a victim of the offence of abandonment of family, minors or persons with disabilities.
⚠️ The application must be made within 6 months from the date on which the reports or documentation are notified.
The sponsor dies, regardless of the length of residence and cohabitation, provided they have resided together in Spain.
⚠️ The application must be made within 6 months from the date of death of the sponsor.
Descendants
🧒🏻 The children or wards when they reach the age of majority and are in one of these two situations:
Having resided five years in Spain.
Without having resided five years in Spain, it can be proven that they meet one of the following requirements:
Have sufficient own financial means, or
Meet the requirements to apply for a temporary residence and work authorisation as an employee (except for the national employment situation) or as self-employed.
Ascendants
❌ Parents cannot access an independent family reunification residence authorisation. In these cases they must modify their authorisation to another type, and obtain residence and work authorisation as an employee or self-employed person, for research or as a highly qualified professional.
For this, they must comply with the procedure and documentation required for the specific authorisation in each case.
General Documents
📄 Application form EX-02.
💰 Payment of the fee Form 790 Code 052.
Specific Documents
🪪 Full copy of the passport, registration certificate or valid travel document, recognised as valid in Spain.
In addition, depending on the case, the following must be provided:
Spouse or partner
Financial means
💶 Documentation proving one of the following situations:
Employed work: copy of employment contract or contracts.
Self-employed work: supporting documentation proving that the requirements for starting the activity are met.
Non-lucrative: documentation proving sufficient financial means are available.
Severance of the bond
⛓️💥 Documentation proving the separation, dissolution of the marriage, annulment of the marriage or cancellation of the registration as a partner.
📑 Documentation proving one of the following:
Duration of 3 years of the relationship and cohabitation in Spain for at least 1 year.
Granting to the reunited person the custody of the children in common with the sponsoring person.
Violence
🛡️ Report from the Public Prosecutor's Office or valid court protection order.
Death
⚰️ Death certificate of the sponsoring person.
Children or persons represented
5 years or more of residence
No additional documentation will be required; the Immigration Office checks this on their own.
Less than 5 years' residence
💶 Documentation proving one of the following situations:
Employed work: copy of employment contract or contracts.
Self-employed work: supporting documentation proving that the requirements for starting the activity are met.
Non-lucrative: documentation proving sufficient financial means are available.
Translation and legalisation of documents
Visit our translation and legalisation page for more information on which documents you need to translate and legalise for your procedure.
FAQs
How much does the fee for this procedure cost?
Who must apply for the independent residence authorisation?
What is the deadline for the resolution of the authorisation?
For how long is the independent family reunification authorisation granted?
Will I be able to keep my work authorisation?
If the authorisation is granted, will the reunified family member need to complete any other additional procedure?
If I want to prove financial means through self-employment, what documents should I submit?
If I want to prove I have my own financial means, what amounts and which documents do I need to provide as proof?
How can I prove cohabitation in the event of the severance of the bond?