Family Reunification · General Regime
A residence should neverseparate a family.
Residence in Spain does not always begin with one person. Sometimes it begins with a family that needs to be together again. Family reunification (reagrupación familiar) allows certain family members of a foreign national lawfully resident in Spain to obtain a residence permit in order to live with them. It applies in the cases provided for by Spanish legislation: Articles 16 to 19 of LO 4/2000 and RD 1155/2024.
But behind every file there is a different reality. A family. A country of origin. A documentary history. A financial situation. A home. And, at times, family circumstances that call for particular care.
Analyse your family’s case
The family is the purpose.The legal structureis the path.
Who can join you?
The rules allow, under certain conditions, the reunification of various family members.
Spouse or partner in the cases recognised by law, the relationship having to be properly evidenced and, where applicable, shown to be current and genuine.
Children in the cases established by law, including certain situations involving minors and other specific cases.
Parents and certain other ascendants, subject to particular requirements relating, among other circumstances, to age and dependency.
Certain family members may require especially rigorous evidence of their financial or personal dependency.
Custody, adoption, previous marriages, divorces, children from different relationships or complex family situations may call for specific analysis.
The degree of kinship is only the beginning.
Before filing
First, we understand the family.
Before preparing an application, we analyse:
- who is resident in Spain
- who wishes to be reunited
- what relationship exists
- where each member is
- ages
- financial situation
- housing
- immigration history
- and any circumstance that may affect the procedure.
No two families are the same. That is why we avoid formulaic approaches.
The family file
Every relationship has to be proven.
When documents come from different countries, one of the main challenges is to ensure that the whole family history is legally coherent and capable of being evidenced.
We can review:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- registered partnerships or legally recognised situations
- parentage
- custody
- adoptions
- documentation of minors
- financial dependency
- foreign judgments and decisions
- and any other relevant document.
Where applicable:
We connect the documents before we present the family.
The financial requirement
The family must have means of support.
The person resident in Spain must evidence, in the terms required by law, sufficient financial means to meet the needs of the family unit.
The amount and the form of evidence depend on the composition of the family and the circumstances of the case.
That is why we examine:
- income
- sources of funds
- stability
- dependants
- composition of the family unit
- and banking, employment or financial documentation that properly evidences the situation.
Having the money is not the same as proving it.
Housing
A family needs more than an address.
Housing is another element that may be relevant in the procedure.
We analyse how to evidence that the home is adequate for the family unit, in accordance with the applicable conditions.
It may be necessary to review:
- tenancy agreement
- title deed
- occupants
- floor area
- habitability conditions
- and the corresponding administrative documentation.
Before your family arrives, we make sure the legal file is ready.
Not every familyfits a formula.
Some files require especially careful analysis.
Minors Where there are minor children, separated parents or custody issues.
Adult children Where the child’s age makes it necessary to analyse carefully whether the reunification route is still open or another alternative should be considered.
Ascendants Where parents or other ascendants are to be reunited and the required situation must be evidenced.
Dependency Where the family relationship depends on a financial or personal situation that must be proven by documents.
Previous marriages Where there are previous marriages, divorces or different family ties.
Custody Where one parent is resident in Spain and the other remains abroad.
Adoption Where the family relationship arises from a domestic or international adoption.
Changing circumstances Where the family situation changes while the procedure is under way.
The more complex the family history, the more important the preparation.
The consulate
The last step can be the most delicate.
Where the family member is outside Spain, the permit may subsequently require the involvement of the competent Spanish consulate.
We do not leave this stage until the end.
Before reaching it, we review:
- consular jurisdiction
- documentation
- legalisations
- Apostilles
- translations
- criminal record, where applicable
- and any other applicable documentary requirement.
We prepare for the consulate before the consulate.
Once granted
The process does not end with the decision.
Once the permit has been granted, there are still steps that may be needed to complete the arrival and documentation process in Spain properly.
Where applicable, we assist with:
- consular stage
- entry into Spain
- TIE (foreigner’s identity card)
- empadronamiento (registration on the municipal population register)
- Social Security
- renewal
- modification of the permit
- and planning the next immigration stage.
Approval is a milestone. Not the finish line.
When family life changes
Life does not follow immigration timelines.
A family can change after obtaining residence.
There may be:
- a birth
- a marriage
- a separation
- a divorce
- a change in dependency
- a child reaching the age of majority
- a change in financial circumstances
- a death
- or a change in the situation of the reagrupante (the sponsoring family member).
Each of these circumstances may have different legal consequences.
Do not wait for the card to expire. When the family situation changes, we immediately analyse its possible immigration consequences.
The next stage
Family residence can evolve.
The situation of the reunited family member does not necessarily remain tied indefinitely to the same regime.
Depending on the circumstances and on fulfilment of the corresponding requirements, there may subsequently be routes to:
- independent residence
- modification
- renewal
- long-term residence
- nationality, where applicable.
We do not only look at the next card. We look at the road ahead.
Our role
More than a reunification file.
At Garzalex we analyse family reunification within the client’s complete context.
Where necessary, we coordinate:
The residence strategy and permit.
Divorces, custody, parentage and complex family situations.
Tax consequences of relocation and residence.
Housing, whether purchased or rented.
Wealth, succession and family planning.
Coordination of documents across different jurisdictions.
One family. One legal picture.
If something goes wrong
A refusal requires analysis.
A refusal should not be accepted without first examining its grounds.
We analyse:
- grounds for refusal
- documentation submitted
- assessment made
- legal reasoning
- time limits
- and any alternatives that may exist.
Where appropriate:
First, understand the decision. Then, decide what to do.
Our approach
- 01AssessWe understand the family situation.
- 02VerifyWe review relationships and documentation.
- 03StructureWe organise financial means, housing and the file.
- 04PrepareWe build the necessary documentation.
- 05ApplyWe handle the procedure.
- 06CoordinateWe support each stage, including the consular stage where applicable.
- 07ContinueWe remain involved in renewals and subsequent changes.
When the family changes
- ·DivorceInternational Divorce →
- ·ChildrenChildren & Parental Responsibility →
- ·InheritanceInternational Succession →
- ·ResidenceResidence in Spain →
The Garzalex view
Family reunification is not about bringing documents to Spain.
It is about bringing people together, with the law ready for them.
What matters is that you are together again.
We take care of the procedure.
Speak to our teamRequirements, documentation, procedures and administrative criteria may vary according to the circumstances of the applicant, the reagrupante and each member of the family unit. Certain cases require individual analysis under the legislation in force, particularly those involving ascendants, dependency, minors, custody or complex family situations.