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Spain family reunification visa

Family reunification visa (reagrupación familiar, general regime)

In short

Foreign residents in Spain can bring their spouse or partner, children and, under conditions, parents aged 65 or over. The resident first obtains a reunification authorisation from the government delegation or subdelegation; the family then has two months to apply for the visa, which the consulate decides within one month.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Validity
Visa valid 365 days; TIE within one month of entry.
Fee
Standard national (type D) visa fee EUR 90 under Order AUC/891/2024; some nationalities pay a different amount by reciprocity. The consulate states the currency (euros, US dollars or local currency at the official rate); an external service provider, where used, adds its own fee.
Processing time
Apply within two months of the sponsor's notification; consular decision within one month.
Work
Family members of residents may work under the conditions of their permit.
Family
Spouse or partner (18+), children under 18 or disabled, ascendants 65+ who are dependent, and certain other cases.
Where to apply
Sponsor applies in Spain; family members apply for the visa at the Spanish consulate responsible for their place of residence.

Two stages

First the sponsor, who must hold a valid TIE, obtains the initial reunification authorisation from the government delegation or subdelegation in Spain. Then each family member applies for the visa within two months of the day after the sponsor is notified, presenting the authorisation, a certified copy of the sponsor's TIE and proof of the relationship.

  1. The family member in Spain obtains the initial reunification authorisation from the government delegation or subdelegation.
  2. Read the consulate's page for the "family reunification" visa and prepare the documents; foreign documents must be apostilled and translated into Spanish.
  3. Book an appointment with the Spanish consulate responsible for your place of residence, or with its external service provider where it uses one, and lodge the application in person.
  4. Pay the national visa fee (EUR 90 as standard, a reciprocity amount for some nationalities) in the currency the consulate indicates.
  5. Wait for the decision and collect the visa in person within one month of notification.
  6. Enter Spain while the visa is valid and, where required, apply for the TIE within one month.

After arrival: TIE card

Within one month of entering Spain, apply in person for the foreigner identity card (TIE) at the police station or immigration office of the province where the authorisation was processed. Your foreigner identification number (NIE) appears on it.

Who can be reunited

A spouse or stable partner aged 18 or over who is not separated (only one); children of the sponsor or the partner under 18, or disabled and unable to support themselves; first-degree ascendants aged 65 or over who depend on the sponsor (younger in humanitarian cases); and, if the sponsor has a recognised dependency, an adult child as caregiver. Unregistered partners must prove cohabitation that began before the sponsor moved to Spain. This visa is not for family of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens.

Refusal

A visa refusal can be challenged with an optional appeal to the consulate within one month or before the High Court of Justice of Madrid within two months.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • National visa application form, signed (minors: by a parent or legal representative)
  • Recent colour photo, light background
  • Passport valid at least one year, with two blank pages, issued less than 10 years ago (original and copies)
  • Proof of legal residence in the consular district (for non-nationals, a residence permit of that country)

Family

  • Original and copy of the initial reunification authorisation
  • Certified copy of the sponsor's valid TIE
  • Proof of relationship: marriage or partnership registration, birth certificates (apostilled and translated)

Other

  • Criminal record certificate from the countries of residence (last five years), apostilled and translated into Spanish
  • Medical certificate confirming no disease with serious public-health implications under the 2005 International Health Regulations

Frequently asked questions

How long do we have to apply after the authorisation?

Two months from the day after the sponsor is notified.

Can I bring my parents?

Only if they are 65 or over and depend on you, or in humanitarian cases.

Is this the visa for the spouse of a Spaniard?

No, family of Spanish nationals use a separate, free visa.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Spain

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Processing time: Apply at least two months before studies start; once the stay authorisation is favourable, the visa is decided within one month.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: Up to 180 days for authorisations of up to six months, otherwise 365 days; seasonal contracts up to 270 days.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Visa: one year, or the authorisation's validity if shorter; the visa itself proves residence and the TIE is optional. Residence authorisations under Law 14/2013 are renewable for two years at a time.
  • Digital nomad visa Validity: Visa up to one year; then a residence authorisation of up to three years, renewable for two.

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: Visa valid for 365 days; apply for the TIE within one month of arrival; renewals are filed in the two months before expiry.
  • Permanent residence Validity: The status is indefinite; the TIE card is first renewed after five years, then every five years until age 30 and every ten years after that.

Faster processing

  • Fast-track and priority visa services Validity: Visa: one year or the authorisation's length if shorter. Highly qualified, entrepreneur and teleworker authorisations: up to three years, renewable for two.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Processing time: Border: admission decision within four days; inside Spain: within one month; regular procedure: six months, after which silence counts as refusal.

Spain visa guide