Tarjeta de residencia de familiar de ciudadano de la Unión
Get residence as a non-EU family member of an EU citizen
Get the EU-family residence card if you are a qualifying non-EU family member accompanying or joining an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen.
- Who it is for
- Non-EU citizens
- Legal deadline
- 3 months, from entry
- How long it takes
- official card-issuance period up to 3 months; real waits can be longer
- Cost
- current government fee
- Where
- In person · Oficina de Extranjería / Policía as assigned
Steps
- Confirm that the EU free-movement family regime actually applies and that the case is not instead an EX-24 family-of-Spanish-citizen case.interior.gob.es
- Identify the qualifying relationship and prepare relationship, dependency and EU-sponsor evidence for that category.interior.gob.es
- File EX-19 personally within the applicable period and complete the card-issuance steps.interior.gob.es
That is the whole procedure
If you would rather go through yours with someone, describe it to NEXO first. You will find out what applies to you, and whether you need a person.
What to bring
- EX-19 and valid identity/travel documents.inclusion.gob.es
- Civil-status, partnership, dependency or other family evidence appropriate to the claimed relationship.interior.gob.es
- Evidence that the EU citizen satisfies the relevant free-movement conditions.interior.gob.es
What the official sources say
Qualifying family can include registered partners and duly proven stable unregistered partners, not only spouses.interior.gob.es
Qualifying holders have work rights under the EU-family regime; a separate ordinary work-authorization application is not the default.interior.gob.es
The formal card-issuance period can be up to three months, but real processing may exceed that period in individual cases.interior.gob.es
What we see in practice
NEXO's own observations. They are not official information and carry no source.
- A Barcelona applicant reported an EX-19 case still pending after more than three months; use this only as evidence that actual processing varies, not as a Barcelona average.
Questions people ask
Can an unmarried partner qualify?
Yes, if the partnership or stable relationship meets the current evidentiary conditions.interior.gob.es
Can I work with this card?
Qualifying residence under the EU-family regime carries work rights under that regime.interior.gob.es
What if my relationship ends?
Retention of residence rights is conditional. Do not assume the card simply remains unaffected until expiry.interior.gob.es
What gets it refused or delayed
- The claimed family relationship or dependency does not fit the EU-family categories or is not sufficiently proven.interior.gob.es
- The wrong legal route is used, especially where the sponsor is Spanish and EX-24 rather than EX-19 applies.inclusion.gob.es
Does any of this sound like you?
- The relationship, dependency, custody, retained-right or EX-19-versus-EX-24 classification is disputed or unclear.
Cases like these need an immigration lawyer. Describe yours to NEXO first, so you know what to ask and what to bring.