Can I gain Spanish residency through marriage or civil partnership?

So, you’ve fallen in love and have decided to marry or enter into a civil union with your partner.

The only problem is that your partner lives in Spain and you don’t have Spanish residency to be able to live with them.

Is it possible to apply for Spanish residency through marriage?

The short answer is yes, it’s totally possible to gain Spanish residency through marriage or a civil union, but different situations will apply, depending on your particular circumstances.

In Spain, a civil union is known as a pareja de hecho and grants you many of the same benefits as marriage. However, there are a few main differences. Read here to find out what the differences are and which is better for your circumstance.

It’s important to be aware that the rules of the pareja de hecho differ between regions. Some require you to have been living with your partner for a period of 1-2 years before you can apply, while others don’t. For example, Madrid requires cohabitation proof for at least 12 months. Andalusia doesn’t require any proof, but you must provide sworn declarations instead.

This means that the pareja de hecho may not always be possible in order to gain residency, it depends on your circumstance and where you intend to live.

READ ALSO – Q&A: Can EU nationals bring non-EU family members over to Spain?

Residency through marriage to an EU citizen

If you are from a non-EU country and marry or enter into a civil partnership with someone from Spain or the EU, then gaining a Spanish residency permit is quite straightforward.

In this case, you will apply for a residence permit for Spain as a family member of an EU citizen or a tarjeta de residencia de familiar comunitario. This will enable you the right to come and live and work in Spain under the same conditions as those from the EU.

You must apply for the residence permit within a period of 90 days or three months after arriving in Spain and can do so by making an appointment at your local immigration office. Along with your ID documents, you will need to bring a completed Modelo EX-19 form.

The main requirements for this are:

• Your spouse or partner must be from an EU country
• They must have Spanish residency
• They must be legally working or have sufficient economic funds to be able to support you
• Your marriage must have been registered in an EU country, if not you will have to get your marriage certificate apostilled or might have to get your marriage re-registered in Spain.

If you and your partner meet all the requirements, you will be granted permission to live in Spain for five years and are able to renew it after this time for a long-term residency.

READ ALSO: How can non-EU nationals bring family members to live in Spain?

What about if my partner/spouse is not an EU citizen?

If you marry or enter into a civil partnership with someone who is not Spanish or an EU citizen but has residency in Spain, the good news is that you’re able to join them and gain Spanish residency via the family reunification visa.

The main requirement is that your partner must have been living in Spain for a period of one year already and have already been granted a visa renewal for a further year or more.

If your partner has not already been living in Spain for one year, you will need to wait to be able to join them. The only way that you can join your partner immediately rather than waiting the rest of the time is if your partner has an EU long-term residency permit from another EU country, has an EU Blue Card or has a student visa.

The main requirement is that your partner has to prove that they have the financial means to support you. This means that they must demonstrate they earn an amount equivalent to or greater than 150 percent of the IPREM (Public Multiple Effects Income Indicator). For 2026, this equals €900 per month or €10,800 per year.

If your partner is not working, they will have to prove they have sufficient savings or financial means, as well as private health insurance.

If they are a student, they will only be able to bring you here if they are studying in higher education, a simple Spanish course will not be enough.