Family reunification in Spain under the new Immigration Regulation (RD 1155/2024)

This regime is for foreigners who legally reside in Spain, the so-called general regime. You can apply if you have lived in Spain for at least one year and have applied for the residence authorisation for at least another year; there are exceptions, for example for holders of long-term residence ¹.

Article 66 of the Regulation lists the family members who can be reunited ¹:

• Spouse over 18, not separated de facto or de jure, and only one.
• Domestic partner of legal age, registered in a public register of a European Union State or with a proven stable relationship of at least 12 months living together. If you have children in common that time is not required.
• Children under 18, yours or your spouse's or partner's, or adults with a disability who need support or who cannot look after their own needs because of their health. If the child is the child of only one of the two, conditions apply on parental authority, custody or the consent of the other parent.
• First-degree ascendants over 65, dependent on you and with reasons that justify residence in Spain. For humanitarian reasons they can be under 65.
• Adult child who will care for you if you have a recognised degree of dependency.

With the reunification authorisation, your spouse, partner or child of working age can work as an employee or self-employed throughout Spain, with no further procedure ¹.

Article 67 requires fixed and regular resources of 150% of the IPREM for a family unit of two people (you and one family member), plus 50% of the IPREM for each additional member ¹. The monthly IPREM for 2026 is €600, the same as in 2023, 2024 and 2025 ^{3 4}.

People in the family unit	Percentage of the IPREM	Monthly amount 2026
2 (you and one family member)	150%	€900
3	200%	€1,200
4	250%	€1,500
5	300%	€1,800

The amounts come from multiplying the percentage by €600. The Regulation assesses the nature and regularity of the income and provides for reductions when the best interests of minor children require it ¹.

In addition to the means, article 67 asks for ¹:

• Adequate housing, shown with a report from the social services of your autonomous community or, if it delegates this, from your town hall. The report must be issued and notified within one month of your request, and cannot be more than six months old when you file the reunification application. If it is not issued in time, and you can show that, you can prove the housing by other means.
• Health insurance for you and your family members.
• Schooling of children of compulsory school age who are already in Spain.
• That your family members are not a risk to public order, security or health. The office checks criminal records in Spain and a police report; police records do not by themselves lead to denial.
• Payment of the fee.

Coordinate the dates: file the reunification application before the housing report turns six months old ¹.

1. Application in Spain. You file the application at the Oficina de Extranjería of your province with your passport, proof of income and employment, the housing report, the health insurance and a statement that you have no other spouse or partner in Spain. For your family member you hand in their passport and proof of the relationship ¹. The office has two months to decide; if it does not reply, the application is deemed denied ¹.

2. Visa at the consulate. With the authorisation granted, your family member applies for the family reunification residence visa at the Spanish consulate in their country within two months of the notification ^{1 2}. The consulate has one month to decide and issue the visa ¹. In Bogotá, for example, applications are filed at BLS International by appointment ².

3. Entry and TIE. The authorisation only takes effect when your family member gets the visa and enters Spain ¹. Once in Spain, they must apply for the Foreigner Identity Card (TIE) within the following month ².

The Consulate General in Bogotá asks your family member for, among other things, a passport valid for at least one year, a copy of your residence card, a criminal record certificate from the countries where they lived in the last 5 years, a medical certificate and all foreign documents legalised or apostilled ².

The family reunification visa of the general regime is not issued to family members of citizens of the European Union ². Since RD 1155/2024, foreign family members of Spaniards have their own chapter in the Regulation, articles 93 to 99 ¹. The main differences ¹:

• It covers more family members: spouse, registered or stable partner, children under 26 or with a disability or dependent, dependent ascendants, and other cases such as the family member who cares for a dependent Spaniard.
• The authorisation lasts five years and allows work throughout Spain with no additional procedure.
• If you live in Spain and your family member is abroad, you file the application at the Oficina de Extranjería and, if it is granted, your family member applies for the visa. If both of you are abroad, your family member applies for the visa directly at the consulate. If both of you are in Spain, exceptionally it is filed at the Oficina de Extranjería and, once admitted for processing, your family member is provisionally authorised to live and work. Royal Decree 316/2026 of 14 April amended this last case.
• The procedure is free and processed preferentially.

If you are a descendant of Spaniards and obtained nationality, this is the regime that applies to your family.