Spain · Spouse visas
Spain Spouse of a resident
Income needed: €900+ a month ≈ $1,010
Temporary residence authorization by family reunification (spouse or partner of a foreign resident)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a resident is a spouse visas route for Spain. Applicants need income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €900+ a month ≈ $1,010
Cost, time and long term
Shown, not spent€900+/mo ≈ $1,010 · €300+/mo ≈ $340
- EUR 900 a month (≈ $1,010)Fixed and regular monthly resources of the sponsor: 150% of IPREM (IPREM EUR600 (≈ $670) in 2026) for a household of sponsor and one reunited relative.
- EUR 300 a month (≈ $340)Add 50% of IPREM for each additional household member.
RenewalRenewable
Valid until the same date as the sponsor's authorization, with a minimum of one year; renewal depends on the sponsor and the family keeping the conditions.
Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and MigrationBoletín Oficial del Estado
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence; absences of up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total, or 18 for work) do not break continuity.
CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence
Nationality needs 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying (2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal), plus good conduct and integration.
ProcessingOfficial timeline
The application is decided within two months (silence means refusal); the spouse then applies for the visa within two months of approval.
Where to applyFrom abroad
The sponsor files at the provincial immigration office or online; the spouse then applies for the visa at the consulate abroad.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Spain, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply6
- Sponsor has lived in Spain for at least one year and has applied to reside at least one more year.
- Applicant is the spouse or a partner over 18 in a registered or stable partnership analogous to marriage.
- A stable unregistered partnership needs at least 12 continuous months living together, unless the couple has a child.
- Only one spouse or partner can be reunited, and marriage and partnership are mutually exclusive.
- Applicant has no criminal record in Spain or in countries of residence in the last five years.
- Sponsor has adequate housing and health insurance for the sponsor and the reunited family.
What you must show2
- Sponsor shows fixed and regular resources of 150% of IPREM per month for two people.
- Add 50% of IPREM per month for each additional family member.
Documents3
- Application form EX-02, sponsor passport, and proof of work and income such as contract and last six payslips.
- Housing report from the regional authority, or other proof of suitable housing.
- Proof of the marriage or partnership and a sworn statement that no other spouse or partner lives in Spain.
Steps2
- The sponsor files at the provincial immigration office or online; decision within two months, silence means refusal.
- After approval the spouse applies for the visa at the consulate within two months and enters Spain within one month of collecting it.
After you arrive1
- The spouse requests the foreigner identity card within one month of entering Spain.
What happens at day 183
How Spain decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a calendar yearPresence in Spanish territory; sporadic absences count unless tax residence in another country is proven.
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income.
All tax rules for Spain Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Sponsor has adequate housing and health insurance for the sponsor and the reunited family
- Accommodation
Sponsor has adequate housing and health insurance for the sponsor and the reunited family
- Police certificate and civil documents
Applicant has no criminal record in Spain or in countries of residence in the last five years
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For the spouse or partner of a foreign national who lives legally in Spain. It gives a temporary residence authorization that runs to the same date as the sponsor permit, with work rights. 1 2
What you must show
- Income of at least EUR 900 a month (≈ $1,010) · Fixed and regular monthly resources of the sponsor: 150% of IPREM (IPREM EUR600 (≈ $670) in 2026) for a household of sponsor and one reunited relative. 1 2
- Income of at least EUR 300 a month (≈ $340) · Add 50% of IPREM for each additional household member. 1 2
Requirements
- Sponsor has lived in Spain for at least one year and has applied to reside at least one more year. 1
- Applicant is the spouse or a partner over 18 in a registered or stable partnership analogous to marriage. 1
- A stable unregistered partnership needs at least 12 continuous months living together, unless the couple has a child. 1
- Only one spouse or partner can be reunited, and marriage and partnership are mutually exclusive. 1
- Applicant has no criminal record in Spain or in countries of residence in the last five years. 1
- Sponsor has adequate housing and health insurance for the sponsor and the reunited family. 1
- Sponsor shows fixed and regular resources of 150% of IPREM per month for two people. 1
- Add 50% of IPREM per month for each additional family member. 1
- Application form EX-02, sponsor passport, and proof of work and income such as contract and last six payslips. 1
- Housing report from the regional authority, or other proof of suitable housing. 1
- Proof of the marriage or partnership and a sworn statement that no other spouse or partner lives in Spain. 1
- The sponsor files at the provincial immigration office or online; decision within two months, silence means refusal. 1
- After approval the spouse applies for the visa at the consulate within two months and enters Spain within one month of collecting it. 1
- The spouse requests the foreigner identity card within one month of entering Spain. 1
Stay
- Valid until the same date as the sponsor's authorization at the time the spouse arrives, with a minimum of one year.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
Nationality
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
The spouse or partner may work as employee or self-employed anywhere in Spain, in any sector, with no further procedure.
Family
Children under 18, dependent adult children, represented persons and dependent parents over 65 can be reunited under separate rules.
Official sources
- Sheet 8 - Temporary residence authorization by family reunification · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · checked 2026-10-10
- Monthly and annual values of SMI and IPREM 2026 · Public Employment Service (SEPE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2024-11-20
- Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a resident | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a resident Italy | Needs income of €11k+ a year ≈ $12k | – | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a resident?
Income of at least EUR 900 a month (≈ $1,010). Fixed and regular monthly resources of the sponsor: 150% of IPREM (IPREM EUR600 (≈ $670) in 2026) for a household of sponsor and one reunited relative. Income of at least EUR 300 a month (≈ $340). Add 50% of IPREM for each additional household member.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a resident?
Valid until the same date as the sponsor's authorization at the time the spouse arrives, with a minimum of one year.
How long does the Spouse of a resident take to process?
The application is decided within two months (silence means refusal); the spouse then applies for the visa within two months of approval.
Can I work on the Spouse of a resident?
Yes. The spouse or partner may work as employee or self-employed anywhere in Spain, in any sector, with no further procedure.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a resident?
Children under 18, dependent adult children, represented persons and dependent parents over 65 can be reunited under separate rules.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a resident?
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a resident lead to permanent residence in Spain?
Time on the Spouse of a resident counts toward permanent residence in Spain, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a resident counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a resident holders taxed in Spain?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a resident. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income. Savings income (interest, dividends, gains) is taxed at 19% to 30% combining the state and regional portions; the general scale has a state portion of 9.5% to 24.5% plus a regional portion.
More in Spain
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Sheet 8 - Temporary residence authorization by family reunification · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · checked 2026-10-10
- Monthly and annual values of SMI and IPREM 2026 · Public Employment Service (SEPE) · checked 2026-10-10
- Real Decreto 1155/2024, Regulation of Ley Orgánica 4/2000: consolidated text (in force 20 May 2025) · Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-10
- Código Civil, Art. 22 (Spanish nationality by residence) · Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.