Spain · Spouse visas
Spain Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 5 yrs
Temporary residence authorization for family members of persons of Spanish nationality (spouse or partner)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Spain. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Valid five years, or the Spanish spouse's planned stay if shorter; renewable for five years while conditions are met.
Boletín Oficial del EstadoMinistry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration
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 1 year of marriage
One year of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying is enough for a person who has been married to a Spaniard for one year at the time of the application and is not separated (Código Civil Art. 22.2.d and 22.3); the general residence period is 10 years.
ProcessingOfficial timeline
The decision is due within two months of filing (silence means refusal).
Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and MigrationBoletín Oficial del Estado
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
The Spanish spouse files in Spain, or the applicant files at the consulate if both are abroad; spouses already together in Spain file in Spain.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply7
- Applicant is a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss national married to a Spanish citizen and living with them.
- Spouse is over 18, the marriage is not annulled or dissolved and was not made in fraud of the law.
- An unmarried partner over 18 qualifies if the partnership is registered in an EU, EEA or Swiss public register.
- An unregistered partner qualifies with proof of at least 12 continuous months living together, or a child in common.
- Marriage, registered partnership and stable partnership are mutually exclusive.
- Applicant has no criminal record in Spain or in any country of residence in the last five years.
- Applicant is not a threat to public order, security or health.
What you must show1
- The application procedure is free of charge.
Documents4
- Application form EX-24 completed and signed by the foreign applicant.
- Full passport or ID card of the Spanish spouse, and full passport of the applicant.
- Proof of the marriage or partnership, and a statement that no other spouse or partner lives in Spain.
- Police certificate from each country of residence in the last five years, if applying from abroad.
Steps3
- If the Spanish spouse is in Spain and the applicant abroad, the Spanish spouse files at the provincial immigration office.
- If both spouses are abroad, the applicant files at the Spanish consulate; the visa is then applied for within one month of approval.
- Spouses already together in Spain can file in Spain at the immigration office.
After you arrive2
- The foreign spouse requests the foreigner identity card (TIE) at the police within one month of approval or entry.
- A spouse who used EU free movement applies instead for the EU family member card with form EX-19.
What happens at day 183
How Spain decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
5 years at first, renewable
- 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
Full official text
For the non-EU spouse or partner of a Spanish citizen who is moving to or living in Spain with them. It gives a five-year residence and work authorization free of charge. 1 2
Requirements
- Applicant is a non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss national married to a Spanish citizen and living with them. 1
- Spouse is over 18, the marriage is not annulled or dissolved and was not made in fraud of the law. 1
- An unmarried partner over 18 qualifies if the partnership is registered in an EU, EEA or Swiss public register. 1
- An unregistered partner qualifies with proof of at least 12 continuous months living together, or a child in common. 1
- Marriage, registered partnership and stable partnership are mutually exclusive. 1
- Applicant has no criminal record in Spain or in any country of residence in the last five years. 1
- Applicant is not a threat to public order, security or health. 1
- The application procedure is free of charge. 1
- Application form EX-24 completed and signed by the foreign applicant. 1
- Full passport or ID card of the Spanish spouse, and full passport of the applicant. 1
- Proof of the marriage or partnership, and a statement that no other spouse or partner lives in Spain. 1
- Police certificate from each country of residence in the last five years, if applying from abroad. 1
- If the Spanish spouse is in Spain and the applicant abroad, the Spanish spouse files at the provincial immigration office. 1
- If both spouses are abroad, the applicant files at the Spanish consulate; the visa is then applied for within one month of approval. 1
- Spouses already together in Spain can file in Spain at the immigration office. 1
- The foreign spouse requests the foreigner identity card (TIE) at the police within one month of approval or entry. 1
- A spouse who used EU free movement applies instead for the EU family member card with form EX-19. 2
Stay
- Valid for five years, or for the Spanish spouse's planned period of residence in Spain if shorter; renewable for five years if conditions are still met. Decision within two months, otherwise refused by silence.
- Initial permitted stay: 60 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
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
Any employment or self-employment anywhere in Spain, in any occupation or sector, with no further procedure.
Family
Children under 26 (or older if dependent or disabled) and dependent parents can be included.
Official sources
- Sheet 18 - Temporary residence authorization for family members of persons of Spanish nationality · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · checked 2026-10-10
- Sheet 62 - Residence card of a family member of a European Union citizen · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · 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 citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a resident | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| 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 long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Valid for five years, or for the Spanish spouse's planned period of residence in Spain if shorter; renewable for five years if conditions are still met.
How long does the Spouse of a citizen take to process?
The decision is due within two months of filing (silence means refusal).
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Any employment or self-employment anywhere in Spain, in any occupation or sector, with no further procedure.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Children under 26 (or older if dependent or disabled) and dependent parents can be included.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen?
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 citizen lead to permanent residence in Spain?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Spain, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 1 year of marriage.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Spain?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. 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 18 - Temporary residence authorization for family members of persons of Spanish nationality · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · checked 2026-10-10
- Sheet 62 - Residence card of a family member of a European Union citizen · Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (Spain) · 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.