Family reunification in Spain

This is the procedure for someone who has already built something here and wants to bring their family over. It is also the one most often attempted too early: the one year of prior legal residence comes before the money and before the housing.

  • This page was last reviewed on: 7 August 2026
  • 2 min read
1 yearof prior legal residence, with authorisation for another
€900/motwo people — 150% of the IPREM
+€300/moper additional member — 50% of the IPREM

Basis: 2026 IPREM at €600/month. Three people, €1,200/month; four people, €1,500/month.

Who can be reunified

  • a spouse in a subsisting marriage, or a partner registered publicly or with documented cohabitation;
  • children under 18, your own or your spouse's or partner's;
  • adult children with a disability who cannot provide for their own needs;
  • parents over 65 — and this is where the surprise sits.

Bringing parents is the hardest case, not the most natural one. It requires that you hold long-term residence or are on a second renewal, that they are over 65, and that you evidence their financial dependence. Plenty of people plan the move assuming the opposite.

The housing report and its expiry

The town hall issues a report on whether your home is adequate to accommodate the family. It is mandatory and it expires after three months. Since the rest of the file takes time, the planning runs backwards from the date you intend to file: requesting the report on day one usually means requesting it twice.

Where this fits in your route

Reunification presupposes that you already hold legal status. If you do not yet, the starting point is the comparison of Spanish residence visas or, if you are already living in Spain without authorisation, arraigo. And if your horizon is staying, the legal residence of the whole family also counts towards residency and citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

How long must I have been resident before I can reunify?

At least one year of legal residence in Spain, and authorisation to reside for a further year (art. 65, RD 1155/2024). Having arrived is not enough — you have to be renewing.

How much income must I evidence?

150% of the monthly IPREM for a two-person household — €900 a month at the 2026 IPREM — plus 50% of the IPREM (€300) for each additional member. Three people: €1,200. Four: €1,500.

Who can I bring?

A spouse, or a registered partner or one with evidenced cohabitation; children under 18, your own or your spouse's or partner's; adult children with a disability who cannot provide for themselves; and parents over 65, but only if you hold long-term residence or are on your second renewal and can evidence that they depend on you financially.

What is the suitable-housing report?

A report issued by the town hall on whether your home is fit to accommodate the family. It is mandatory and it expires after 3 months, so requesting it too early is as much of a problem as requesting it too late.

Can I bring my parents?

Only with long-term residence or on a second renewal, evidencing that they are over 65 and financially dependent on you. It is the most restricted case of all, and the one that disappoints the most expectations.

Sources for this page

This page was last reviewed on: 7 August 2026.

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