Family reunification — regulated in Articles 16 to 18 of Organic Law 4/2000 and developed in Articles 52 to 60 of RD 557/2011 as amended by RD 1155/2024 — allows a legal foreign resident in Spain to bring their spouse, children, and certain ascendants to join them. Form EX-02 is the procedural instrument for this application. The economic requirements are the most frequent obstacle: in 2026, with the updated SMI and IPREM, it is worth verifying that provable income meets the required thresholds before initiating the procedure.
Who can be sponsored and who can be reunited
The right to family reunification belongs to the sponsor: the non-EU national legally residing in Spain with a valid residence authorisation.
Family members eligible for all temporary residence modalities
- Spouse or registered civil partner, provided the marriage or civil partnership is valid under Spanish law and the parties are not separated de facto or legally.
- Children under 18 of the sponsor and/or their spouse, including adopted children with adoption recognised in Spain.
- Minors whose legal guardianship or representation the sponsor holds under a firm court ruling.
Additional family members only for long-term residence holders
- First-degree ascendants (parents) of the sponsor or their spouse, aged 65 or over and economically dependent on the sponsor.
Siblings, in-laws, nephews and nieces, and ascendants under 65 do not have access to family reunification under LOEx. In some cases they may access other routes (non-lucrative residence visa, for example), but not through the EX-02.
Requirements for the sponsor
Time of residence
To apply for reunification, the sponsor must:
- Hold a residence authorisation in force or in process of renewal at the time of submitting the EX-02.
- Have had at least 1 year of legal residence in Spain (counted from the first grant of authorisation, not from entry into the country).
- If holding long-term residence: no additional minimum time requirement; reunification can be requested from the moment the status is granted.
Economic requirements (SMI and IPREM 2026)
The sponsor’s income must meet the following thresholds, calculated on the 2026 monthly IPREM (€600):
| Family composition | Minimum monthly income required |
|---|---|
| Sponsor alone (no additional family members) | €600 (100% IPREM) |
| Sponsor + 1 family member | €900 (150% IPREM) |
| Sponsor + 2 family members | €1,200 (200% IPREM) |
| Sponsor + 3 family members | €1,500 (250% IPREM) |
| Each additional family member | + €300 (+ 50% IPREM) |
Income must be stable and sufficient: meeting the threshold for just one month is not enough; the Administration evaluates regularity over the past 6–12 months. Income of the reunited family member (if already working in Spain) cannot be counted because they do not yet hold an authorisation.
Adequate housing
The sponsor must demonstrate they have housing adequate to meet the needs of the family member to be reunited. The required document is the housing suitability report (informe de idoneidad de la vivienda) issued by the Ayuntamiento of the sponsor’s municipality of residence (typical issuance time: 4–8 weeks in large cities). The report assesses the size, habitability, and occupancy of the housing.
Full documentation for the EX-02
Sponsor’s documents
- EX-02 form completed and signed.
- Valid passport of the sponsor + full copy.
- Valid TIE + copy.
- Income documentation:
- For employees: last 3 payslips + active employment contract + TGSS work history report (vida laboral).
- For self-employed: last quarterly IRPF and VAT returns + AEAT and TGSS compliance certificates.
- For non-lucrative residents or rentiers: bank statements for the past 6 months.
- Housing suitability report from the Ayuntamiento.
- AEAT and TGSS compliance certificate (obtainable from the electronic office).
Documents of the family member to be reunited
- Passport of the family member, valid.
- Marriage certificate or registered civil partnership certificate (for spouse), apostilled and with certified Spanish translation.
- Family record book or birth certificate (for children), apostilled and with certified Spanish translation.
- Criminal record certificate if the family member is over 18, from the country of birth and all countries of residence in the past 5 years, apostilled with certified Spanish translation.
- Recent photographs of the family member (passport size, white background).
The process step by step
Phase 1: EX-02 submission in Spain
The sponsor submits the EX-02 and all documentation at the Immigration Office of the province where they reside. This can be done personally or through a legal representative (lawyer with notarised power of attorney).
Resolution deadline: 3 months from submission of the complete application. Administrative silence is positive for family reunification (Article 57.5 RD 557/2011): if 3 months pass without an express decision, the application is deemed granted.
Phase 2: Visa application by the family member (if residing abroad)
If the application is granted and the reunited family member resides outside Spain, they must apply for the family reunification visa at the Spanish consulate in their country of habitual residence. The deadline to apply for the visa is 2 months from notification of the grant. The consulate has 2 months to resolve.
Phase 3: Entry into Spain and TIE application
Once in Spain with the reunification visa, the family member has 30 days to apply for the TIE at the competent Police Station or Immigration Office.
Common errors that delay the process
- Housing suitability report that is old or from a different municipality: the report must be recent (generally less than 3 months old) and correspond to the housing where the sponsor actually resides.
- Marriage certificate not apostilled or not translated: one of the most frequently rejected documents. The certificate must be a full (literal) copy, not an extract, and apostilled in the country where the marriage took place.
- Discontinuous or insufficient income: income with significant monthly variations or below the threshold in any month of the assessed period.
- Child over 18 not included in the family record: children over 18 who are still economically dependent require additional documentation (economic dependence certificate, university enrolment, etc.).
What happens if the EX-02 is refused
The refusal can be appealed by administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) to the Government Delegation within 1 month. If the appeal is also refused, a judicial review before the Administrative Court is available within 2 months. BMC manages the appeal and assesses whether it is more efficient to appeal or to submit a new application with improved documentation.
Need help with the EX-02 or the economic requirements for bringing your family to Spain? Speak with BMC’s immigration team.
