How to Get a Residence Card with Pareja de Hecho in Spain

Residence Card: Tarjeta de Residencia de Familiar de Ciudadano de la Union Europea

I get asked all the time, “so how exactly do you live in Spain as an American?”, and actually, the answer is not as difficult as you might think. But before we get started let me just say I am not married to a Spaniard and I’m not hiding on an expired visa. Both options would be way too risky, and very very illegal.

What I do have however is a legitimate visa that allows me to work and live in Spain with my significant other. When I was looking into options for staying in Spain legally, I found that a residence card through Pareja de Hecho was the perfect option for me and my current situation.

With pareja de hecho, any non-EU citizen can live and work in Spain for up to 5 whole years (crazy, I know). This is what I currently have and is, in my opinion, the best option if you are planning on living here for a longer period of time . However, there is a catch. This option only works if you are currently in a relationship with a citizen of the European Union.

If you don’t have a Spanish novio yet, fear not. You can also try one of these other options for living legally in Spain as an American that I have outlined in this blog post.

For those of you who do have the boyfriend and are ready to start the Pareja de Hecho residency process, this blog post is for you.

In this article I’ll be covering:

• What is pareja de hecho?
• How to do the legal process if you’re from a non-EU country
• The official documents you’ll need
• How to get permanent residence after your 5 years are up

What is Pareja de Hecho?

The pareja de hecho visa in Spain is a type of visa granted to individuals who are in a registered domestic partnership or civil union with a Spanish citizen or resident. This visa allows non-EU citizens to live and work in Spain with their partner.

To be eligible for a pareja de hecho visa, the unmarried couple must have been living together for at least one year and have their partnership legally recognized in Spain. The application process requires proof of the partnership, which can sometimes mean joint bank accounts, lease agreements, and statements from friends and family. While I never had to provide this information, this may depend on the the autonomous community you currently reside in.

This type of visa is often sought by foreign nationals who have fallen in love with a Spanish citizen or resident and wish to live with them in Spain. It provides an alternative to traditional marriage and allows couples to enjoy the benefits of legal recognition without having to change their marital status. 

If you are considering applying for a pareja de hecho visa, you can apply for it on your own. However, you can also use the help of  a professional lawyer to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements. With the proper legal documents and support, you can obtain a pareja de hecho visa and enjoy life with your partner in beautiful Spain.

How Long Does the Residency Process Take?

The length of the pareja de hecho residency process in Spain can vary depending on various factors such as the workload of the authorities processing the application, the completeness of the official documents submitted, and the complexity of the case.

Generally, the residence permit process for a civil partnership can take anywhere from a minimum period of three to six months from the date of submission of the application. However, in some cases, it may take longer if additional documentation is required or if there are complications that need to be resolved.

It is important to note that the pareja de hecho residency process involves multiple steps, such as submitting the initial application form, providing documentation to support the application, attending an interview, and waiting for the decision to be made by the legal services. Each step can take some time, so it is important to be patient and diligent in following up with the authorities as needed to ensure you get your Spanish residency in a timely manner.

What Paperwork Do Non-European Citizens Need to Turn in When Applying for Spanish Residency?

If you are looking to do your pareja de hecho residence permit, there are several paperwork requirements that you will need to fill out. This includes providing proof of your identity through legal identification documents, as well as other documents that demonstrate your eligibility to change your civil status due to your partnership.

Firstly, you will need to provide your passport and a copy of your NIE (Foreigner Identification Number) if you have one. You will also need to provide your partner’s ID card or passport and a copy of their NIE. You may also have to prove that you have expat medical insurance as well.

Next, you will need to demonstrate that you have been living together for at least one year. This can be done through providing evidence of shared expenses such as utility bills, rental contracts,  and bank certificate statements. You may also need to provide statements from friends or family members who can attest to the nature and duration of your relationship.

In addition, you will need to obtain a certificate of empadronamiento, which is a document that confirms your residence in a particular municipality in Spain. This document is usually obtained from your local town hall and can demonstrate your connection to the community or Spanish Territory.

Other paperwork requirements may vary depending on the particular circumstances of your case. For example, if you have children together, you may need to provide birth certificates or other legal documents that proves your parental relationship.

Overall, the paperwork requirements for pareja de hecho in Spain can be a bit confusing. If you want to ensure that all your paperwork is correct, you can always work with an international lawyer who can help guide you through the process and ensure that you have all the necessary documentation to support your application.

How to Get a Visa With Pareja de Hecho in Spain

If you are looking to do the Pareja de Hecho visa in Barcelona, it can be a daunting process to say the least. Not only do you have to get involved with the Spanish government which can be terrible, but you also have to navigate through all of your resources in Spanish.

If you don’t speak Spanish like me, it can be really challenging to find the right information and all the necessary steps to follow. It really helps if you have a high level of Spanish to not only read the online articles about the process but also to communicate with the government officials and to set up all your appointments.

Luckily in my case, my boyfriend did most of the research for me. For those of you who are trying to navigate this whole visa process and don’t know where to start, I’ve created this step-by-step guide on how to get your residence card with Pareja de Hecho.

Steps For Getting a Residence Card with Pareja de Hecho:

1. Move to Spain: You have to start the process when you are physically in Spain. Before then, there really isn’t much you can do except prepare yourself on what to expect. I had researched that some cities in Spain require that you have a professional translate your birth certificate which I had sent in before coming, however, they never asked for it during my visa process in Barcelona.

2. Go to the town hall: To start things off, you have to go to the town hall of the city and get the “Empadronamiento”, which basically registers your name with the address you’re living at. It must be the same address as your Spanish partner.

In order for this to work, the Spanish citizen’s name has to be in the contract of the home or flat. When you go in to fill out the paperwork, bring the contract of the flat, that way the person organizing your paperwork can have the authorization to include the name of the foreign citizen. If you don’t have one already, this is when you have to ask for your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero).

3. Sign your Pareja de Hecho at the notary: Once you get the letter of your address from the town hall, you have to get an appointment with a Notary to schedule the official signing of the Pareja de Hecho document.

This document is a justification that states you are a legitimate couple with your partner. This is the step that some cities will question you on your relationship and ask for proof of photos, plane tickets, etc.

My boyfriend and I were expecting them to ask us all these questions but for some reason, we weren’t asked anything. This may depend on the actual office we went to, however, still expect them to ask questions. In some other cities around Spain, it is required that you and your partner have lived together for a specific amount of time.

To the notary, bring the letter from the town hall in which it says the address of the foreign person, the contract of the house of the Spanish person to show you live at the same place, and both of your ID’s. When you schedule your appointment, make sure to ask and verify which documents are needed.

Total price: depending on the notary, Dani and I paid 75€ and we went to the Notaria Rambla 55.

Once everything is done, the Notary will send the document to the government for them to process the information and to note your names in the official registration of couples in Spain.

You should get a letter from the government after three weeks of the signing. Once you receive this letter, you and your partner officially have Pareja de Hecho.

4. Schedule your cita Previa en extranjería: This is probably the most difficult step. In this section of the process, you have to request the Visa from the Spanish government, which is called, “Tarjeta de residencia de familiar de ciudadano de la unión europea”.

First of all, make sure you have the documentation required for this step, you can verify what you need at this website:

After you check that you have everything needed, you then have to set up an appointment online here:

follow the next steps:

4.1- In the first screen, scroll down and click “Acceder al Procedimiento”
4.2- Select the city in which you want to do the process and then click “Aceptar”, right in the bottom of the same page.
4.3- Once you click “Aceptar”, you will be sent to a different screen in which you will see the section”Trámites disponibles para la provincia seleccionada” and a dropdown next to it to select an option. The option you need for this visa is “Solicitud de autorizaciones”
4.4- We will be sent to another screen and just click “Entrar”
4.5- In the new screen, just fill the gaps with the information of the requester (foreign citizen)
4.6- When you finish, continue and choose “Solicitar cita”

If there’s a cita available, the system will allow you to choose the office in the city you are living in.

It’s normal that there are no Cita Previa available since it is very competitive to get an appointment, so keep trying until you can get one.

Normally, the administration offers new appointments every single Wednesday starting at 09:00 A.M. However, people cancel all the time which means you can snag one really at any time. We were lucky and got ours on a Thursday or Friday in the afternoon just by randomly checking. This part of the process can be really frustrating, however just keep checking as often as possible.

Once you finish this process, the office will send your request to the main building of the government in Madrid. They will analyze it and decide whether or not it should be approved. You shouldn’t have any problem in getting it approved as long as all the necessary information is correct.

Once it’s approved, you will get a notification (letter) in which it says your request has been approved and you can already request the expedition of the card.

5- Go to the police station: This is the last step of the process.
By this step, everything is done. You already have the approval of the government to get the Visa (Residence Card) and now you just have to go to the police station to request the expedition of the card itself.

To do this, you also needed a cita previa (appointment) which you can schedule here:

This link is the same we used to get an appointment to request the Visa, however now you have to click a different section because it’s a different procedure than the one before. Follow the next steps to get this appointment:

5.1- In the first screen, scroll all the way down and click “Acceder al procedimiento”
5.2- Once again, select the city in which you want to do the procedure
5.3- Once you select the city, a message will pop up which says “Aviso importante, (name of the city)”
5.4- Right there you will see three different options 1. Autorización de Regreso. 2.Certificados UE. 3. Expedición de Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero.
5.5- Choose the option 3 “Expedicion de tarjeta de identidad de extranjero”
5.6- You will be taken to another screen in which you have to choose another option called “Policia – Toma de huellas y expedición de tarjeta” and then click “Aceptar”, then you will be taken to another screen for you to agree with the terms and services and click “Entrar”
5.7- Fill the gaps with your details
5.8- Click “Solicitar Cita” and the system will give you the option of choosing the police station with appointments available.

Before going to your appointment, make sure to call beforehand and ask what paperwork is required. I know at this step we had to bring passport photos and a few other things so make sure you come prepared with all the required material.

How Long Does It Take To Get A Visa In Spain?

Legally you only have 90 days on a standard travel visa, which means you have to get it within that period. We started the process in September which is the busiest time of the year since there are so many students who also need a visa as well. For us, it took almost a full 3 months to complete all the paperwork. There is nothing you can really do before you arrive in Spain, but just try to start the process as soon as you get into the country to guarantee you’ll have enough time.

Once you finally complete the entire process you will be able to live in Spain and travel around Europe for a full 5 years. Once your 5 years are up, you can always renew your visa if you choose to stay longer.

Even though the process may be difficult to understand at first, it’s the easiest and fastest way you can legally live in Spain. After living here for just over a year, I can say it was the best option for my situation and I am so happy I did it!