Spain’s new Immigration Regulation—Royal Decree 1155/2024—entered its second phase on 6 December, and the spotlight is now on Articles 93-99, which redraw residence and work rights for non-EU family members of Spanish nationals. Previously, spouses, unregistered partners and extended relatives fell under the EU Community regime (Royal Decree 240/2007). They must now apply under Spain’s general foreigners’ law, aligning their status with the recently introduced arraigo and ‘second-chance’ categories.
The change simplifies but also tightens procedures. Family members will receive a single four-year combined residence-and-work card instead of the two-stage EU-family card plus work-authorisation route. However, they must now prove economic dependence on the Spanish sponsor and, in some cases, demonstrate health-insurance cover—requirements that EU-regime beneficiaries largely bypassed. Immigration lawyers say consulates and extranjería offices are still adapting IT systems, so applicants should expect transitional delays through Q1 2026.
![Royal Decree 1155/2024: Spain Overhauls Permits for Non-EU Relatives of Spanish Citizens]()
Corporate-immigration teams see positives: spouses who accompany foreign assignees that naturalise or hold dual Spanish citizenship will be able to work from day one, eliminating a costly administrative step. Yet multinational HR departments must audit policy documents to reflect the new form names, fee codes and biometric-capture appointments that start 10 January.
For the estimated 45,000 pending EU-family applications submitted before 6 December, the Ministry of the Interior has issued guidance: files will be migrated automatically, and applicants will receive a request for updated documentation if anything is missing under the new rules. Those already holding EU-family cards can keep them until expiry and will switch to the new format at renewal.
Practically, the expanded definition of eligible relatives—now including adult children up to age 26 and certain dependent ascendants—could boost inbound mobility. Global-mobility advisers note that many Latin-American assignees choose Spain precisely because family reunification is easier than elsewhere in the EU. The decree cements that advantage but makes financial planning essential.
The change simplifies but also tightens procedures. Family members will receive a single four-year combined residence-and-work card instead of the two-stage EU-family card plus work-authorisation route. However, they must now prove economic dependence on the Spanish sponsor and, in some cases, demonstrate health-insurance cover—requirements that EU-regime beneficiaries largely bypassed. Immigration lawyers say consulates and extranjería offices are still adapting IT systems, so applicants should expect transitional delays through Q1 2026.
Corporate-immigration teams see positives: spouses who accompany foreign assignees that naturalise or hold dual Spanish citizenship will be able to work from day one, eliminating a costly administrative step. Yet multinational HR departments must audit policy documents to reflect the new form names, fee codes and biometric-capture appointments that start 10 January.
For the estimated 45,000 pending EU-family applications submitted before 6 December, the Ministry of the Interior has issued guidance: files will be migrated automatically, and applicants will receive a request for updated documentation if anything is missing under the new rules. Those already holding EU-family cards can keep them until expiry and will switch to the new format at renewal.
Practically, the expanded definition of eligible relatives—now including adult children up to age 26 and certain dependent ascendants—could boost inbound mobility. Global-mobility advisers note that many Latin-American assignees choose Spain precisely because family reunification is easier than elsewhere in the EU. The decree cements that advantage but makes financial planning essential.
