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Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Old Mar 14th 2011, 4:04 pm
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Default Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Could anybody share some info on the subject please -

Is that possible for non European Union spouse of a UK citizen to obtain a long term (temporary residency?) visa to live in Spain ? We think of buying a place in Southern Europe, but not clear on visa situation for non European spouses. I have no UK residency visa either, if it matters at all.

Would anybody also know what the visa regulations for non European spouses are like in Italy or France?
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Old Mar 14th 2011, 5:53 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Family members of an EU citizen who are not EU citizens are issued with the old style residencia card and should have no problems residing in Spain.

It's actually called a TARJETA DE RESIDENCIA DE FAMILIAR DE CIUDADANO DE LA UNIÓN and you apply for it using the same form (EX16) that the EU citizen uses to register on the register of foreigners.
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Old Mar 14th 2011, 6:28 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

That's right - my wife is American and we use this system. One day, must see if it works the other way...
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Old Mar 15th 2011, 2:59 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Good news! Thanks a lot)))
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Old Mar 15th 2011, 4:36 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

I think Fred is right as I know a Brit girl who had to marry her American boyfriend for him to be able to stay in Spain ,they got married in Gibraltar incedently , much more straight forward .
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Old Mar 15th 2011, 4:58 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

There used to be a very good publication in English from the relevant ministry but it seems to have gone now.

As the laws apply across the EU this site provides some more info.

http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz...artners_en.htm
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Old Mar 16th 2011, 2:35 am
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by laven
Could anybody share some info on the subject please -

Is that possible for non European Union spouse of a UK citizen to obtain a long term (temporary residency?) visa to live in Spain ? We think of buying a place in Southern Europe, but not clear on visa situation for non European spouses. I have no UK residency visa either, if it matters at all.
You're never going to have a UK residence visa if you're a British citizen.

Have you thought about spending enough time in the UK for your spouse to get British citizenship, after which she can freely live in Spain with you?
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Old Mar 16th 2011, 5:26 am
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by JAJ
You're never going to have a UK residence visa if you're a British citizen.

Have you thought about spending enough time in the UK for your spouse to get British citizenship, after which she can freely live in Spain with you?
Im not the one who is British of course, my husband is British. UK citizenship takes good few years, we just cannot afford doing that just for passport.
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Old Mar 16th 2011, 9:56 am
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by Fred James
There used to be a very good publication in English from the relevant ministry but it seems to have gone now.

As the laws apply across the EU this site provides some more info.

http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citiz...artners_en.htm
Thanks a lot for the link I tried to find smth like that myself but unsuccessfully.

Thats right, I as a non European union citizen can live in any country of EU with my UK husband, didnt know that before.
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Old Mar 16th 2011, 10:42 am
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by Fred James
Family members of an EU citizen who are not EU citizens are issued with the old style residencia card and should have no problems residing in Spain.

It's actually called a TARJETA DE RESIDENCIA DE FAMILIAR DE CIUDADANO DE LA UNIÓN and you apply for it using the same form (EX16) that the EU citizen uses to register on the register of foreigners.
Can they also work?
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Old Mar 17th 2011, 5:09 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by reggiedh
Can they also work?
Once the spouse has a residencia, yes they can work.

Also, getting a visa to settle in Spain, as a family member, is very straightforward and much cheaper than UK (I believe it is now 60 euros) I understand Spain has signed an EU Directive which amounts to it being illegal to keep a family apart, unlike UK which seems to put every obstacle in the way !!!
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Old Mar 19th 2011, 2:34 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by JulianWard
Once the spouse has a residencia, yes they can work.

Also, getting a visa to settle in Spain, as a family member, is very straightforward and much cheaper than UK (I believe it is now 60 euros) I understand Spain has signed an EU Directive which amounts to it being illegal to keep a family apart, unlike UK which seems to put every obstacle in the way !!!
This is very encouraging, I expected serious problems based on what I have heard and read about people bringing a non EU spouse to the UK. Is Spain really that different in practice?

Do I have to establish myself as a resident in Spain befor bringing in my non EU partner. What about an entry Visa ?
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Old Mar 19th 2011, 2:38 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by Nic43
This is very encouraging, I expected serious problems based on what I have heard and read about people bringing a non EU spouse to the UK. Is Spain really that different in practice?

Do I have to establish myself as a resident in Spain before bringing in my non EU partner. What about an entry Visa ?
I am not sure about your last point, I was resident in Spain when I married. But then all EU citizens have the right to live anywhere in the EU.

When I asked the Spanish embassy what the chances were of my wife-to-be getting permission to live in Spain, they looked at me as if I were crazy and said, 'Where else would she live except with you ? '

Last edited by JulianWard; Mar 19th 2011 at 2:41 pm.
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Old Mar 19th 2011, 5:07 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

By the way, does anybody know if living in Spain on that non EU spouse visa leads to Spain citizenship or permanent residency at all? or its strictly temporary thing?
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Old Mar 19th 2011, 5:13 pm
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Default Re: Can UK citizen + Non-European Union Spouse reside in Spain together?

Originally Posted by laven
By the way, does anybody know if living in Spain on that non EU spouse visa leads to Spain citizenship or permanent residency at all? or its strictly temporary thing?
The visa which a spouse has in the Schengen Area is a Family Reunification Visa. With that one applies for Permanent Spanish Residencia.

A Nationality application is a different thing altogether.
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