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Family arraigo (arraigo familiar)

Official name: Temporary residence authorisation for exceptional circumstances based on family arraigo (Autorización de residencia temporal por circunstancias excepcionales por razón de arraigo familiar)

€395VAT included

+ €54.36 in government fees · Estimated total cost: €449.36

See the price breakdown

Family arraigo (arraigo familiar) is for the mother, father or guardian of a child from another European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. Also for people who support a family member with a disability who has that nationality. No minimum time in Spain is required and it lasts 5 years. If your child or partner is Spanish, your procedure is a different one.

In short

Who it is for
The mother, father or guardian of a child from another EU or EEA country or Switzerland, or someone who supports a family member with a disability who has that nationality
Duration
5 years
Can I work?
Yes, as an employee or self-employed, once it is granted
Where to apply
The Immigration Office (Oficina de Extranjería) of your province, in person or online through the Mercurio platform
Message us on WhatsApp
Tell us about your situation

To talk about your case, at any time (24 hours). Please don't send documents on WhatsApp: if we need any, we'll give you a secure way to send them.

Is this your procedure?

It is for you if…

  • You are the mother, father or guardian of a child who is a national of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland.
  • The child is in your care and lives with you, or you meet your obligations as a parent.
  • You support a family member with a disability who has that nationality, they are in your care and they live with you.

It is not for you if…

The common requirements

Family arraigo has no minimum time, but it does require the other requirements common to all types of arraigo. For example, having no criminal record and no open asylum application. You can find them all in types of arraigo.

Requirements

  • Be the mother, father or guardian of a child who is a national of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.e.1st

  • With the child: live in Spain, have the child in your care and live with them. If you do not live together, be up to date with your obligations as a parent.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.e.1st

  • Or support a person with a disability who has that nationality in exercising their legal capacity. You must be their family member, have them in your care and live with them.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 127.e.2nd

  • No minimum time in Spain is required.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 126.b

  • Not have another stay or residence authorisation or another residence application in progress.

    RD 1155/2024, art. 126.h (added by RD 316/2026)

Documents

Guide list only. Before we start, we tell you exactly which ones you need in your case.

  • Form EX-10, filled in and signed.
  • Full copy of your valid passport (or of your registration certificate, cédula de inscripción, or travel document).
  • Criminal record certificate from the countries where you lived in the 5 years before arriving, translated and legalised or apostilled.
  • The child's birth certificate showing their relationship to you and their nationality, or the guardianship document.
  • Identity document of the child or of the person with a disability, from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland.
  • Proof that the child is in your care and lives with you. If you do not live together, proof that you meet your obligations as a parent.
  • If you support a person with a disability: documents on their disability or their support measures. Also proof that they are in your care and live with you.

Please don't send documents on WhatsApp or by email. If we need any, we'll give you a secure way to send them.

Deadlines

Legal time limit for a reply
The authorities have 3 months from the date your application enters their register. If they do not reply, it is deemed refused (negative administrative silence) and you can appeal (additional provisions 7 and 8).
Government fee
The fee is paid within 10 working days after you submit the application (information sheet 31 of the Ministry of Inclusion).
Foreigner identity card
You have 1 month from the notification to apply in person for your TIE (foreigner identity card). Fingerprinting is done in person (art. 130.6).
Before it expires
The authorisation lasts 5 years (art. 125.2). The extension is requested in the 2 months before the expiry date (art. 132.3).

How we work

  1. 1. You tell us about your situation

    On WhatsApp, by phone or with the form. A few lines are enough.

  2. 2. We tell you which procedure, which documents and what it costs

    Before we start, with a fixed price and government fees on top. If it isn't the right procedure for you, we tell you.

  3. 3. We prepare your application file

    We review your documents and make sure the file is complete and well explained. Once we have everything, we tell you the date it will be ready.

    Online submission on your behalf when the procedure allows it.

  4. 4. Follow-up and an update on every development

    We follow your file until the decision. If the authorities ask for anything else, we prepare it with you.

Fingerprinting for the TIE is done in person, by you: that part is yours.

In Barcelona and Catalonia

If you live in the province of Barcelona, the application goes to its Immigration Office. It can be in person or online through the Mercurio platform. In the rest of Catalonia, it goes to the Immigration Office of your province.

Immigration in Barcelona: offices and data for the province

Frequently asked questions

My son was born in Spain. Does family arraigo apply to me?

It depends on his nationality, not on where he was born. If he is a national of another EU or EEA country or Switzerland, yes. If he has Spanish nationality, your procedure is residence as a family member of a Spanish national.

Do I need to have lived in Spain for 2 years?

No. Family arraigo is the only type of arraigo with no minimum time in Spain (art. 126.b).

Do I have to live with the child?

The child must be in your care and live with you. If you do not live together, being up to date with your obligations as a parent is accepted (art. 127.e.1st).

Do I need to show financial means?

Art. 127.e does not set a minimum amount of financial means for this arraigo. It requires the child to be in your care and live with you, or you to be up to date with your obligations as a parent.

How long does it last and can I work?

It lasts 5 years (art. 125.2). It lets you work as an employee or self-employed, in any sector and anywhere in Spain (art. 131).

I already have family arraigo through a Spanish child. Do I need to do anything?

If it was valid on 20 May 2025, you keep your residence as long as you meet the requirements for residence as a family member of a Spanish national. You do not need to apply for the new authorisation (third transitional provision). When the expiry date gets close, we review your case.

Review and sources

Written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Un Papel Menos team on 13 October 2026.

Last updated: .

Legislation

Sources

Related procedures

Family of a Spanish national

If you are the partner, son, daughter, father or mother of a Spanish national: 5-year residence to live and work in any sector.

€345VAT included · government fees not included

Family of an EU citizen

If your partner, father, mother or child is from another EU country and lives in Spain: a 5-year card to live and work.

€345VAT included · government fees not included

Family reunification

If you have residence in Spain and want to bring your partner, children or parents: authorisation and visa for them.

€490VAT included · government fees not included

Arraigo extension

To apply for 1 more year of your socio-labour, social, second-chance or socio-training arraigo before it expires.

Fixed price before we start

Tell us about your situation

Before we start, we tell you which procedure fits your situation and what it costs.

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Step 1 of 2 · What do you need?

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