EU Family Member Residence Card in Valencia

The basics

The EU family member residence card (tarjeta de residencia de familiar de ciudadano de la Unión) is the document that lets a non-EU relative of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen live in Spain for more than three months. It is not a discretionary permit: it confirms a right of residence that comes from EU free movement law, as long as the EU citizen meets the conditions of their own residence and you are part of their family.

Royal Decree 240/2007 governs it. Article 2 lists the family members covered: a spouse, a partner in a registered partnership, direct descendants under 21 or older if dependent, and dependent direct ascendants, including those of the spouse or partner. Article 2 bis opens the door to other dependent relatives and to unregistered partners in a durable, proven relationship. Article 8 sets the rules for the card: apply within three months of entering Spain, receive a receipt on the spot that proves lawful stay, and the card must be issued within three months, valid for five years or for the EU citizen’s planned stay if shorter. With it you can work as an employee or self-employed on the same terms as Spaniards (art. 3.2). Since 20 May 2025, relatives of Spanish nationals generally use a separate authorisation under articles 93 to 99 of Royal Decree 1155/2024, although cards already in force were kept.

In Valencia the application goes to the Oficina de Extranjería de Valencia; the office at C/ Motilla del Palancar 23 lists familiar de comunitario among its procedures. Your EU relative will need their own EU registration certificate first, and both of you should be on the padrón at the same address.

Who it is for

• Non-EU spouses of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens living in Valencia.
• Registered partners, and unregistered partners in a durable relationship that can be proven.
• Children under 21, or older if dependent, of the EU citizen or of their spouse or partner.
• Dependent parents of the EU citizen or of their spouse or partner.
• Other dependent relatives who lived with the EU citizen in their previous country.

Paperwork checklist

• Form EX-19, completed and signed.
• Your valid passport, or a copy of the expired one plus proof you applied to renew it.
• Marriage, partnership or birth certificate showing the family link, apostilled or legalised and translated where needed.
• The EU registration certificate of the relative you are joining or accompanying.
• Proof of dependency where the law requires it, such as for adult children or parents.
• Three recent colour photos, passport size, white background.
• The receipt for the State fee (form 790, code 012).

The office also checks that your EU relative still meets the conditions of their own residence, such as work, sufficient means or studies. We review that side before the appointment so it does not catch you off guard.

Step by step with us

1. Your case first. We confirm which category of article 2 or 2 bis fits you and whether your EU relative's own registration is in order.
2. Documents. We list the papers that need an apostille or sworn translation and check every certificate before the appointment.
3. Forms and fee. We complete form EX-19 and the 790 code 012 fee form, and book the appointment at the Oficina de Extranjería de Valencia.
4. Card collection. Once the card is approved, we book the police step that matches your address and tell you what to bring.

Waiting times in Valencia

You must apply within three months of entering Spain, and the card must be issued within the three months following the application (Royal Decree 240/2007, art. 8.2 and 8.4). A favourable decision is backdated to the day you arrived as an EU citizen’s family member. Until the card is ready, the receipt handed to you when you apply proves that you are lawfully in Spain, and processing does not prevent you from staying or carrying on your activities (art. 12.2).

The card is valid for five years, or for the EU citizen’s planned stay if shorter (art. 8.5), and it lapses with absences of more than six months a year, with exceptions in article 14.3. After five years of continuous legal residence you can apply for the permanent card (art. 10 and 11). RD 240/2007 does not itself state what silence means after the three months; if that period passes we chase the file and discuss the next step with you.

Changes matter too. You must report any change of nationality, marital status or address to the Oficina de Extranjería or the police (art. 14.2). If the marriage ends or your EU relative leaves Spain or dies, article 9 sets out when you keep the right to live here, and you must inform the authorities. Renewals before permanent residence follow the same rules, but children and parents need not prove the family link again (art. 13).

Living outside Valencia city? We handle this for the whole region: see our local pages for Gandia, Alicante and Castellón, or the Valencian Community overview.

Fee for our help

Ask for a quote. We confirm a fixed fee in writing before starting, depending on your category and on how many family members apply together. State fees are paid separately to the administration.

Official fee in 2026: 12.00 € for the EU family member card (form 790, code 012). Apostilles and sworn translations are charged by whoever issues them.

A typical case

Purely as an illustration: an Italian engineer working for a company in Paterna lives in Benimaclet with a Brazilian wife who arrived last month. The Italian spouse already holds the EU registration certificate, so we fix the date of the wife’s entry, since the three months to apply run from it. We ask for the marriage certificate with its apostille and sworn translation, check the joint padrón entry, complete form EX-19 and the 790 code 012 fee, and book the appointment at the Oficina de Extranjería de Valencia. The receipt she receives covers her stay while the card is produced.

Frequently asked questions

Source: Royal Decree 240/2007, articles 2, 2 bis, 3, 8, 9, 12 and 14 (BOE), Royal Decree 1155/2024, articles 93 to 99 and third transitional provision (BOE). Last checked against the BOE on 14 November 2026. Laws and fees change, so we confirm the current ones for your case before you pay.