Permanent EU card
After several years with an EU family member card, you can move to stable residence. We review your history and prepare the application with you.
What it involves
The permanent EU card (tarjeta comunitaria permanente) is the stable residence for foreign family members of EU citizens who have lived in Spain continuously for several years with their EU family member card. It gives more security, because it no longer depends so much on your family situation, and in some cases it can be applied for sooner than usual.
Is this your case?
- Your EU family member card is about to expire and you have already been living in Spain for years.
- You have separated from your European partner and want to secure your residence.
- Your European family member has died or left Spain and you don't know what happens to your papers.
- You have spent periods in your home country and are worried that this will count against you.
How we help
We go over your residence history with you: your previous cards, your padrón registration and your trips out of Spain. With that, we check whether you can already apply for the permanent card or whether it is better to renew your EU family member card first. We prepare the application, go with you to the appointment and, if there is a refusal, we look at an appeal. We can help you in Spanish, Arabic, Tamazight, French and English, at our offices in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Málaga and Barcelona or online, wherever you are in Spain.
If you are not the family member of a European citizen, look at long-term residence; and when the time comes, we help you with Spanish nationality.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between the permanent EU card and long-term residence?
- The permanent card is for family members of EU citizens; long-term residence is for foreign nationals under the general regime. Both give stable residence, but they are applied for through different routes and with different documents.
- What if I have spent periods outside Spain?
- It depends on how long and why. Some absences do not break the continuity of your residence and others do. We review your departures and entries before submitting the application.
- I have divorced my European partner. Can I still apply for the permanent card?
- In some cases, yes, especially if you had already been living in Spain for some time or if there are special circumstances. We study your situation to see whether you keep that right.
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Tell us about your case.
A first conversation — confidential and without obligation — to understand whether we can help, and how.
We speak Spanish, Arabic, Tamazight (Berber), French and English.