# Moving to Spain with non-EU spouse



## ttpost12 (Nov 6, 2015)

We are a married couple - Spanish national and American, living in the US.

We are applying for jobs in Spain, but obviously difficult given economy there and being in US. If one of us does find a job, we have some questions.

In this case, does the Spanish national have to get the job first and then we apply for family reunification visa? 

Or can I, as the American, get the job first and then apply for visa (same visa, just I would be the financial support)?

I have only read about the case of a Spanish national already in Spain, with a job, and the non-EU spouse joining.

Can we process the visa in advance from the embassy?

Thanks!


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

ttpost12 said:


> We are a married couple - Spanish national and American, living in the US.
> 
> We are applying for jobs in Spain, but obviously difficult given economy there and being in US. If one of us does find a job, we have some questions.
> 
> ...


The Spanish national has to get the job first. The non-EU family member wouldn't apply for a family reunification _visa_, by the way. Given that you are American you can come to Spain without a visa for 90 days. Then once here you apply for _residency_ as a family member of an EU national. You have to demonstrate that the EU national has the abililty to financially support you - thus the need for a job. Either that, or lots of money in the bank.


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## ttpost12 (Nov 6, 2015)

Thanks. 

What is the approximate salary required for financial support? Do most full time jobs fulfill this requirement? Obviously depends on location since salaries and cost of living vary widely.


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## Elyles (Aug 30, 2012)

All wrong. There is a situation called Familiar Cidudano de la Unión that refers to a non EU spouse of an EU citizen. NO Visa is needed for the US citizen and they have the same privileges of employment as any EU citizen. The US citizen must apply for residency within 90 days. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row with Aposhillas of Marriage license, bank accounts and health insurance completed recently. You may be covered on your wife's State healthcare. You can find a person who can do all this on line for you here in Spain. Also, you will need a certificate from the US Consulate here stating that your household belongings you bring in to set up residence are all (efectos personales) to get your stuff through customs. My wife has dual citizenship with Germany and the US and I had to go through this. Just make sure you don't piss her off because your residency depends on her. The fact that she is a Spanish citizen may void all this and make it easier. And, finding work here is extremely difficult. You might want to contact the US Consulate in Madrid or Barcelona for more direct info instead of on here. They are fabulous in regards to services for US citizens.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Elyles said:


> All wrong. There is a situation called Familiar Cidudano de la Unión that refers to a non EU spouse of an EU citizen. NO Visa is needed for the US citizen and they have the same privileges of employment as any EU citizen. The US citizen must apply for residency within 90 days. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row with Aposhillas of Marriage license, bank accounts and health insurance completed recently. You may be covered on your wife's State healthcare. You can find a person who can do all this on line for you here in Spain. Also, you will need a certificate from the US Consulate here stating that your household belongings you bring in to set up residence are all (efectos personales) to get your stuff through customs. My wife has dual citizenship with Germany and the US and I had to go through this. Just make sure you don't piss her off because your residency depends on her. The fact that she is a Spanish citizen may void all this and make it easier. And, finding work here is extremely difficult. You might want to contact the US Consulate in Madrid or Barcelona for more direct info instead of on here. They are fabulous in regards to services for US citizens.


It doesn't matter one iota if the spouse is Spanish. They requirements are the same.

As for your question about how much money is enough to satisfy the financial requirement, I'm afraid you won't find a definitive answer to that. The law simply says the income has to be enough not to cause hardship, and every extranjeria office sets its own criteria, which can change according to the day of the week and the color of the sunset that day. I'd say a reasonable guideline might be the same amount they often ask of EU nationals immigrating to Spain - approximately 600€/per family member/month (that's take-home pay), and sometimes another 6,000€/per family member in the bank. Unfortunately not all jobs now-a-days pay that amount of money.


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