Who can apply for Family Reunification?
If you have temporary protection in Spain and want to reunite with your family members who are outside the Schengen territory, you have the right to apply for family reunification.
Which family members can be reunified?
According to Spanish regulations regarding temporary protection, as a beneficiary of temporary protection, you can apply for family reunification of the following family members:
- Spouse or partner
- Children under 18 years of age (First-degree descendants)
Father or mother who were living with the person applying for family reunification and were dependent on them.
How to submit the Family Reunification Request?
The person with temporary protection must submit a written request in Spanish to the Spanish Office of Asylum (“OAR”) requesting Family Reunification for temporary protection. Additionally, it is necessary to attach copies of the following documents:
- Passport and temporary protection document of the person benefiting from temporary protection.
- Information about the relatives for whom family reunification is requested: name, surname, date of birth, nationality, and degree of relationship.
- Documentation proving the relationship: marriage certificates, birth certificates, etc.
- Address and phone number or email address in the country where the relatives are located.
The request is submitted through the Administrative Registry (you can find the nearest office at this link) or through Post Offices, addressing the request to the Subdirectorate General for International Protection, Directorate General for Internal Policy, Ministry of the Interior. It is important to indicate in the subject of the submission that it is a request for family reunification for temporary protection. The office will register your request and return the original to you along with the presentation receipt.
Once the request is evaluated by the Spanish Office of Asylum (“OAR”), the Embassy of Spain in the country where your family members are located will contact them to conduct the necessary documentation checks and provide them with the steps to obtain the visa to travel to Spain, if family reunification is granted.
Although this is a process you can do yourself, we recommend seeking assistance from a specialized lawyer. You can find Bar Associations and specialized organizations offering free legal advice services by clicking here.