What you must satisfy for the EU family member card — the EU citizen's status, the relationship, dependency where relevant, self-sufficiency, and health cover. We help with the insurance part only.
Overview
Eligibility for the tarjeta comunitaria rests on two things: a qualifying EU/EEA/Swiss citizen exercising free-movement rights in Spain, and a qualifying family relationship to them. Beyond that, the conditions depend on the EU citizen’s circumstances and the type of relative. This page summarises the requirements; for the exact rules in your case, consult the authorities or a qualified immigration specialist.
EU citizen
The EU citizen normally needs to be residing in Spain and, depending on circumstances, be a worker, self-employed, a student, or self-sufficient with adequate resources. Their status drives the rest — particularly the healthcare position, because a working EU citizen can often extend public cover to family, while a self-sufficient one usually needs to show private cover.
Relationship
You must prove the qualifying relationship to the EU citizen:
Foreign documents generally need an apostille and sworn translation — see the documents page.
Dependency
For some relatives — particularly parents and adult children — you must show genuine dependency on the EU citizen. Separately, where the EU citizen is in Spain as a self-sufficient person, they must show adequate resources and, usually, comprehensive health cover for the household. Prepare thorough evidence for both where they apply.
Health insurance
Whether a non-EU family member needs private health insurance for the tarjeta comunitaria depends on the EU citizen’s situation. If the EU citizen works in Spain or otherwise has public-healthcare entitlement, the family member may gain access through them; where the EU citizen relies on self-sufficiency, comprehensive private cover is usually expected. Where private cover is needed or helpful, we arrange a suitable Sanitas policy and provide a certificate naming the family member.
See the health insurance page for what the policy must show, or get a quote.
Important information
Tell us the EU citizen's status and we will explain whether private cover is needed and prepare a quote. We help with the health-insurance part of your application. Acceptance and exact policy terms depend on the insurer’s rules; visa decisions rest with the Spanish authorities.
English-speaking Sanitas specialists can help with the health-insurance part of your visa or residency application.
FAQs
Common questions about this Spanish visa route and the health-insurance requirement. Always confirm current rules with the official authorities or a qualified immigration specialist.