Spain dependent visa
Spain does not have a single "dependent visa" in the way some countries do. The route that lets an Indian join a family member already settled in Spain is family reunification (reagrupacion familiar). It works in two stages. First, the relative in Spain, the sponsor, applies to the Government Delegation or Sub-delegation where they live for an initial family-reunification authorisation. Only once that authorisation is granted can you, in India, apply for the matching national long-stay (type D) visa at the Spanish consulate through its visa centre. There is no shortcut and no standalone route: the whole application hangs on the sponsor's legal status in Spain, and the final call rests with the Spanish authorities.
In practice this means the sponsor must be a non-EU national lawfully resident in Spain, and each family member files their own visa application. The sponsor first proves in Spain that they have stable income and adequate housing (an official housing-adequacy report), which is assessed there, not in India. After the reunification permit comes through, you have a limited window, of up to two months from the notification, to apply for the D visa at the BLS Spain Visa Application Centre in your consular jurisdiction, lodging the file in person with a prior appointment. The entry visa lets you travel to Spain; within a month of arriving you register for the TIE residence card, whose validity is tied to the sponsor's permit.
Who this visa is for
- ✓The sponsor must be a non-EU national legally resident in Spain, generally after at least one year of residence and holding an authorisation renewed at least once (family of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens follow a separate regime).
- ✓Spouse over 18 and not separated in fact or in law, or a partner in a registered or comparable stable relationship, one spouse or partner only.
- ✓Children under 18 of the sponsor or the sponsor's spouse/partner, including adopted children and minors under the sponsor's legal guardianship; adult children only in defined cases where they are dependent and have not formed their own family unit.
- ✓Dependent parents (ascendants) of the sponsor or spouse who are over 65 and in the sponsor's care, or younger only in exceptional humanitarian circumstances.
- ✓The sponsor must demonstrate sufficient, stable income to support the family and adequate accommodation, evidenced by an official housing-adequacy report obtained in Spain.
- ✓The applicant should normally have resided within the relevant consular district in India for the period required by the visa centre.
Visa options for Spain
Family reunification, general regime (regimen general)
The main route: joining a non-EU sponsor who holds a work, study or residence permit in Spain. The sponsor first secures the reunification authorisation in Spain; you then apply for the D visa in India. Covers spouse/partner, minor children and, in defined cases, dependent parents.
Family of a highly qualified professional or researcher (Ley 14/2013)
Where the sponsor holds a permit under the Entrepreneurs' Law (Ley 14/2013) as a highly qualified professional, researcher or similar, the file is handled by the Large Companies and Strategic Groups Unit (UGE-CE). Spouse, dependent children and dependent ascendants can be included in a joint application and arrive together, on a faster track than the general regime.
Family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen (regimen comunitario)
A separate, lighter regime for those joining an EU/EEA/Swiss family member exercising free movement in Spain. Handled through a different BLS checklist and not the general reunification route above, mentioned here so applicants file under the correct category.
Documents typically required
- ✓Completed and signed national (type D) visa application form, one per applicant.
- ✓Recent passport-size colour photograph against a light background, facing forward and without dark glasses.
- ✓Passport valid for at least 12 months with two blank pages and not issued more than 10 years ago, plus a photocopy of the bio-data page.
- ✓Original and a copy of the initial family-reunification permit granted by the Government Delegation or Sub-delegation in Spain.
- ✓Certified copy of the sponsor's valid Foreigner Identity Card (TIE).
- ✓Proof of relationship, marriage or registered-partnership certificate or birth certificate, issued within the last 3 months, apostilled and translated into Spanish.
- ✓Police Clearance Certificate for applicants of legal age, issued within the last 6 months and covering countries of residence over the previous 5 years.
- ✓Medical certificate confirming the applicant has no disease with public-health implications under the 2005 International Health Regulations.
- ✓Proof of residence in the consular district, such as a recent lease, utility bill or address proof under 6 months old.
- ✓For a minor applicant, consent of the parents or guardian and identity documents of the legal representative.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
You apply in India through BLS International, the official partner of the Embassy of Spain and the Consulate General of Spain. The Embassy in New Delhi handles applicants from northern and eastern India (and Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives), while the Consulate General in Mumbai covers southern and western India, so file at the BLS centre for your jurisdiction, which is set by where you have lived for the past six months. Book an appointment on the BLS portal, then lodge the application in person, where the centre collects your form, documents, photograph and biometric details. Foreign-issued documents must be apostilled and accompanied by official Spanish translations, and you must apply within two months of the sponsor's reunification permit being granted in Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests solely with the relevant immigration authority, and no one can honestly guarantee a visa. What we can promise is a frank reading of your case and the strongest, best-documented application we can build around it. Over the last 2-3 years, the applications we have handled have carried a 97% success rate.
Can a reunited family member work in Spain?
Yes. Under Spain's current immigration regulation (Royal Decree 1155/2024, in force since 20 May 2025), reunited family members aged 16 and over receive work authorisation with their residence card, for both employment and self-employment, without a separate work-permit application.
Is there an income or housing requirement, and who has to meet it?
Yes, but it is checked on the sponsor in Spain, not on you in India. Before the reunification permit is issued, the sponsor must show sufficient, stable income to support the family and pass an official housing-adequacy report confirming the home is suitable for the number of people. The exact figures are set by Spanish rules and are assessed at that stage.
Can our children study in Spain once they arrive?
Yes. Reunited minor children hold residence and can enrol in school like any resident child; schooling is a right for minors in Spain. Older dependent children on the permit may continue into further study as well.