partner visa for spain

anooshka · #1 (**permalink**) 12th January 2009, 05:40 PM

Hello.
I am planning to move to spain in 2009 with my boyfriend who is a European Union citizen. However I am not a European citizen and hold an American passpot and want to know if something like a partner visa exists in Spain even if we are not legally married so that I would be able to work in Spain as well?

SteveHall · #2 (**permalink**) 12th January 2009, 06:08 PM

Simple answer ...no ...sorry

You will need to go through "the process" - see Spain Government site in USA
Good news is that 100% easier than Norwegian going to live in USA! ( I know that one!)

Liv · #3 (**permalink**) 13th January 2009, 04:49 PM

no.......
Spain is the country of fast track relationships!
I am from Australia and had your same problem at the beginning of last year. After spending months thoroughly looking into all our options we got married last November.

anooshka · #4 (**permalink**) 14th January 2009, 10:58 PM

Thank you so much for your replies. I was hoping that un equivalent of French PACS (paxing) -where govt acknowledges legal partnership after one year if the couple provides all necessary paperwork - also existed in Spain as well. I suppose being engaged doesn't mean legal partnership either in Spain ??? So is marriage my only option to get a visa to live and work in Spain?

Liv · #5 (**permalink**) 15th January 2009, 09:23 AM

I’ve also been told there is something called the "Pareja de hecho" (defacto status). You go to the townhall, prove that you both live together (you get registered at the same address as him) sign a declaration that you are a couple, show your passport and the certificate of no impediment to marriage then they call you to tell you when to go sign the document. After you have this for 3 months you can apply for a residency card, which apparently allows you to live and work in Spain.
I’ve been told different things about this, like your partner has to prove he can financially support you … that it’s not internationally recognized etc. So you might want to speak to an immigration lawyer and find out the real story.

Be ready though as Spain has the most painful and slow bureaucracy ever, and information seems to always be conflicting.

You can also get a student visa if you enroll in a course of more than 3 months but you can only get the visa from your country. You enroll in a course and they give you a letter confirming your enrollment which you take to the Spanish Embassy in your country to get the visa. I girl in my Spanish class has just done this (she’s in the same position), it’s very straight forward but very expensive.

Good Luck!!

SteveHall · #6 (**permalink**) 15th January 2009, 09:34 AM

"Pareja de hecho". Yes, it does exist but I have never, ever heard that being available to get an ENTRY visa for a non Spaniard to bring in a non EC and this was the original question,

Another issue is that many councils will NOT allow sin papeles to register on the padrón and without an entry visa you are in effect sin papeles. Wthout a right of abode there is no chance of legal employment. Mind you with the work situation as it is, what chance of work is there anyway?

As I say, you should get specialist advice from the Spanish Embassy in your country and ensure that they are aware that your partner is a NON-Spaniard.

Liv · #7 (**permalink**) 15th January 2009, 10:06 AM

Barcelona and Madrid allow you to register on the Padron even with an expired 90 tourist visa. I'm not sure about other`areas.
Steve is right, the best thing to do is go to the Spanish Embassy in your country and they will give you a list of options (well about 3 anyway).

SteveHall · #8 (**permalink**) 15th January 2009, 11:29 AM

Barcelona and Madrid allow you to register on the Padron even with an expired 90 tourist visa. I'm not sure about other`areas.

**As FACTS Torrevijea, Rojales and Orihuela don't!
Absolutely amazed that the municipalities are allowed to get away with it. It's only to get more funds from regional and national government!!

Liv · #9 (**permalink**) 15th January 2009, 01:21 PM

Sorry Anooshka this is going of on a tangent....but

Yes I found it strange too (coming from Australia) that even when your illegally in Spain your allowed to register on the Padron.
In my recent experience the Spanish authorities never check your visa status. My visa expired 6 months ago and I am still waiting on my residency card.
In this time I have got married (including registering for my Padron)and I have left and reentered the country (been to and from Australia). During all this time and all these visits to official offices no one has check or even asked about my visa status.

Working on the other hand is a different story.

anooshka · #10 (**permalink**) 18th January 2009, 07:23 PM

Hi Steve and Liv
You are both wealth of infomation! Thank you so so much for all the advice.
I am going to go to the Spain Embassy in Paris - where I live currently - to get more information. But so that I can ask the right questions to them - what is "registering on the Padron" mean? What is Padron?
My boyfriend is French and I am going to look into the fact if Pareja de Hecho applies to a non-Spaniard. Will keep you posted

Anooshka