Are you about to apply for the residency card as a family member of an EU citizen in Spain and you would like to do it successfully? Then keep on reading! In this post we are about to dive deep into one of the keys to obtaining this permit: the economic means of the family member visa. We will see how to demonstrate them effectively according to the exact situation in which you find yourself, and debunk myths to make your process easier.
How to demonstrate the economic means to apply for the community card
If you are going to apply for the family member visa, either because you are married to a Spanish or European citizen, have formalized the union through a civil partnership, or you are going to request it for your children or ascendants; one of the most important requirements is to demonstrate that you have sufficient economic means.
That is to say, the Spanish or EU citizen (who will grant the right of residence to the non-EU citizen), must demonstrate that she has enough money to support her family member in Spain.
Exactly how to do this will depend on the particular situation in which you find yourself.
In this sense, the EU Regime, the regulation that defines the requirements for this visa, does not impose any fixed amount that the applicant must possess (although we will see there is just one case in which it does), but it determines that the personal situation of each citizen must be taken into account.
Thus, there are 4 different cases in which the European/Spanish citizen can find herself, each with their respective methods to demonstrate the possession of sufficient funds for the procedure.
You will simply have to meet the requirements of the case in which you find yourself, which we analyze below.
But, before, in order to discover the complete list of requirements for this type of residency (such as the characteristics of the medical insurance, how to prove the relationship, etc.), you can access this article.
To be working as an employee
The fact that the EU citizen is working in Spain as an employee (for a company) with an employment contract will be sufficient reason to justify the existence of economic means.
It is not necessary to demonstrate that this contract has existed for a minimum duration nor that she has been working for X period of time.
Nor is there a minimum salary that the EU citizen must receive on a monthly/annual basis to meet these requirements.
She must simply be registered with Social Security as a worker, and that would be sufficient cause to validate that she has sufficient economic means.
It is important to consider this point in contrast to what happens in the case of the family reunification process since for this last procedure, regulated by the general and not the EU regime, a minimum duration and salary in the contract are required.
But in the case of the community card, this requirement is much simpler.
And, as we commented, the document that must be provided to demonstrate the economic means is the employment contract.
Being a self-employed individual
On the other hand, there is the case in which the EU citizen or Spaniard is working, but as a self-employed individual or freelancer (“autónomo” in Spanish).
Again, this alone would also be sufficient proof to justify the existence of economic means, without the need for a minimum level of income generated or time working.
The documents that must be provided to prove the economic means in this second case are:
- The document of registration as self-employed worker in Spain (model 036 or 037)
- The inscription to the Census of Economic Activities (IAE)
- Or, if the European citizen has constituted a company, registration of the same in the Mercantile Registry
The EU citizen is studying
The third case is the one in which the European citizen is not working, but studying.
That is, she is enrolled in an official study center (something that must be demonstrated through the registration issued by the educational institution).
In this case, a declaration must be made in which this student affirms that she will financially support the non-EU relative (the one who will obtain the family member card).
This is known as a declaration of financial support.
Thus, it is not at all necessary to provide extra financial means: neither an employment contract, bank statements, nor any other similar method of proof.
Simply submitting the enrollment certificate verifying that you are a student and the declaration of support will be enough.
Having sufficient funds without studying or working
Finally, we find the fourth case, a situation in which the EU citizen neither studies nor works.
Here you can prove your financial means with any legally valid proof.
For example, if she has sufficient funds in the bank, she can prove it with a bank balance certificate, with title deeds, certified checks, or credit cards with sufficient money.
Or if she receives income from any type of assets, such as pensions, rents, or dividends.
The difference is that in this fourth scenario, it is a requirement that these funds reach a minimum amount, which depends on the size of the family nucleus and the relatives brought to Spain.
That is to say, it will be necessary to demonstrate the possession of €10,029.32 per year to request the community card for a member. And, for each additional member included in the application, an extra €4,000 must be demonstrated.
Economic requirements to renew the community card
It is important to keep in mind that once you get the community card, the need to prove financial means does not end.
That is to say, it is an essential requirement to continue fulfilling this condition during the 5 years of validity of the card in order to keep it.
In addition, once this period is over and you apply for the permanent community card, it will be necessary to prove again the possession of these funds.
Being self-employed or working for a company would be sufficient justification; and, if you are not working, it would also be a valid way to have enough money through any of the ways seen in the fourth case of the previous section.
Remember that if you have any doubts, our immigration lawyers will answer them all and will advise you step by step to guarantee the success of your process.
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