Bringing Children Born Abroad to Spain: The Residency Checklist

Do not confuse accompanying children, EU family members and non-EU family reunification.

Start by classifying the parent and child

A child born in Cuba, Venezuela or the United States may arrive in Spain with a Spanish parent, a non-Spanish EU parent, a legally resident non-EU parent or a parent who is not yet resident. Those are different immigration pathways. A Spanish parent may bring the child under family-of-Spaniard rules if the child is not already Spanish. Another EU citizen may use the EU family route. A child of a third-country resident may follow other rules, including the requirements in the Ministry’s Hoja 42.

What Hoja 42 says about children already in Spain

For certain non-EU foreign children who were not born in Spain and are accompanied by a resident foreign parent, the 2025 Ministry information includes two years of continuous stay in Spain, school enrollment where applicable, support/accommodation evidence and parental consent or custody documentation. Form EX-25 is used in the specified accompanying-minor route. These requirements do not automatically apply to every child married into a Spanish or EU family.

Custody, schooling and documentation

Plan for a full birth certificate, passport, parental marriage or custody order when relevant, required permission from the other parent, sworn translation and apostille/legalization of foreign public documents. If a parent is divorced or another guardian holds rights, resolve the child’s authorization to relocate before booking travel. A school enrollment certificate can matter for school-age children under some residence categories.

Do not let the tourist clock dictate a bad filing

Entry as a tourist does not guarantee that a minor can change into every type of residence inside Spain. Confirm the proper visa or inside-Spain procedure for the parent’s exact status before relocating. A child’s padrón, school placement or public healthcare access can support daily life but should not be mistaken for an approved residence authorization.

What to do next, in order

1. 01

   Identify parent citizenship/residency and child nationality.

2. 02

   Choose the correct EX-24, EX-19 or EX-25 route when applicable.

3. 03

   Collect child birth, custody and other-parent consent documents.

4. 04

   Authenticate and translate documents as required.

5. 05

   Keep visas, TIE, school and travel records organized.

• Ministry: children born outside Spain ↗
• Ministry: family of Spanish national ↗
• Ministry: family of EU national ↗

Information current to November 12, 2026. Government procedures can change, and individual cases vary. This guide is general education, not personalized legal advice.