Pareja de Hecho registration in Spain — Free guided application
Pareja de Hecho is Spain's civil partnership register. It's not a residency route on its own, but it unlocks Arraigo Familiar, Tarjeta de Familiar UE, and Withdrawal Agreement family applications. Pathway handles the autonomous-community-specific requirements (Valencia, Madrid, Andalucía, Cataluña, etc.).
Who this route is for
- ✓Two adults living together as a couple, not married to each other or anyone else
- ✓Both empadronados at the same Spanish address (typically 6+ months in most regions)
- ✓Both have NIE or DNI
- ✓Want to apply for a family-route residency on the back of registration
Documents you'll need
- •Both passports / DNIs
- •Both padrón certificates (showing same address)
- •Both NIE assignment letters
- •Certificates of no impediment / single status (apostilled + sworn translated for foreign nationals)
- •Birth certificates (apostilled + sworn translated)
- •Regional application form
- •Regional fee (typically €30-€50)
Pathway pre-fills the Regional registration form (Generalitat Valenciana, etc.) and writes the Spanish cover letter — free.
10 minutes. No signup. No upsell. The same document pack a Spanish consultancy charges €350 for.
Start free diagnostic →Frequently asked questions
How long does Pareja de Hecho registration take?+
Depends on the autonomous community. Valencia: 4-8 weeks. Madrid: 6-12 weeks. Andalucía: 8-16 weeks. Cataluña has a notarial route that's faster (1-2 weeks via notary). Pathway recommends the fastest legal route for your region.
Do we need to be empadronados together first?+
Most regions require both partners to be on the padrón at the same address. Valencia and Madrid require 6+ months of joint empadronamiento. Cataluña's notarial route does not require empadronamiento. If you're not yet on the padrón together, register that first and wait the regional minimum period before applying.
Will Pareja de Hecho give me Spanish residency?+
Not directly. Pareja de Hecho is a precondition for several family-based residency routes — Arraigo Familiar, Tarjeta de Familiar UE, Withdrawal Agreement family. Pathway runs the full residency diagnostic and tells you which family route to apply for once registered.
Can two foreign nationals register as Pareja de Hecho in Spain?+
Yes, provided both are legally resident or registered on the padrón. The complication is the certificate of no impediment / single status from your country of origin, which can take 3-6 months to obtain and must be apostilled + sworn translated.