EU Resident Card and Non-EU Family Member
Are you now an European citizen? One of your most valued rights is the right to live in Europe with your parents. Once they have entered the European Country, even without a visa, your parents are entitled to live with you because you are an European citizen in a European Country.
Which are the rights steps? Please consider that the situation change for each particular country, however there are few principles valid for all the Countries in Europe as they stands as general requirements.
1) First of all, the documentation proving the blood relationship would need to be registered with the authority of the European Country you live in. On the certificate, the family member that want to join you, need to be mentioned on it with the full names. Contact the Consulate of the state in which you were born and request them to make a statement that you are related, with the full name and birth date of each person.
2) During their first 3 months in your host country, your family members who are not EU nationals cannot be required to apply for a residence card confirming their right to live there - although in some countries they may have to report their presence upon arrival. After 3 months in your host country, your non-EU family members must register their residence with the relevant authorities (often the town hall or local police station). Check if there is the need for a Visa for the Family Member, before entering the European Country. This also if you buy more stops flight. It is a situation that must be valued. Usually, in most of the EU countries, if the European Citizen travel with the family members, they don’t need a visa to enter. If they travel without they must need. It depends also from the country of provenience.
3) Once arrived, just apply for a residence card directly to the Authority. With a residence card, your family member will be able to work, study and has a right to the national Health Care Insurance.
- To obtain a residence card, they will need:
- a valid passport
- your registration certificate as an EU national or any other proof of your residence in the country
- proof of the family relationship with you (such as a marriage or birth certificate)
- for grand)children, proof they are under 21 or dependent on you
- for (grand)parents, proof that they are dependent on you
- for other family members, proof that they are dependent on you or there are serious health ground requiring you to take personal care of them
- for unmarried partners, proof of a long-term or durable relationship with you
No other documents may be requested.
The authorities should make their decision to issue a residence card or not within 6 months. In any case, your non-EU family members cannot be expelled if their visa expired while their application is being processed.
If their application is rejected, the authorities must give them the decision in writing, stating the grounds for the decision and its implications, and specifying how your relatives/partner can appeal and by when.
If their application is accepted, the residence card will often be issued free of charge.
If fees are charged, they may not be more than those charged to nationals for similar documents, such as identity cards.The document should clearly state that it is the residence card of an EU national family member.
The residence card should be valid for 5 years (or for your planned length of stay, if shorter).
Any change of address may need to be reported to the authorities.
Your family members may use their residence card to travel to another EU country but if they want to move to another EU country, they have to apply for another residence card in the new host country.
And as long as they are dependent on you, you have to move with them.
In many countries, your family members will need to carry their residence card and passport at all times.
If they leave them at home, they may be fined or temporarily detained but cannot be expelled just for this.
In order to find out more about each singular country regulation, please visit http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/documents-formalities/non-eu-family-members-residence-card/index_en.htm at the section "Choose Country" . This will give you a better view of the requirements for the Country in which you wish to apply.
Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.