Question
I am hoping to move with my partner who is an EU citizen. We are hoping to apply for the Pareja de Hecho. Does anyone know if there is a cohabitation requirement of 1 year required in Andalucía?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“It is not really a requirement to have lived together prior to becoming a Pareja de Hecho. However, some immigration offices in Andalucía require you to prove that you have been living together for at least one year prior to becoming a Pareja de Hecho. Therefore, my recommendation is to ask the Immigration Office in the area where you plan to apply.”
“You don’t ‘apply for pareja de hecho’. Depending on context you either are PdH or you choose to enact a formal PdH (essentially a civil union) before a notary. The immigration procedure is best referred to as EX19, that being the form you’ll use as the family member of an EU citizen.
If you chose the de facto option, then that’s where the 12 month requirement arises, but note that it does not need to have been in Spain. You’ll need evidence of your cohabitation, and they do love a joint bank account. You should also register as a couple on the padron.”
Conclusion
The discussions reveal that while a formal cohabitation period is not strictly necessary before establishing a pareja de hecho in Spain, some regional immigration offices may require proof of at least one year of cohabitation.
This requirement can be satisfied with evidence of living together abroad. The process involves more than just applying; it requires formal registration, possibly in front of a notary, and can involve different documentation such as the EX19 form for non-EU family members of EU citizens.
