Many non-EU workers in the EU can bring their spouse and children to live with them, but the rules depend on the permit they hold and the country they live in. Under the general rules in Directive 2003/86/EC, a sponsor usually needs a residence permit valid for at least one year and reasonable prospects of permanent residence, and a member state may require the sponsor to have lived there lawfully for up to two years before the family joins. Authorities may ask for evidence of accommodation, sickness insurance and stable resources, and must decide within nine months. Holders of an EU Blue Card or an intra-corporate transfer permit benefit from faster and more favourable rules, while seasonal workers are generally outside the directive. This guide explains the rules and how to prepare. All information was checked on 11 November 2026.

The general EU rules

Where they come from

Directive 2003/86/EC on the right to family reunification sets the conditions under which non-EU nationals living lawfully in the EU can bring family members from outside the EU (EUR-Lex). Each member state applies it through national law, and Denmark and Ireland are not bound by it. National rules can be more generous than the directive.

Who can be a sponsor

The directive identifies two conditions for being a sponsor: holding a residence permit valid for at least one year, and having reasonable prospects of obtaining permanent residence. The Commission's guidance on the directive uses the example of a seasonal worker with a permit valid for nine months: because the permit is not valid for at least one year, the directive does not apply.

A possible waiting period

The European Parliament's summary of the directive explains that member states may require the sponsor to have stayed lawfully in their territory for a period not exceeding two years before the family members join (European Parliament legislative summary). Some countries use this option and others do not.

Which family members are covered

The directive guarantees reunification for the core family: the sponsor's spouse and the minor unmarried children of the sponsor and spouse, including adopted children, subject to the conditions (EUR-Lex). Member states may choose to admit other relatives, such as dependent parents or an unmarried partner, under their national law. Check the national rules if your family includes relatives beyond the core family.

Conditions you may need to meet

When an application is made, member states may require the sponsor to show (EUR-Lex):

• accommodation regarded as normal for a comparable family in the same region, meeting health and safety standards;
• sickness insurance covering the sponsor and the family members;
• stable and regular resources sufficient to maintain the family without recourse to social assistance.

Member states may also require family members to comply with integration measures under national law. The exact evidence, such as rental contracts, payslips or insurance certificates, is set by the national authority.

The procedure and timing

The application is normally made either by the sponsor in the member state or by the family member from abroad, depending on national law. The authority must give written notification of its decision as soon as possible and no later than nine months from the date the application was lodged, extendable only in exceptional circumstances linked to the complexity of the case (EUR-Lex).

In Poland, for example, if the family member is outside Poland, the application for a temporary residence permit for family reunification is made by the foreigner living in Poland, and the MOS portal publishes a checklist for the procedure (MOS portal). See our guide on applying for a Polish residence permit online.

Faster routes for some permits

EU Blue Card holders

The EU Immigration Portal states that the EU Blue Card offers more favourable conditions for family reunification and access to work for spouses (EU Immigration Portal). In practice, Blue Card holders are not subject to the general waiting period, and family members' applications can be dealt with alongside the main application. See how the EU Blue Card works across Europe.

Intra-corporate transferees

ICT permit holders also have family reunification rights. Cyprus, for example, grants family members a permit with the same validity as the sponsor's permit (EU Immigration Portal), and Portugal lists family reunification among the rights of ICT holders (EU Immigration Portal). See intra-corporate transfer permits in Europe.

Seasonal workers

Seasonal permits are short and generally do not meet the one-year condition of the directive. Seasonal workers who want to live with their families in the EU usually need a different, longer permit first. See seasonal work permits in Europe compared.

Comparison table

Preparing an application

1. Check your own status. Is your permit valid for at least a year, and does your country apply a waiting period?
2. Check who counts as family. Confirm which relatives the national rules cover.
3. Gather civil documents. Marriage and birth certificates, with legalisation or apostille and translations where required.
4. Prepare evidence of resources. Contracts, payslips and bank statements showing stable income.
5. Arrange accommodation. A rental contract or ownership document for a home suitable for the family.
6. Arrange insurance. Sickness insurance covering every family member.
7. File with the right authority. Follow the national procedure, in the country or at a consulate.

Once your family arrives

Family members usually receive a residence permit linked to yours, often with the same end date. Keep your own permit valid, because problems with your status can affect theirs. If your job ends or your permit changes, check the effect on your family members' permits too. See losing your job on a work permit in Europe.

Whether family members may work depends on the permit and country. Blue Card family members have access to work. Under the general directive, family members are entitled to access employment, although member states may apply conditions in the first year (EUR-Lex). Check the rules before your spouse accepts a job.

Visits before reunification

If your family cannot yet join you, they may be able to visit on a short-stay visa or visa-free, depending on their nationality. Short visits count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, and short-stay visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System at the external border. A visit does not replace reunification, and visitors cannot work. See EES and ETIAS rules for foreign workers.

Where to get official information

• The EU Immigration Portal, run by the European Commission, has a page for each permit type in each member state, with conditions, procedures and links to national authorities (EU Immigration Portal).
• The national immigration authority of the country where you will live publishes the binding procedure, forms and fees.
• The consulate of the country concerned explains how family members apply from abroad.

Where an article, including this one, differs from the national authority's current page, follow the authority's page.

Civil documents: a practical guide

Family reunification applications rely on civil documents such as marriage and birth certificates. Authorities usually require them to be officially recognised for use abroad, through legalisation or an apostille, depending on the countries involved, and translated by a sworn or certified translator. These steps can take weeks. Start them as soon as you know you will apply. Check that names and dates match exactly across all documents and passports, because small differences can lead to requests for clarification.

Evidence of resources and accommodation

Resources

Authorities look for stable and regular resources. A long-term contract, recent payslips and bank statements are typical evidence. If your income has changed recently, or if you have just started a new job, explain this with documents.

Accommodation

The home must be regarded as normal for a family of your size in that region. A rental contract that names you, and shows the size of the property, is usually needed. Workers living in shared or employer-arranged housing often need to find new accommodation before applying.

Insurance

Sickness insurance must cover every family member. In some countries, family members are covered through the worker's public health insurance once they are registered. Ask how this works in your country.

Children and schooling

Children who join you will usually need to be enrolled in school. Check the enrolment process in your area and the documents schools require, such as birth certificates and previous school records, ideally before they arrive.

Your next steps

1. Confirm that your permit qualifies and whether a waiting period applies.
2. Check which family members the national rules cover.
3. Start legalising and translating civil documents.
4. Arrange suitable accommodation and insurance.
5. File the application through the national procedure and keep proof of filing.

Worked examples

A single permit holder with a waiting period

A welder holds a two-year single permit in a country that requires sponsors to have lived there lawfully for a set period before family members join. He checks the length of that period, gathers evidence of his contract, income and a family-sized flat, and applies once he meets the requirement. The authority must decide within nine months, under the general rules.

A Blue Card holder

A data scientist moves to the EU on a Blue Card. Under the more favourable Blue Card rules, her husband and children can apply at the same time as her, and her husband has access to the labour market.

An intra-corporate transferee

A manager on an ICT permit in Cyprus brings his wife and child. They receive family reunification permits with the same validity as his permit, under the Cypriot procedure.

A seasonal worker

A fruit picker holds a seasonal permit for six months. Because the permit is not valid for at least one year, the general family reunification directive does not apply. His family can visit if their nationality and the visa rules allow, but they cannot settle with him on this permit.

Questions to ask before you apply

• Is my permit valid for at least one year, and do I have prospects of permanent residence?
• Does my country apply a waiting period, and have I completed it?
• Which relatives can join me under national rules?
• How much income does the authority expect for a family of my size?
• Is my home large enough to count as normal accommodation for my family?
• Will my spouse be allowed to work, and from when?

If your circumstances change

Family members' permits are usually linked to yours. If you change employer, lose your job, move to another permit type or move to another country, check the effect on your family's permits at the same time as your own. If your income falls, a renewal of your family's permits may be assessed against the resources condition again. Tell the authority about changes as national law requires, and keep your family's documents together with yours so that renewals can be filed together where possible.

Family members and long-term residence

Family members build up their own residence history from the day they arrive. Over time, they may qualify for an autonomous residence permit or for long-term resident status in their own right. Keep their documents and residence records as carefully as your own. See EU long-term resident status for foreign workers.

If you are unsure whether your family qualifies, contact the national immigration authority before you spend money on translations and travel. A short enquiry can save months of delay.

Common mistakes

• Applying before you meet the waiting period your country requires.
• Submitting civil documents without the legalisation or translation required.
• Underestimating the income or accommodation evidence needed.
• Assuming family members can work on the same terms as you.
• Letting your own permit lapse, which can affect your family's status.

For an overview of Polish rules on family members, see our guide on foreign family members in Poland.