i only have australian passport. i am in spain and want to stay longer. my girlfriend of 6 years is here aswell and she has work. what is the easiest way for me to stay here and possibly work aswell
1 Answer
Depending on the nature of your relationship, you may qualify as your girlfriend's "family member" for the purpose of EU freedom of movement rights. That means that you also enjoy freedom of movement rights. Significantly,
Family members do not need a work permit to work, even if they are non-EU nationals.
(Source: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=463&langId=en)
The question is whether yours is a "durable relationship" (see https://eumovement.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/other-family-members-who-are-beneficiaries/ for a discussion). As you have been together for six years, it seems likely that you would be able to prove that this is true.
Important:
Other questions you asked imply that you are a dual national, that is, that you also hold a UK passport. If that is the case, then none of this applies to you, since you enjoy freedom of movement in your own right.
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I don't think the last sentence is quite accurate. My understanding would be that the freedom of movement in your own right is in addition to rather than instead of freedom of movement under family reunion rules. (Same source as your first quote). So whereas freedom of movement in your own right requires you to work or have independent income, freedom of movement as a partner allows you to rely on your partner's income. Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 17:26
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@PeterTaylor that is certainly a more precise way of putting it. But for an EU partner, the burden of proof for an unregistered partnership ought to be lower: all they really have to show is that the employed one will be supporting the other. More practically, an EU partner is not required to get a residence document, while an EU partner is.– phoogCommented Jan 23, 2016 at 22:25