I'm hoping you might be able to provide some insights into my dilemma
I am non-EEA citizen (Belarus) married to a UK citizen and we currently live in Australia (on my working visa). I have recently been offered a job in Spain. Since I'm a spouse of an EU citizen, both the Spanish Consulate and HR at the organisation in Spain suggested that we move to Spain and then I apply for the residence card of the family member of the EU citizen. However, looking at the on-line documentation:http://extranjeros.empleo.gob.es/es/Inf ... index.html
... my understanding is that the EU citizen (in this case my wife) needs to be either employed OR self-employed in Spain OR have sufficient funds to support the family for the period of the residency (which, based on my job offer, is 3 years). Since we're moving to Spain together and I'm the primary breadwinner, it's unlikely that she will be able to fulfill the first two conditions. And there is no indication what the 'sufficient funds' might be. Furthermore, it looks like we'll be required to take out a private health insurance.
So that makes me wonder whether I should just apply for a working visa and bring her as my dependant, since I'm the one with the job. Are there any specific pros and cons for either path? Will it have an effect if I decide to apply for a permanent residency or citizenship down the line? I.e. what's got more 'immigration juice', 3 years as a EU citizen spouse or 3 years on a working visa?
Any thoughts and suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks!