Family members of EU/EEA citizens or Swiss citizens

The following persons are defined in Article 2(2) of the Directive as ‘core’ family members:

the spouse;
the partner with whom the EU citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of any Member State, if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnership as equivalent to marriage;
the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependant as well as those of the spouse or partner as defined above; or
the dependant direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner as defined above.
In order to maintain the unity of the family in a broad sense, Member States may extend the facilitations to so-called ‘extended’ family members, see Commission Communication COM (2009) 313 final .
The following persons are defined in Article 3(2) of the Directive as ‘extended’ family members:
any other (i.e. those not falling under Article 2(2) of the Directive) family members who are:
•    dependants;
•    members of the household of the EU citizen; or
•    where serious health grounds strictly require the personal care by the EU citizen; or
•    the partner with whom the EU citizen has a durable relationship, duly attested.