Hi,

I am an Australian citizen who has a defacto Spanish Partner, we have lived together for over a year in England and Spain. My partner has been diagnosed with a bad cancer and I have had to return home to Australia due to finishing off 3 months Schengen tourist visa in Spain and also the finishing of my England visa just after.

Australian law has a defacto or fiance visas or residency allowances however I have noticed that Spain does not?? Due to his illness he is undergoing intensive chemo and radio treatment in Spain and cannot travel here and is not in a position that we can currently get married for me to acquire a resedencia de familiar.

1) Is there a law to allow me to stay in Spain longer than the 3 month limit that im not aware of If we can prove defacto status or get engaged or does anyone know of another way I can stay in the country without having to come back to Australia again to acquire work or student visas? (I do not have the money to study and no job offer to work as yet).

2) If I did have to come back and get a student visa, another question i cant find an answer too is does the visa INCLUDE the 3 month schengan tourist visa allowance??? ie. can I enter Spain on the 1st May after having been granted a student visa from Australia starting on 30th July, or does the visa have to start from the 1st May when entering?

3) Last question - If I get work sponsorship for 1 year, and the company fires me before that year ends does the work visa get canceled or can I find another job without having to leave spain on the same work visa if I have the residency card?

Sorry for all the different questions but Im exploring whatever options I have knowledge of, Any help would much be appreciated as I am very eger to urgently get back and stay in Spain until my partner is well enough to travel to Australia. This is going to be another year away yet.

thanks all I hope someone can help.