Originally Posted by
NickB
Marriage or registered partnership, at least in those member States that recognise the concept. Also to some extent, other forms of established long-term partnership can create some immigration rights, but we are entering the grey zone there.
Furthermore, the relevant pieces of EU legislation are interpreted differently in different member states, it seems. But yes, in principle, marriage (or where relevant a civil partnership) to an EU citizen should enable the non-EU partner to live in an EU country under EU law — except (in most cases) where the country in question is the country of which the EU partner is a citizen, in which case that country's own immigration laws take effect; the main exception to this last point is when the couple have already exercised their EU treaty rights in this regard (i.e. have already lived as a couple in another EU state).
But as I say, even where EU law applies, different countries have different standards of implementation...