Empadronamiento in Spain: A Complete Guide for New Residents

Table of Contents

Description

What is it?

An empadronamiento is the registration of a resident’s personal data in the Padron Municipal de Habitantes, compulsory for anyone planning to stay in Spain for more than six months. It helps Spanish authorities maintain control over the population for matters such as taxes, voting, and access to healthcare and other public services.

Who needs it?

Anyone who plans on living in Spain for more than six months. If you want to do any official activity in Spain such as buying a car, enrolling your child in school, or applying for residency, you must be registered.

Procedure

  1. Find the closest Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) to your place.
  2. Reserve an appointment online or by phone (010 if calling from Barcelona, 31 (0) 93 256 10 10 if calling from outside Barcelona).
  3. Attend the appointment with all the necessary documents.
  4. You’ll receive an empadronamiento certificate as proof of registration.

Required Documents

Here are the required documents depending on different scenarios:

  • If you have a rental agreement: lease or sublease contract, passport or national document identity.
  • If you stay with a friend or family: Hosting statement, document identity of the host, and passport or national identity document.
  • If you are neither renting nor staying with a friend: a statement of declaration, registration form, and passport or national identity document.

Providers that can do it for you

(We are currently curating the best providers. If you are or know a provider, please contact us or edit the page directly)

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Additional details

Remember, the empadronamiento process must be done in person and is free of cost. While no official deadline is given, it is recommended that you do this as soon as you arrive to avoid any potential issues. It should also be done before applying for TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero), as you’ll need to provide your empadronamiento.

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