Settling down in Spain

Information translated and collected from the consulate of Belgium in Alicante

Overview

Source: www.gov.co.uk

If you are a British citizen or British subject with right of abode in the UK, you do not require a visa to enter Spain. Other British nationals should confirm the current entry requirements with their nearest Spanish Embassy.

A valid British passport must be held for entry to and exit from Spain. There is no minimum passport validity requirement but you should ensure that your passport is valid for the duration of your visit.

Establishment

For a stay of less than 3 months, you simply need to be in possession of you national ID card or your current passport.

Anyone pursuing profesional, social or economical activities, even for a period of less than 3 months, as well as the foreign citizens who have an economical interest in Spain (buying or selling of properties, inheritance,...) need to identifiy themselves (see N.I.E.).

For a establishment (i.e. a stay longer than 3 months) however, you have to fill other administrative formalities (see Citizen of the Union Registration Certificate)

  1. Municipality registration (Certificado de Empadronamiento/ Census Certificate)
  2. The N.I.E Number (Número de Identificación de Extranjero/ Foreigners' Identification Number)
  3. The Citizen of the Union Registration Certificate

Municipality registration (Certificado de Empadronamiento/ Census Certificate)

You will be asked to show your « Certificado de Empadronamiento » in number of occasions, in particular if you want to obtain :

  • your NIE
  • your registration at the consulate

The approach is simple : you directly register at the town hall (ayuntamiento).

The documents to put forward are the following :

  • Form withdrawn at the town hall and to fill
  • Valid passport or ID card of every family member
  • Official family record book.
  • Residence certificate (rental agreement, phone bill, etc.)

Le N.I.E. (Número de Identificación de Extranjero/ Foreigners' Identification Number)

You will be asked your NIE for the following tasks :

  • Opening of a bank account
  • Mobile phone contract
  • Loyalty card requests
  • Registration in a sports club
  • Purchase of a property, etc.

Le NIE is mandatory for

  1. For all foreign residents in Spain. For the residents' process, see part 3.
  2. Anyone pursuing profesional, social or economical activities, even for a period of less than 3 months, as well as the foreign citizens who have an economical interest in Spain (buying or selling of properties, inheritance,...) need to identifiy themselves. You therefore have to fill "Certificado de NIE para trámites de no-residentes" form.

You will receive a white certificate mentioning your name and your personal number. The document has 3 months validity.

The request is to be made at the provincial Oficina de Estranjeros, or at your place of residence police station. The documents to put forward are the following (original documents and copies) :

  • Request form EX-15 previously withdrawn at the desk or downloaded from the Ministerio del Interior website : http://www.interior.gob.es/file/58/58421/58421.pdf and tick under « certificado » : « de no residente ».
  • Valid passport or ID card or a proof of its current renewal.
  • Payment of the tax. The form for the tax will be handed to you at the desk.

You can also make the request through a reliable person on-site who will in this case have to put forward the following documents:

  • The applicant valid passport, or ID card or a certified copy of the passport or ID card (to obtain the country of origin municipality, and not from the consulate)
  • A letter explaining the reasons justifying the NIE request from the appliquant (for example, a lettre from the notary certifying that the appliquant is willing to buy/sale a property in Spain, etc.)

The Citizen of the Union Registration Certificate

Any foreigner living in Spain for a period of more than 3 months must register in the Registro de extranjeros and ask for a Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión  at the Oficina de Extranjería, or i necessary at the police station.

Since January 2012, it is a ID-1 format green card
 (86mm x 54mm, comparable to a credit card format), which mentions the name, the date and place of birth, the nationality, the adress and the personnal NIE number of the holder. You will always have to put it forward together with the valid ID card or passport. It does neaither feature a photo, nor can it be used as an identity or nationality proof (in any cirucmstances).

The request is to be made at the provincial Oficina de Estranjeros, or at your place of residence police station. The documents to put forward are the following (original documents and copies) :

  • Request form EX-15 previously withdrawn at the desk or downloaded from the Ministerio del Interior website : http://www.interior.gob.es/file/58/58421/58421.pdf and tick under « certificado » : « de no residente ».
  • Valid passport or ID card or a proof of its current renewal.
  • Employees : either an employment contract or a declaration from the employer attesting the employee is registered with the social security.
  • Self-employed workers : bring a prrof of his activity as a self-employed worker as well as a proof of his registration with a social security.
  • For anyone without a professional activity (students and pensioners) : proof of health insurance registration, and a proof of sufficient financial resources not to be contingent of the Spainsh social security services. This files are treated on a case-by-case basis.
  • Payment of the tax. The form for the tax will be handed to you at the desk.