Like in Ucraine, in Spain there is the institution of registration. Everyone who lives in the territory of the Spanish kingdom must be registered at their place of residence. The only exceptions are foreign citizens who come to Spain on short-line visas for holidays, treatment and other matters that do not require permanent residence in Spain.
Registration in Spain is registration at the place of residence, a necessary formality that allows local authorities to keep records of the population.
Why do foreign citizens need registration in Spain?
Providing registration information is necessary when preparing many documents, including:
- when applying for a Spanish residence and work permit;
- when applying for citizenship
- to enroll children in schools
- for exchanging driver’s licenses and car registration;
- to receive some social subsidies (depending on the region), etc.
Previously, having a residence permit also gave the right to free medical care, but the economic crisis has made its own adjustments, and currently the right of foreigners to free services in public clinics is limited. Current legislation guarantees free medical care only in three cases:
- when calling an ambulance;
- children under 18 years of age;
- for pregnant women for management of pregnancy and childbirth
An exception may be made at the regional level, so this issue should be clarified in each specific city.
Where to register in Spain and what documents need to be provided
Registration is issued at the mayor’s office of the city where you live. In order to register, you must fill out an application and also provide documents confirming ownership of real estate in Spain or its lease agreement.
If you are going to live with friends, then the application for registration must be signed by the owner of the house or apartment, because without his consent you cannot be registered. Registration in Spain in no case gives the right to claim part of the real estate. Your friend or acquaintance can write you out at any time if they deem it necessary.
Registration of children in Spain
Minor children can only be registered in the presence of one of the parents or legal guardian. A mandatory condition is the presence of a birth certificate. If the birth certificate is issued in a foreign language, it must be translated into Spanish and the translation must be duly certified (consular certification or translation by a sworn translator).
If the child will live on school grounds, he is registered at the school address. In this case, the legal guardian is the director of the school or dormitory.
Is it possible to register in Spain without documents?
It’s not just possible, but necessary. For foreign citizens, registration serves as official confirmation of the period of residence in Spain, which is important for obtaining Spanish citizenship or regulating your situation if you are living in the country illegally.
When registering, local authorities do not require confirmation of the legality of your residence and do not report your data to the migration authorities. Therefore, if you find yourself in an illegal situation (unfortunately, the realities of life are such that quite often, after the expiration of a tourist visa, people remain in Spain in search of a “better life”), registration will in no way harm you and will even help you. In accordance with Spanish law, after 3 years of continuous (this is important!) residence in the country, you have the right to apply for a residence permit in Spain.
Extension of registration in Spain
Many cities in Spain, primarily large cities (for example, Barcelona and Valencia) require foreign citizens to renew their registration every 2 years. The city administration will send a notification to your address. To renew your registration, you must personally appear at the mayor’s office and present documents on the ownership of the apartment or house where you are registered, or a lease agreement.
If you do not show up on time, you may be discharged. Discharge does not occur automatically after the designated period has passed. As a rule, they are discharged only after a couple of months. Once you provide the documents, your registration will be restored, but you will lose your proof of continuous residence in Spain.
How to change your registration in Spain
If you have moved, you must register in your new place. To do this, you must submit an application for registration to the mayor’s office at your new address. There is no need to notify the mayor’s office at the old address; this issue is resolved by the authorities independently.
Certificate of registration
If you need to provide information about your registration, you must obtain a certificate of registration from the local administration. This certificate is called Certificado de empadronamiento. As a rule, it is provided free of charge, but sometimes a nominal fee is charged. This certificate is valid for 90 days. You can request a certificate indicating all registered persons or just you. The certificate is issued immediately after the request.
Features of registration in Barcelona
As of December 1, 2015, changes were made to the rules for registering citizens at their place of residence for the city of Barcelona and the province of Barcelona. Now all citizens who want to contact the Barcelona City Hall regarding registration issues will have to make an appointment in advance. Registration can be made by calling 010 or online at ajuntament.barcelona.cat/cita.
Required documents:
- passport or NIE or DAYS card;
- documents confirming the ownership of the apartment: purchase and sale agreement, extract from the property register (note simple) or a valid lease contract;
- confirmation of the last rent payment;
- authorization from all owners or tenants of the apartment specified in the contract, filled out separately for each applicant (the authorization form can be downloaded here);
- photocopies of an identity document of each owner or tenant of the apartment;
- for minor children: passport or NIE card, if you have a libro de familia and a Spanish birth certificate;
If a minor child is registered in the presence of only one of the parents, then written permission from the other parent is required. If a child is registered by a third party, written permission from both parents is required. Such permission is not required from the other parent only if the parents are divorced and full custody is given to one of the parents.
If it is necessary to register a person without his presence, the tenant or owner of the apartment must appear in person at the mayor’s office and bring the following documents:
- passport or NIE or DAYS card;
- documents confirming the ownership of the apartment: purchase and sale agreement, extract from the property register (note simple) or a valid lease contract;
- confirmation of the last rent payment;
- authorization from all owners or tenants of the apartment specified in the contract, filled out separately for each applicant (the authorization form can be downloaded here);
- photocopies of identification documents from all owners or tenants of the apartment;
- photocopy of the passport or NIE card of the person who needs to be registered;
- authorization completed and signed by the person who will need to be registered (the authorization form can be downloaded here).