Spanish Residency, NIE & Empadronamiento

NIE (Número de Identidad/Identificación de Extranjero)

The first step to residency is the NIE - Número de Identidad/Identificación de Extranjero or Foreigners identification number. This number is needed for everything from buying a house to opening your own post office box.

It's a fairly straightforward process and one that, if you're buying a house, many estate agents or solicitors will complete for you. It's also possible to do yourself and you can complete and print off a form from the Ministerio del Interior website which then needs to be taken to your nearest Foreigners office which is located either at the local Police station (Comissaria de Policia) or, in larger towns and provincial capitals, there's a dedicated office - Oficina d'Estrangers or Officina de Extranjeros in Spanish.

There are often very long queues at these offices so get there early as, if you're at the back of the queue when closing time comes round (usually between 12 and 1pm), you won't be seen. Also go prepared with all forms completed in full (don't expect any help here, they're too busy) and all relevant documents photocopied at least twice. If you've spent all morning queueing at an Oficina d'Estrangers only to be turned away you won't go unprepared again! The documents you'll need are:

◊ NIE application (photocopied at least twice)

◊ 2 clear passport sized photos on a white background

◊ Passport (photocopied at least twice)

Your NIE will then be sent to you several weeks later. Keep the original in a safe place and write the number down somewhere you can get to it easily as when you first arrive you'll be using it a lot.

You'll also come across a few other acronyms that maybe used as generic terms instead of NIE but have a slightly different context depending on who they apply to.

◊ DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad/Identificación)

This is the same as the NIE but for Spanish/Catalan citizens.

◊ NIF (Número de Identidad/Identificación Fiscal)

This is the tax identification number which is the same as the DNI plus one letter for Spanish/Catalan citizens and the NIE for foreigners.

◊ CIF (Certificado de Identidad/Identificación Fiscal)

The same as the NIF but for SL or SA (Limited or PLC) companies.

Empadronamiento

After you've got your NIE the next step is to apply for an Empadronamiento which is equivalent to being entered on the electoral roll and not only allows you to vote but serves as proof of your residence in a particular municipality and is necessary for many things including buying a car and enrolling your children in the local school. It's also something the local authority are keen for you to do as funding for local services is allocated by central government based on the number of registered inhabitants in a municipality.

The process is the most straightforward of all those listed here providing you have all the relevant documents which are:

◊ NIE or Residencia

◊ Passport

◊ The deeds of your house (Escritura) or your Rental Contract

Take these documents to your Ajuntament (Town Hall, Ayuntamiento in Spanish) and you will be asked to fill out a simple form. The Empadronamiento may be issued on the spot or you may need to return after a few days to pick it up. Also go armed with several photocopies of all these documents as although Ajuntaments are usually more accommodating than Oficina d'Estrangers they may be having a bad day or the photocopier may have packed up. Photocopying comes second only to using the rubber stamp in the list of favourite pastimes for civil servants in Catalunya and Spain.

Residency (Tarjeta de Residencia)

There are two different schools of opinion on the residents permit, the first being that it is no longer a requirement of EU nationals living permanently in Spain or Catalunya to obtain a residents card (Tarjeta de Residencia – Spanish) as a passport is now regarded as holding equal status. The second being that for many foreigners living here or planning to live here permanently it is highly advisable if not essential to get one and, as they are still issued in Spanish Catalunya, why not?

For those living in French Catalunya The Carte de séjour is shrouded in even deeper mystery and opinion as to whether they are even still issued varies wildly even within the government offices that issue them – or don't! We will be dealing with The Carte de séjour in a separate section in the near future so watch this space.

The Tarjeta de Residencia are also a convenient and recognised form of identification that you may find easier to carry around with you than a passport as they are the same size as a credit card. They also help in some circumstances such as opening a residents bank account, which can offer more privileges than a non-resident account, and if you want to get married in Catalunya one partner needs to be able to prove that they have been resident for at least two years. It is also particularly advisable to apply for one if you're retiring here as resident status affects, among other things, health entitlement and your tax status.

However application can be a difficult and time consuming process especially if your Spanish or Catalan isn't good. There are several different classes of residency each with its own application form (Solicitud de Tarjeta en Regimen Comunitario) and set of required documentation depending on whether, among other things, you have employment, are starting a business or are economically inactive - i.e. retired or of independent means.

If you want to go trough the process yourself start by visiting the Foreigners office (Oficina d'Estrangers or Officina de Extranjeros in Spanish) where you applied for your NIE, or the Secretariat of state for Immigration and Emigration website and get hold of the relevant Solicitud de Tarjeta en Regimen Comunitario form for your situation. You can also ask for a current list of documents needed for making an application, which should be available in several languages, and usually includes at least the following:

◊ Original completed and signed application

◊ 4 colour passport photos - make sure they're the correct size, on a white background with no smudges or marks

◊ Passport (with a validity of at least six months)

◊ Proof of address whether title deeds (Escritura) to your property or rental contract

◊ If applicable, work contract (must be for a minimum of 6 months)

◊ Medical form 121, your Spanish social security card or a copy of a private health insurance policy

◊ Proof of income: A certified letter issued by a Spanish bank documenting the regularity of income. This must be accompanied by form 790, which is also available at the police station. Pensioners also need to provide a 'certificado bancario' to prove the amount of their pension and the regularity of payments

◊ The original copy of your Empadronamiento

◊ A certified copy of your 'penales', your criminal record. This is a stamped record of your criminal history, which you must request at your local police authorities in your country of origin.

◊ Certified documents attesting to your marital status

◊ Fees, which must be paid via a bank (you will be given a paying-in slip)

It goes without saying, though we'll say it anyway, that you'll need several photocopies of everything. Once the application process has been fully completed you will receive notification that your card is being processed followed, after several weeks, notification of a collection date. On that date you'll need to visit the Oficina d'Estrangers with all the relevant ID, where you will be fingerprinted and presented with your card.

If you don't like the sound of this or thought applying for your NIE was stressful hire a Gestor. They are government registered and recognised legally trained professionals who take care of paperwork and red tape. Using a Gestor is a very normal practice in Catalunya and Spain for nationals and foreigners alike and they generally charge very reasonable fees to complete all the painful work for you. It will save you an enormous amount of time, not to mention stress and, unless your Spanish or Catalan is at least very reasonable, we highly recommend you use one.

If you're retiring to Catalunya the Age Concern España website has further information on residency issues specific to retired people.

Voting Rights in Catalunya

Voting in Catalan and Spanish elections for regional (Generalitat) and national government (Gobierno) and referendums is restricted to Spanish passport holders but EU citizens who are resident and have registered with the Ajuntament for their Empadronamiento can vote in municipal and EU elections. You need to register your desire to vote and this can be done and should be offered the same time you register for your Empadronamiento. This does not affect your rights to vote in the national elections in your country of citizenship.