The Empadronamiento is an obligatory administrative procedure when living in Spain, regardless of nationality. The ‘Padrón Municipal’ is simply the registration in the municipal register and it must be done by everyone. After the NIE, the empadronamiento at the city hall is simply the second most important administrative step in your expatriation to Spain. This formalitý is mandatory and free of charge and must be done with each change of address. How do you register as a local resident? I am Lisbob, the expat assistant, and I’m going to tell you everything about the empadronamiento in Spain.
Steps
Here are the steps to obtain the empadronamiento in Spain:
Book an appointment online
Prepare documents
Getting to the appointment
The first step in the empadronamiento process is to make an appointment on the website of the city hall of your place of residence.
Here are some links to the appointment pages for some major Spanish cities:
- Madrid: https://sede.madrid.es/portal/site/tramites
- Valencia:
http://www.valencia.es/QSIGE/apps/citaprevia/index.html?idioma=VA#!/newAppointment/
- Barcelona:
https://seuelectronica.ajuntament.barcelona.cat/oficinavirtual/es/tramit/20200001403
- Seville:
- Malaga:
- Balearic Islands:
Simply fill out the information requested and choose the time slot you want.
Documents to be provided
Valid passport or identity card,
NIE,
Application form to be downloaded on the website by clicking on ‘solicitud de empadronamiento’, to be brought completed and signed,
Proof of residence: purchase or rental contract, last electricity or gas bill. If you are staying with someone, you will have to present a certificate of accommodation signed by the person with whom you are staying, accompanied by a photocopy of their identity card;
For minors: family record book, birth certificate and identity document (in addition to those of the parents) and document of representation of minors: application for empadronamiento signed by both parents, or an authorization signed by the second parent if the application is made by only one parent.
All that will be left for you to do is to go to the appointment armed with all your documents and, above all, your patience, because even with a reserved time slot you may have to wait a long time. Once your turn comes, you will have to present the requested documents and forms, and you will finally be registered as a local resident and will have successfully completed the empadronamiento process!
