On this page Advoco offers a fixed price Spanish residency service, some information and an opportunity to get additional advice by email for free.

(1) Our services

Spanish residency certificate for EU citizens 40€

Family concession – additional applications on same day 10€

Spanish residency card for non-EU citizens apply*

*Apply by email with a description of your circumstances

Other popular services: new Spanish driving licence 40€ - Spain NIE number application 40€ - autonomo/Spanish social security registration 90€

(2) Information

Link to application form EX16

Link to list of police stations where you can apply for Spanish residency

Questions and answers:

Do I have to get residency?

Technically residency or the "residencia" no longer exists. In 2007 an EU directive forced the old system of “extranjero” residency cards to be abolished. These cards were obligatory if you were a permanent resident and had to be produced on demand by the holder (nowadays you should carry a passport or a copy as your ID).

The new system obliges foreigners to register on the “Registro Central de Extranjeros” (“Foreigners’ Register”) if they intend to live in Spain longer than 90 days. Once on the register you get a certificate to prove it with your NIE number, name, address and date of birth on. The certificate is commonly referred to as a residencia or a residency certificate but does not say anywhere on it that the holder is resident just that he or she is on the register.

Should I bother?

To stay within the law you should register if you intend to live in Spain for 90 days or more. In practice many people don't and there do not appear to be any dire sanctions applied for failing to register.

New arrivals intending to stay for 90 days or more will not have a choice because when they apply for their NIE (see separate NIE guide) they will be put on the residency registry at the same time.

Anyone who has one of the old-style “tarjetas” which is due to expire or who has lived here with just a NIE, will have to decide whether to get on the Foreigners' Register. It is fair to say that living permanently in Spain and undertaking any significant level of activity could require producing one or more of four identification documents at different times:

• - passport
• - NIE
• - residency certificate or card
• - Certificado de empadronamiento (“Padron” – a certificate showing you are registered with your local town hall)

The passport and NIE are indispensable and the in both private and public sector situations and the padron essential in many situations, such as registering with a school or buying a car or signing up with a doctor. The situation with the residency certificate is fluid with the authorities perhaps still adjusting to its diminished status and there may be regional variatons. Here are some areas where residency is essential:

• - Applying for a Spanish driving licence
• - Obtaining pensioner benefits

There are many situations where there is a good chance the residency certificate will be asked for:

• - Cashing a cheque
• - Local authority facilities such as health centres (more commonly will ask for padron)
• - Getting a loan
• - Starting a business

How will this affect my tax situation?

Tax residency and applying for a residency certificate are separate matters. If you spend the majority of your time in Spain or most of your business is conducted here then you will probably be deemed resident for tax purposes and you should register for Spanish tax with the Agencia Tributaria (email us for further details). You can register for tax residency without having a residency certificate and not having a residency certificate is not a valid reason for not registering for tax.

How often do I renew my residency?

Residency certificates do not need to be renewed unlike the old cards which expire after 5 years. The residency cards issued to non EU members do expire after 5 years.

I’m not from the EU. How does that change things?

If you are part of the family of an EU member then you can apply for residency on this basis (e.g. married, dependent child) but you will need to apply for a card not the certificate and though the form is the same (EX16) the application process is slightly more complicated.

Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland can apply for a residency certificate just as EU citizens. If you are from outside the EU and these four countries and are not part of an EU family the situation is much more variable and you should seek advice (see free query service below).

(3) Further advice

Contact Advoco on the “Areas” page. Here you will find our contact details, information about our English speaking customer service in your area and a query box. We will answer relevant questions for free – call or email and we’ll get back to you.