How to submit documents to SEPE without visiting an office

Ways to send documents to SEPE

SEPE is the Servicio Publico de Empleo Estatal, Spain's state employment service. If SEPE asks you for a document, or you need to add papers to an open claim, you don't always have to go to an office. There are four main ways to do it.

The main one is the sede electronica (SEPE's electronic office). You can use it with a digital ID or without one, depending on the trámite (procedure). You can also use Spain's registro electronico general (general electronic registry), which accepts documents for any public body, not just SEPE. A third option is sending papers by post through Correos. The last option is a face to face visit with a cita previa (booked appointment).

All these routes are free. Nobody should ask you to pay to hand in a document.

Submit through the sede electronica with a digital ID

If you have a digital certificate, Cl@ve, or an electronic ID card (DNIe), this is the quickest route. Go to SEPE's page for submitting documents to SEPE and look for the "Realiza tu trámite" (start your procedure) option. Log in with your digital ID, choose the aportación de documentos (document submission) trámite, and follow the steps below.

1. Open the online form. Go to our guide to the SEPE pre-application form if you're not sure which trámite you need first, then head to the sede electronica.
2. Log in with your digital ID. Use Cl@ve, a digital certificate, or your DNIe. Have your ID number ready.
3. Pick the right trámite. Choose the option for sending documents linked to your claim, not a new application.
4. Attach your files. Upload clear scans or photos of each document. Check the file size and format rules below first.
5. Check your details. Make sure your name, ID number and claim reference are correct before you send.
6. Submit and save the proof. Once sent, you'll get a justificante de registro (proof of registration). Save it or print it. This is your evidence that SEPE received the papers, and the date on it counts as the submission date, even outside office hours.

Submit through the sede electronica without a digital ID

You don't need a digital certificate for every trámite. Some let you identify yourself with just your ID number and a few personal details. If this applies to your case, our guide on using SEPE without a digital certificate explains which trámites allow this and how to fill in the form step by step. This route is useful if you don't have Cl@ve set up yet or your certificate has expired.

Submit through the general electronic registry

The registro electronico general (general electronic registry) is a shared entry point for Spain's public administration. You don't need to know which SEPE office will handle your file. The registry passes your documents on to the right place. This can be a good backup if the sede electronica trámite you need isn't working, or if your document is for a different public body as well as SEPE.

Any document you hand in this way gets logged with a date and time, and that becomes your official submission date.

Submit by post through Correos

You can send your documents by post to a SEPE office through Correos, Spain's national post service. Ask the counter staff for a registered submission so you get a dated receipt. Keep this receipt: it's your proof that you sent the documents on time, even if they take a few days to arrive and get logged.

Submit in person with a cita previa

If you'd rather hand in your papers face to face, you can book a cita previa (appointment) at a SEPE office. Bring the originals: staff will scan them there and give the originals back to you. The scanned copies go into your electronic file. This route can help if your documents are hard to scan yourself, such as bound booklets or damaged papers.

File formats and size limits

SEPE's online forms generally accept PDF, JPG and PNG files. Keep each file under the size limit shown on the form, usually a few megabytes per file. If a scan is too big, lower the resolution or split a long document into separate files, one per page or per document.

Checklist: what to have ready

Have these documents and details ready before you start:

• Your ID document (DNI, NIE or passport) and its number
• Your SEPE claim reference number, if you have one
• Clear scans or photos of every document SEPE asked for
• A digital certificate, Cl@ve or DNIe, if you're using the identified route
• A working phone or scanner to make good quality copies
• Somewhere to save your justificante de registro after you submit

Tips for scanning with your phone

Most people don't own a scanner, but a phone camera works well if you follow a few rules. Lay the document flat on a plain, dark surface so the edges stand out. Use natural light from a window rather than flash, which can create glare. Many scanning apps will crop and straighten the page for you and can save straight to PDF, which is the format SEPE prefers for most documents.

Take a moment to check the photo before you upload it. Make sure every word is sharp and none of the corners are cut off. A blurry or partial scan can get your document rejected, which means starting the submission again.

How to know it worked

After you submit online, through the registry, or by post, you should get a justificante de registro. For online submissions this appears straight away and you can download it. For post, your receipt from Correos is your proof of the date sent. You can check the state of your claim afterwards on our guide to checking your SEPE claim status.

Common problems and how to fix them

File too large to upload

Lower the resolution of your scan or split the document into smaller files. Most scanning apps let you choose a lower quality setting before saving, which shrinks the file size a lot without making the text unreadable.

Digital certificate not recognised

Check that your certificate hasn't expired and that you're using the same browser you installed it in. If it still fails, try Cl@ve instead, or use the trámite that doesn't need a digital ID.

No proof of registration received

Check your downloads folder and your email, since some trámites send the justificante by both routes. If you truly received nothing, don't assume the submission failed: check your claim status after a day or two, or contact SEPE to confirm.

Wrong trámite selected by mistake

If you send documents under the wrong procedure, you can usually submit again under the correct one. Keep the justificante from the first attempt anyway, since it still proves you acted within any deadline.

Document rejected as unreadable

Retake the photo or scan in better light, with the document flat and all four corners visible. Save it as a PDF if possible, since this format keeps the text sharp better than a photo saved as JPG.

Post arrived after the deadline

Ask Correos for a registered submission with a stamped receipt. The date on that receipt, not the date SEPE opens the envelope, is what counts as your submission date.