Moving to Spain: the complete paperwork checklist

Before you move

Spain asks for different paperwork depending on where you come from. Get this sorted before you pack your bags, because some documents take weeks to arrive.

1. Check if you need a visa. If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you must arrange the correct visa or residence authorisation before you travel. There are several types depending on why you are moving, so check the official source rather than guessing which one fits you.
2. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: no visa needed. You can enter Spain with just your passport or national ID card. You will still need to register once you arrive, which we cover below.
3. Gather your core documents. Make sure your passport has enough months of validity left. If they apply to you, bring your birth certificate and marriage certificate, since Spanish offices often ask for these when you register for services or benefits.
4. Ask for a U1 form if you might claim unemployment benefit later. If you have worked in another EU or EEA country and think you might apply for unemployment support in Spain one day, ask your old country's employment service for a U1 form before you leave. It proves the work periods you completed abroad.

Your first weeks in Spain

Once you land, a handful of steps unlock everything else, from opening a bank account to seeing a doctor. Do them in this order.

1. Get your NIE or register as an EU citizen. The NIE (foreigner identification number) is the number Spain uses to identify you on paperwork, bank forms and contracts. It is not a residence or work permit, it is just an ID number. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who plan to stay more than three months usually register with the authorities instead and receive a certificate of registration along with their number. Our full NIE guide walks through both routes step by step.
2. Register at your town hall (empadronamiento). This is called empadronamiento (registering your address with the town hall) and it puts you on the local population register. You will need this to enrol children in school, register for healthcare and open some bank accounts. Keep in mind: it records where you live, it does not by itself prove that you have legal residence in Spain. See our empadronamiento guide for what to bring.
3. Get a social security number before you start work. Anyone starting a job in Spain needs a social security number, requested with form TA.1. If you have an employer, they usually request it for you, but you can also apply yourself if they do not. Do this before your first day, since the request must happen before you begin working. Our social security number guide explains the request in full.
4. Open a Spanish bank account. You will need an IBAN to get paid and to receive any benefits you might later claim. We do not recommend specific banks here, but most ask for your NIE and proof of address before they open an account.
5. Register for public healthcare. Take your padron certificate to your local health centre to register for public healthcare and get your health card. Without the padron, this step usually cannot go ahead, so do it after empadronamiento, not before.

Settling in

These steps are not always urgent in your first days, but they make everyday life in Spain far easier.

1. Set up a digital certificate or Cl@ve. Cl@ve (Spain's digital identity system) lets you handle tax forms, appointments and other official business online instead of queuing in person. You can register by video call, invitation letter, in person, or with an electronic certificate. Our digital certificate and Cl@ve guide compares the options.
2. Register as a jobseeker if you are looking for work. If you want support finding a job, you can sign up as a jobseeker, known as registering a demanda de empleo (jobseeker registration). Not sure which steps apply to your situation? Our what do you need wizard can point you to the right guide.
3. Exchange or validate your driving licence. Whether you can keep driving on your old licence, and for how long, depends on which country issued it. The DGT is the authority that handles this, so check their site for the rules that apply to you rather than assuming your licence still works after a fixed date.
4. Know where SEPE fits in if you lose your job. SEPE is the public employment service that handles unemployment benefit claims. If you ever lose a job in Spain, this is the body you deal with, and the U1 form you gathered before moving may support your claim.

Documents to have ready

Have these documents and details ready before you start:

• Valid passport with enough months left before expiry
• Visa or residence authorisation approval, if you needed one
• Birth certificate, if relevant to your situation
• Marriage certificate, if relevant to your situation
• U1 form from your previous country, if you might claim unemployment benefit later
• NIE certificate or EU registration certificate
• Empadronamiento certificate from your town hall
• Social security number confirmation
• Proof of address for your bank and health centre registration

Common problems and how to fix them

Most delays in this process come from doing steps out of order or turning up without the right paper. Here is what usually goes wrong.

Trying to register for healthcare before empadronamiento. The health centre usually needs your padron certificate first. If you go without it, get your empadronamiento sorted at the town hall, then come back.

Starting work before requesting a social security number. The request needs to happen before you begin working, not after. If your employer has not sorted this, ask them directly or apply yourself with form TA.1.

Assuming the NIE is a work permit. It is only an identification number. Non-EU citizens still need the correct visa or authorisation that allows them to work, separate from the NIE itself.

Not registering your address because you are only staying briefly. EU citizens do not need to register in the first three months, but after that, many town halls expect it, and you will need it for healthcare and other services regardless of the legal deadline.

Losing track of paperwork from your home country. The U1 form and any other proof of past work are much harder to get once you have left. Ask for them before you move, not after.