Empadronamiento in Spain: What is it and how do I apply?
Find out all about the "empadronamiento" process in Spain and why you should apply.
What is it?
The empadronamiento is a certificate you are supposed to get within the first three months of moving to Spain or if you move houses within Spain. It’s essentially a document which proves your address and adds you to the census of the area where you live.
What do I need it for?
There are several things you might need to show a padrón certificate for, including applying for a public health card, getting your children into a local school, getting married and obtaining a social security number.
Although not one of the official documents you need to exchange your NIE for a TIE (British residents), you may be asked for it during this process too.
Each area or Town Hall will also benefit from you registering for the empadronamiento, as they receive funding based on how many people are ‘empadronados’ in their area.
While it is not a strict requirement to register you may run into difficulties with certain administrative procedures if you don’t have one. It has also been advised that anyone trying to register for residency in Spain because of Brexit should apply for the certificate in order to prove that they are a permanent resident in Spain.
How do I apply?
You can apply for the empadronamiento through your local council at the ‘Oficina de empadronamiento’ or ‘Oficina d’atencion ciudadana’ depending on what it is called in your area.
In the big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, you will need to apply for an appointment or cita previa first. This can be done online or is sometimes done in person at the machines in your local office.
Each of the different neighbourhoods in the big cities has its own Ayuntamiento or Town Hall, and as part of this its own empadronamiento office or citizen’s attention office.
Once you get your appointment you will need to fill out a form called the Solicitud de Empadronamiento and bring along several documents. Because of Covid-19, you can now also fill out your form online with your digital certificate in some regions, such as in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia.
Once you have applied, you’ll either be given the certificate straight away or will have to wait a couple of weeks, depending on how the process works in your area. When you have the certificate, you will be described as ‘empadronado’ in that town or neighbourhood.
What documents will I need?
There are several official documents you’ll need in order to apply for the empadronamiento. Remember that you will need originals and photocopies of each of these documents. These include:
- ID documents such as your passport, green residency document, TIE or DNI
- Proof of residence such as a rental contract, deeds to your property or a recent utility bill
Other things you should know
Keep in mind that your appointment may be issue for three months in the future, so you need to apply as soon as you can if you need to show your certificate for something.
Most official offices will require that your empadronamiento certificate be issued within three months, so remember you that you may need to renew it if doing anything official.
You also need to remember that you will need to ‘empadrón’ yourself each time you move house so that your address and record of where you live is up to date. This is true even if you’re moving somewhere else within the same city.
Useful Spanish vocab:
Certificado de empadronamiento - The empadronameinto certificate
Empadrónarse - To empadrón yourself or register where you live
Empadronado - When you have completed the process
Oficina d’atencion ciudadana - Citizen's attention office
Sede Electrónica - A place where you can apply online with your digital certificate
Ayuntamiento - Town Hall
Cita previa - An appointment made in advance, often for official processes
Useful links:
Apply virtually for your padrón certificate with your digital certificate in Barcelona
Official website to apply for your certificate online or in person in Madrid
Official information about process in Seville and what documents you need
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What is it?
The empadronamiento is a certificate you are supposed to get within the first three months of moving to Spain or if you move houses within Spain. It’s essentially a document which proves your address and adds you to the census of the area where you live.
What do I need it for?
There are several things you might need to show a padrón certificate for, including applying for a public health card, getting your children into a local school, getting married and obtaining a social security number.
Although not one of the official documents you need to exchange your NIE for a TIE (British residents), you may be asked for it during this process too.
Each area or Town Hall will also benefit from you registering for the empadronamiento, as they receive funding based on how many people are ‘empadronados’ in their area.
While it is not a strict requirement to register you may run into difficulties with certain administrative procedures if you don’t have one. It has also been advised that anyone trying to register for residency in Spain because of Brexit should apply for the certificate in order to prove that they are a permanent resident in Spain.
How do I apply?
You can apply for the empadronamiento through your local council at the ‘Oficina de empadronamiento’ or ‘Oficina d’atencion ciudadana’ depending on what it is called in your area.
In the big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, you will need to apply for an appointment or cita previa first. This can be done online or is sometimes done in person at the machines in your local office.
Each of the different neighbourhoods in the big cities has its own Ayuntamiento or Town Hall, and as part of this its own empadronamiento office or citizen’s attention office.
Once you get your appointment you will need to fill out a form called the Solicitud de Empadronamiento and bring along several documents. Because of Covid-19, you can now also fill out your form online with your digital certificate in some regions, such as in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia.
Once you have applied, you’ll either be given the certificate straight away or will have to wait a couple of weeks, depending on how the process works in your area. When you have the certificate, you will be described as ‘empadronado’ in that town or neighbourhood.
What documents will I need?
There are several official documents you’ll need in order to apply for the empadronamiento. Remember that you will need originals and photocopies of each of these documents. These include:
- ID documents such as your passport, green residency document, TIE or DNI
- Proof of residence such as a rental contract, deeds to your property or a recent utility bill
Other things you should know
Keep in mind that your appointment may be issue for three months in the future, so you need to apply as soon as you can if you need to show your certificate for something.
Most official offices will require that your empadronamiento certificate be issued within three months, so remember you that you may need to renew it if doing anything official.
You also need to remember that you will need to ‘empadrón’ yourself each time you move house so that your address and record of where you live is up to date. This is true even if you’re moving somewhere else within the same city.
Useful Spanish vocab:
Certificado de empadronamiento - The empadronameinto certificate
Empadrónarse - To empadrón yourself or register where you live
Empadronado - When you have completed the process
Oficina d’atencion ciudadana - Citizen's attention office
Sede Electrónica - A place where you can apply online with your digital certificate
Ayuntamiento - Town Hall
Cita previa - An appointment made in advance, often for official processes
Useful links:
Apply virtually for your padrón certificate with your digital certificate in Barcelona
Official website to apply for your certificate online or in person in Madrid
Official information about process in Seville and what documents you need
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