Registering . . .

The N.I.E, Residencia and Padron                              
   

The NIE Number
All residents and non-resident foreigners with financial affairs in Spain must apply for a NIE number. This number acts as a means of identification and also enables records to be kept of any financial dealings you might have in Spain. Without it you cannot work, may not be able to open a bank account, and will not be able to buy property. In fact you will be asked for this number in all your official dealings in Spain.

You will need to visit the appropriate National Police (Policia Nacional) station to apply for an N.I.E. number. You will need to take along your passport and complete a simple form. You may have been told that you can get a Gestor or Solicitor to apply for your number, this was true in the past but from 5th November 2003, all applications for NIE numbers have to be presented in person by each individual applicant. You will need the following to accompany your completed application:

For EU Citizens, the documents you need to present are:-

1. Your current passport - plus 1 photocopy of your passport
    
2. 1 passport size photograph
    
3. Completed application form - plus 1 photocopy 
    
4. Click for > Blank NIE Form and Instructions on Completing It

Your NIE can be collected from the police station after a wait of between one week and three months. If you have a work contract or a letter from a Spanish employer or business stating the need for you to have a NIE, you can expect to receive it sooner rather than later.

The Residencia
A ‘Tarjeta de Residencia’ or Resident’s Card is the national identity card for Foreigners living in Spain. The card itself is an important document — like an identity card — and must be carried at all times. With certain exceptions, such as if you work in Spain, you must hold a ‘Tarjeta de Residencia’ if you live in Spain or intend to say for longer than 90 days. You should apply for this card within 1 month of arriving here. Residing in Spain without a Residencia is punishable with a fine of up to 12,000 euros!

You will need the following documents:

1. Your passport, which must be valid for at least six months (and old residencia card if you seek a renewal) and 3 photocopies of it.

2. Completed application and three copies.

3. Three colour passport-sized photographs.

4. Your NIE number

You no longer need proof of income when applying for residency.

Take the completed form, to a Policia Nacional station. Once your application has been accepted, the police usually take several months before issuing the card. In the meantime you are given a receipt which is your legal right to remain in Spain [or to leave and re-enter]. Wait until you receive a letter advising you that your application for residencia has been granted. This is called a ‘resolution’. You may have to wait for 6 months or even longer before you receive this.

It will give a date when you should attend the Foreigners’ Office [Oficina de Extranjeros] at the police station to have your thumb or finger print taken. A copy of the print will appear on the back of your Tarjeta de Residencia. You should go to the foreigner’s office either on or soon after the date given. On arriving you must obtain a number for your turn in the queue.

When you are seen, you will be provided with a bank paying-in slip to use when paying the fee of 6.29 Euros, which can be paid at any Spanish bank. You have 1 month in which to pay this fee. Take care of the receipt because you will be unable to collect your residencia card unless you can prove it has been paid.

Return to the Foreigners’ Office where you made your original application to collect your card, usually one month later. It is advisable to ask when your card will be ready at the time you have your finger or thumb print taken.

Five Reasons to Become a Resident

1. Non residents are taxed at up to 35% on the capital gain when they sell their homes. If you are a resident, the maximum capital gains tax will be 20% or less, or if you are more than 65 years old, and you have lived in your home for at least 3 years, you will not be liable to Spanish capital gains tax when you sell it, no matter how much profit you make.
   
2. If you are a resident and you sell your primary residence in Spain and invest your profit into a more expensive property, which will also be your primary residence in Spain, you will not have to pay any capital gains tax at all.
   
3. If you are resident and you sell your property, you will not be subject to having 5% of the total declared selling price withheld as a guarantee against possible tax liabilities.
   
4. Residents do not have to pay non-residents property owners tax and have an exception to the first 108,200€ of valuation for the Spanish capital assets tax or wealth tax. If a couple jointly own a property and are both resident it is doubled to 216,400€ exception.
   
5. If you register as a resident more funds will be allocated from central government to the area in which you live to improve the infrastructure of your area, which will improve the value of your property, you will also be able to vote in local elections.

The Padron  (Certificate de Empadronamiento)
Most facilities including: healthcare, taxi services, and most importantly education and policing in the area are based, like in most countries on registered population. You do not need to be a resident or have your NIE number to sign on the Padron. Simply take your passports, a copy of your Escritura or Rental contract along to your local Ayuntamiento [Town hall] and sign on. You do not need to explain if you are only going to visit for a couple of weeks a year (this could result in you not being able to sign on and for much needed facilities being inadequate).

Contrary to popular belief your Certificate de Empadronamiento does not expire. However, If you move to a new area you will be required to surrender the old one and asked to apply for a new one. Some times you may be asked to get a newer one, in which case you simply take the one you have back to the Ayuntamiento [Town hall] and ask for a new one.

If you have school age children it is very important that you sign on the Padron, as you will need a current Certificate de Empadronamiento to register them for school. You will also need a current copy of your Certificate de Empadronamiento when buying a car.