Spain: registering as a resident and getting a TIE
How to register as a resident in Spain if you are a British citizen and how to get or renew a foreigner’s identity card (‘TIE’).
Residency rules for British citizens moving to or living in Spain
Most British citizens who move to Spain will need to register as a resident and get a foreigner’s identity card. This card is known as a ‘TIE’ or ‘tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’. Any children must also be registered with their own TIE.
Your visa will set out:
- if you need to apply for a TIE once you arrive in Spain
- the deadline by which you need to apply
You need to register as a resident to prove that you’re legally resident in Spain and access essential services. You must have a TIE to be exempt from registering with the European Entry/Exit System when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area.
Registering on the municipal register and getting a padrón certificate
When you arrive in Spain, you must register on the municipal register (‘padrón municipal’). This is a register of residents maintained by your local town hall (‘ayuntamiento’). All British citizens resident in Spain must be on the municipal register.
Contact your local town hall (‘ayuntamiento’) to find out how to register in your town.
Depending on where you live, you may need to:
- book an appointment (‘cita previa’) at the town hall through the town hall website – check which documents you need to take with you
- fill in a registration form (‘solicitud de alta’) – you can do this at the town hall or on the town hall website
Register using your usual address, even if you rent or live with others. You can only register at one address.
Once registered, you’ll get a padrón certificate (‘certificado de empadronamiento’).
You’ll need this to, among other things:
- access public healthcare
- enrol your children in school
- register a vehicle
Getting a new copy of your padrón certificate
Often, the Spanish authorities will ask you to present a padrón certificate issued within the last 3 months.
If your certificate is out of date and you need a new copy, you can get one:
- from your local town hall (‘ayuntamiento’) in person, by post or online (if available)
- by downloading it using a digital ID (which you can create using a digital identification system such as ‘Cl@ve’)
Keeping your padrón registration up to date
You must keep your padrón registration up to date.
If you move to a new address in the same town, you must re-register on the padrón register with your local town hall (‘ayuntamiento’) using your new address. To do this, ask for a ‘cambio de domicilio’.
If you move to a new town, you must re-register on the padrón register in your new town. Once you have done this, you’ll be automatically de-registered from the padrón register of the town you’re leaving.
Getting a TIE
As well as registering on the padrón register, you must also register on the central register in the province where you live. This allows you to get a foreigner’s identity card (known as a ‘TIE’ or ‘tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’).
You’ll need your TIE to:
- prove that you’re legally resident in Spain
- access essential services
- be exempt from registering with the EU Entry/Exit System when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area
To register and get your TIE, make an appointment at your local foreigners’ office (Oficina de Extranjería) (in Spanish) or schedule one at your local police station (in Spanish).
You may need to provide:
- a copy of your fingerprints – these will be taken at your appointment
- your padrón certificate and other documents – check what you need to take to your appointment
Residency applications may take several weeks to process. Once your application is approved, the Spanish authorities will issue you with a TIE. You can collect this from the foreigners’ office or police station.
If you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021
Exchanging a ‘green certificate’ for a TIE
If you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021, you may have a ‘green certificate’. In Spanish, this is called a ‘Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión Europea’. It’s an A4 certificate or credit card sized piece of paper from your local foreigners’ office (‘Oficina de Extranjería’) or the police.
The green certificate is still a valid residence document which proves your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement in Spain. If you have difficulty using your green certificate in Spain, you can present this letter confirming that a green certificate is still a valid residence document (PDF, 216 KB).
However, under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), the green certificate:
- will not be accepted as proof of legal residency status at Spanish or other Schengen borders
- does not exempt you from registering with the EES
For this reason, you should exchange your green certificate for a TIE.
If you have a TIE, you will not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Without a TIE, you may be wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen Area and denied entry to Spain or other Schengen countries.
To exchange your green certificate, make an appointment at your local foreigners’ office (Oficina de Extranjería) (in Spanish) or schedule one at your local police station (in Spanish). You’ll get a TIE with the words ‘Articulo 50 TUE’ printed on it. This shows that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
For more information on how to exchange your green certificate for a TIE, read the Spanish government’s frequently asked questions about Brexit (PDF, 1,520KB).
Getting a TIE if you do not have a residence document
If you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021, but do not have a green certificate or a TIE, you must register on the central register and apply for a TIE.
Read the guidance for UK nationals who do not have a registration certificate in the Spanish government’s frequently asked questions about Brexit (PDF, 1,520KB). This explains how and where you must register and apply for your TIE.
You’ll need to submit evidence to prove that you met the residency criteria at the time. This includes proof that, since before 1 January 2021, you have been:
- registered on the municipal register (‘padrón municipal’)
- covered by comprehensive healthcare insurance
If your application is successful, you’ll get a TIE with ‘Articulo 50 TUE’ printed on it. This shows you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
If your application is unsuccessful, you may be able to appeal. Read the section on appealing a residency decision in this guidance.
For more information on how to apply or appeal, read the Spanish government’s:
- information on residency for UK nationals living in Spain before 1 January 2021
- guidance for UK nationals living in Spain that are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement
Renewing your TIE
You must renew your TIE when it expires. To do this, make an appointment at your local foreigners’ office (Oficina de Extranjería) (in Spanish) or schedule one at your local police station (in Spanish).
You must also renew your TIE if there is a change to your personal details, like your address.
If you need to leave Spain while waiting for your TIE renewal, you must apply for an ‘Autorización de Regreso’. This is a document that allows you to re-enter Spain.
If you cannot get a TIE appointment
It can be difficult for some British nationals in Spain to get an appointment to apply for or renew their TIE.
The British Embassy and Consulates in Spain have raised this issue with the Spanish authorities and asked them to improve appointment availability.
If you cannot get an appointment, you can:
- check the booking system regularly
- try to access the booking system using a digital ID (which you can create using a digital identification system such as ‘Cl@ve’)
- consider using a ‘gestor’ (a private professional agent) or English-speaking lawyer in Spain who specialises in immigration
You can also submit a complaint to the central government representative (in Spanish) in the province where you live. You can do this:
- by post
- online, if you have a digital ID (you can create one using a digital identification system such as ‘Cl@ve’)
If this still does not resolve the issue, you can complain to the National Public Ombudsman (‘Defensor del Pueblo’) (in Spanish). Read the Ombudsman’s guidance on how to file a complaint.
Appealing a residency decision
The British Embassy and Consulates in Spain cannot get involved in Spanish residency applications or appeals. They also cannot provide legal advice.
If your application for residency is refused, read the refusal letter carefully. It will set out the decision, the reasons for it, and how to appeal.
If you plan to appeal, you can:
- get legal advice from your local Spanish Bar Association or an English-speaking lawyer in Spain
- read guidance on access to legal aid in Spain (in Spanish)
- contact the European Commission’s specialist assistance service to get help or make a complaint
If you cannot or do not want to appeal
If you cannot or do not want to appeal, you can explore other routes to becoming resident in Spain.
To do this, you can contact:
- the local immigration services (‘servicio de atención al inmigrante’) provided by your local town hall or regional government
- organisations that specialise in migration issues, like ACCEM (in Spanish) or Migrar.org (in Spanish)
You can also read about other immigration routes in the Spanish government’s guidance on living in Spain.
This includes information on how to apply for residence in exceptional circumstances, for example if you:
- are a victim of domestic violence
- can prove strong family, work or social links to Spain
If you choose to leave Spain, read about returning to the UK in our guidance on living in Spain.
Disclaimer
We provide this information as a guide only. For definitive information, contact the Spanish authorities.
Read our consular information disclaimer.