Residency in Spain
Five documents do most of the work, and they depend on each other. This is what each one is, who needs it, and which one has to come first.
The residency documents you need in Spain§
NIE number
Your foreigner identity number. Not a residence permit — a tax and identity number that every other process asks for.
How to get a NIE EU / EEA / SwissEU registration certificate
The green certificate that registers you as an EU citizen resident in Spain, for stays over three months.
EU registrationTIE card
The physical residence card issued after your visa is approved and you have arrived. Fingerprinted in Spain.
Empadronamiento
Registration at your town hall. Unlocks healthcare, school places and a surprising amount else.
Permanent residency
What changes once you have been legally resident long enough, and how it differs from citizenship.
Your visa route
Non-EU nationals need a route before residency exists at all. Digital nomad, non-lucrative, work, family or study.
Compare visa routesRules, fees and forms change. Every page in this section carries the date it was last reviewed, and anything that affects a decision is checked by a qualified immigration lawyer before you act on it. Nothing here is legal advice.
Not sure which you need?
Two minutes decides it
Your passport and your income decide which of these documents apply to you and in what order.