Moving to Spain comes with a new vocabulary. Before you know which one you need, you might see alta en el padrón, asignación de NIE and toma de huellas on three different booking pages.
The best place to start is with a simple question: what do you need to get done? Registering your address, getting an identification number and collecting a residence card are all different procedures. Once you know the outcome you need, you can find the right office and prepare for your visit. So, keep this guide to appointments and paperwork handy.
1. Find the right appointment
| If you need to… | Look for… |
| Register your address with the town hall | Alta en el padrón or empadronamiento |
| Get proof that you’re registered at your address | Volante de empadronamiento or certificado de empadronamiento |
| Get a foreigner identification number | Asignación de NIE |
| Fingerprints for your foreigner identity card (TIE) | Toma de huellas |
| Collect your TIE | Recogida de tarjeta |
| Register your residence as an EU citizen | Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión Europea, often called the “green card” |
A cita previa is a pre-booked appointment, and a sede electrónica is an official online portal. For the padrón, start with your town hall. For immigration or police appointments, use the government’s appointment directory, and check the province, office and procedure before you confirm.
2. Get a digital certificate: your “open sesame” for Spanish paperwork
Many administrative tasks (gestiones) in Spain are much easier with a digital certificate (certificado digital). It lets you handle most of your paperwork online, without sitting across from a short-tempered civil servant.
The catch is that you may be asked to use one before you’ve had a chance to set it up. If you’ve just arrived and are going through your first immigration procedure, you’ll have to wait for your certificate. That means handling everything in person and booking one of the limited appointment slots available to people without a digital certificate.
So as soon as you have your residency, apply for a digital certificate, even if you don’t need it right away. Sooner or later, you will.
3. Get your documents and Spanish phrases ready
Before you go:
Save your appointment confirmation and check the official list for your procedure. Look for originals, photocopies, a photo and proof of payment. For a TIE, check which option applies to you on the Policía Nacional’s Modelo 790, código 012 fee form.
¿Tengo que llevar el original y una fotocopia? Do I need to bring the original and a copy?
At the counter:
Give your name, the appointment time and what you’re there to do. Keep the confirmation handy in case you’re asked to show it.
Buenos días. Tengo cita a las diez para empadronarme. Está a nombre de [nombre]. Good morning. I have a ten o’clock appointment to register my address. It’s under [name].
Before you leave:
If you’ve submitted paperwork, ask for a justificante de presentación, which is proof of submission. If something is missing, ask the clerk to write down the exact name of the document and explain how to send it in.
Me puede apuntar qué documento falta y cómo puedo presentarlo? Could you write down which document is missing and how I can submit it?
If there are no appointments. If the booking page says No hay citas disponibles, check back later for availability. If a deadline is coming up, contact the office to ask about other ways to submit your paperwork. Some immigration procedures can also be submitted online through Mercurio.
4. If you’re moving to Granada :
Address registration. In Granada city, look for Padrón: Alta / Cambio domicilio on the Ayuntamiento de Granada’s website. You can book an in-person appointment or apply online with a digital certificate. If your new home is in Armilla, Maracena or another nearby municipality, use that town’s ayuntamiento instead.
Immigration and TIE appointments. Granada’s Oficina de Extranjería is at Calle San Agapito, 2, by Ribera del Beiro. The government also lists a Policía Nacional documentation unit there for people who need to apply for an authorization first (Students, or Familiares de la Union). Select Granada as the province when booking, and check the address on your confirmation.
Need a hand with your first week?
Wherever you move to, the YYIS team can get you started before you even arrive. We’ll check your documents, coordinate appointments, handle the steps we can complete on your behalf, and guide you through any visits you need to attend in person. If you move to Granada, we’ll accompany you to all your appointments.
Our aim is to get as much sorted as possible before your arrival and in your first week. For anything that depends on appointment availability or official processing times, you’ll always know what’s pending and what happens next.
Book a free consultation with our team and tell us when you’re moving to Spain. We’ll help you work out what you can prepare ahead and what to tackle when you get here.
