Town halls and health services in the Basque Country, Galicia and Navarre

Key rules

• Right to Spanish: In all three communities you can always choose Spanish with the administration.
• Navarre zones: Your language rights in Navarre depend on whether your town is in the Basque-speaking, mixed or non-Basque-speaking zone.
• State forms: Tax, immigration and social security forms are in Spanish, sometimes with co-official versions.
• Service in Basque: How much Basque you get at a counter varies by office.

The short answer

In the Basque Country, Galicia and Navarre the regional language is used heavily in offices, signs and websites. You still keep the right to use Spanish. Nobody can treat you worse for choosing it. Navarre varies by linguistic zone, so check which zone your town is in.

Basque Country

Basque and Spanish are both official. You can deal with the administration in either, and you can always choose Spanish. Public bodies must be able to serve you in both, and documents are often bilingual.

How easy it is to be served in Basque depends on the office. Staff in each post must meet a language requirement set for that post, so some counters offer more Basque than others. If you want Spanish, just ask for it.

Galicia

Galician and Spanish are both official. You can use either with the administration, and you can choose Spanish. The regional government uses Galician as its own language and issues documents in Galician or in both languages. It must give you Spanish if you ask.

If you deal with a State office, such as a national tax or immigration office, it answers in the language you choose.

Navarre: it depends on the zone

Navarre has three zones, and your rights depend on where your town is.

• Mixed zone, including Pamplona: You have the right to use Basque with the administration. Services are provided as staffing allows.
• Non-Basque-speaking zone: Spanish is the only official language. Basque can be studied and promoted, but it is not an official language of administration.

Spanish is valid everywhere in Navarre and is the default. Replies normally come in Spanish unless you ask for Basque in a place where that is your right. Ask your town hall which zone it is in.

Forms and websites

Regional government websites and forms in the Basque Country are normally in Basque and Spanish. Main portals are often also in English. In Galicia they are normally in Galician and Spanish, with Galician as the default. In Navarre the government portal is in Spanish and Basque, and Basque forms are more common in the Basque-speaking and mixed zones.

State forms for tax, immigration and social security are in Spanish. Some also come in co-official versions. Do not wait for a Basque or Galician version of a State form. Use the Spanish one.

What to do

Spanish always works, so it is the safe choice if you are unsure. If you want to use the regional language, or want to be sure of service in Spanish, ask at the counter. The decision and FAQ below help you choose.

Choosing between options

Which language should you use with the administration in the Basque Country, Galicia or Navarre?

• Use Spanish: You are more comfortable in Spanish. You can choose it in all three regions and cannot be discriminated against for it.

• Use Basque or Galician: You speak it and want to. In the Basque Country and Galicia you may use it with any administration, and in Navarre where your zone gives you that right.

• Ask your town hall first: You live in Navarre and are unsure which zone your municipality is in, so you do not know if Basque is a right there.

In the Basque Country and Galicia, both languages are official, so the choice is yours. In Navarre, Spanish always works, and Basque is a right only in the Basque-speaking and mixed zones.

Frequently asked questions

Does Navarre's language zone change which language I can use with the town hall?

Yes, your rights depend on the zone of your municipality: Basque is official in the Basque-speaking zone, you can use it in the mixed zone, and Spanish is the only official language in the non-Basque-speaking zone. In the mixed zone, which includes Pamplona, services in Basque depend on staffing.

Which language will the reply to my request come in?

In Navarre, replies normally come in Spanish unless you ask for Basque where you have the right to it. In Galicia, documents may come in Galician or in both languages, and you can ask for Spanish. In the Basque Country, documents are commonly bilingual.

Will every office in the Basque Country serve me in Basque?

No, Basque service is more available in some offices than others, because staff language requirements depend on the post. Public bodies there must be able to serve you in both languages. If you want Basque, ask at the counter.

Are state forms such as tax or immigration forms available in Galician or Basque?

State forms for tax, immigration and social security are in Spanish, sometimes with co-official versions. Regional government forms are normally in the regional language and Spanish.