Can you vote in Spain without Spanish nationality?

Key rules

• General and regional elections: No foreign resident, including EU citizens, can vote in general or regional elections.
• Opt-in: Foreign voters are not added to the electoral roll automatically; you must apply.
• Non-EU residence period: Non-EU nationals from reciprocity countries normally need 5 years of legal residence, and 3 years for some countries such as Norway and New Zealand.
• European elections: EU citizens vote in Spain or in their home country for European elections, never both.

The short answer

Foreign residents, including EU citizens, cannot vote in general or regional elections. What you can vote in depends on your nationality:

• EU citizens: municipal and European Parliament elections.
• Some non-EU nationals: municipal elections only.
• Everyone else: no elections.

If you are an EU citizen

You can vote in municipal elections and in European Parliament elections. You are not added to the voting list automatically. You must opt in.

To vote, you need to:

• Be 18 or over.
• Be registered on the padrón at your town hall.
• Apply to join the censo electoral.
• Hold a valid registration certificate or residence document.
• Have no disqualification from voting, in Spain or at home.

Your declaration is usually valid for future elections until you withdraw it. For European elections you vote in Spain instead of in your home country. You cannot vote twice.

The deadline to update the roll comes before each election and is set in the electoral calendar. Apply well before the election year starts, not at the last minute.

If you are from a non-EU country

You can vote in municipal elections only if Spain has a reciprocity agreement with your country. The agreements currently cover nationals of:

• Norway
• New Zealand
• Colombia
• Chile
• Ecuador
• Peru
• Bolivia
• Paraguay
• Cape Verde
• Iceland
• Trinidad and Tobago
• South Korea

Some agreements carry extra conditions. The list is usually reissued before each municipal election, so check it for your country.

You need legal, uninterrupted residence in Spain. Normally that means 5 years. For some countries, such as Norway and New Zealand, it is 3 years. A valid residence permit is the usual proof.

You must also be on the padrón and apply to join the censo electoral, just like EU citizens.

If you are British

British nationals lost the EU right to vote in municipal elections after Brexit. A reciprocal agreement between Spain and the UK now lets UK nationals with at least 5 years of legal residence in Spain vote in municipal elections. You must be on the padrón and apply to join the censo electoral. You cannot vote in general, regional or European elections.

What to do

2. Get your residence document or registration certificate in order.
3. Submit your application to join the censo electoral.
4. Check the roll and election dates with your town hall before the next election.

The documents list below shows what to bring. If you move to another town, the quick answers below cover what happens to your registration.

Documents you need

What you need to vote as a foreign resident

• Padrón registration (empadronamiento): the certificate from your town hall showing you are on the municipal register. EU citizens and eligible UK nationals both need it.

• Valid registration certificate or residence document: proof of your legal residence in Spain. EU citizens normally need this to join the electoral roll.

• Your application to join the electoral roll (censo electoral): an opt-in declaration, because you are not added automatically.

Quick answers for foreign voters in Spain

Can I vote in Spanish municipal elections and in my home-country elections too?

Yes, Spain lets you vote in its municipal elections and in your home-country elections at the same time. The only limit is the European Parliament election, where an EU citizen votes once, either in Spain or in their home state. Your home country decides whether you can vote from abroad, by post or at a consulate, or whether a long absence removes that right.

Does voting in Spain affect my residence status or taxes?

No, voting in municipal or European elections does not change your residence status or your tax residence. Tax residence depends on the 183-day test, where your main economic interests are and your family ties. Residence permits follow immigration law, and the electoral roll is not a residence test.

Do I stay on the electoral roll if I move to another town?

Yes, if you are an EU citizen, the roll follows your padrón (local residents' register), so it moves to your new town when you register there. You normally do not need a new application. Check before the election that the roll shows your new address.