Spanish records to collect before you leave

Terms used

• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is Spain's online identity system that lets you use government websites and request records remotely.
• Vida laboral — The vida laboral is your Social Security record of jobs and contribution periods.
• Apostille — An Apostille is an international stamp that makes a Spanish public document accepted in other countries.
• Padrón — The padrón is the town hall register of where you live.
• Histórico — The histórico is a padrón certificate listing all your past addresses, not just the current one.
• Finiquitos — A finiquito is the final pay statement when a job ends.

Key rules

• Remote access: Set up Cl@ve or a digital certificate before you leave, because most records can then be requested from abroad.
• Time-sensitive certificates: Criminal record, civil registry and tax residence certificates go out of date, so order them close to when you need them.
• Retention: Keep tax returns, receipts and payslips for at least 4 years, and pension and contribution records indefinitely.
• Car insurance: Your motor insurer must give you a free claims history certificate on request.

Get remote access first

Set up your digital access before anything else. Once you have Cl@ve or a digital certificate, you can request most records from abroad. Without them, you will need a representative or the post.

• Cl@ve can be registered in person at an office with your ID, online with video identification, or with a certificate. Some consulates also register people.
• The certificado digital (the FNMT personal certificate) needs an online application, then an identity check in person at an accredited office. Some consulates abroad do this too. It is valid for four years.
• Renewal can be done online from abroad, but only if the certificate has not yet expired. Renew early.
• A permanent Cl@ve password needs reactivating from time to time, so test your login before you go.

Whether your consulate does identity checks varies by country. Ask it before you rely on that route.

Which records to collect

Foreign authorities most often ask for the records below. The embedded document list gives the full detail for each.

• Vida laboral: your work and contribution history. It is free. Online with Cl@ve or a certificate, you get a PDF immediately. By SMS or post it takes a few days, up to about a week.
• Tax records: a tax residence certificate and a summary of your returns.
• Criminal record certificate: often needed with an Apostille.
• Civil registry certificates: marriage, birth and family records, often with an Apostille.
• Padrón certificate: your town hall can issue the current one or a histórico listing all past addresses.
• Other records: academic transcripts and degrees (often with an Apostille), driving record, health and vaccination records, bank statements and your pension forecast.

Order the time-sensitive ones last, but before you lose access. Criminal record, civil registry and tax residence certificates are the ones that go out of date. The receiving authority sets how recent they must be, commonly three to six months. Ask the new authority before you order.

Padrón history

Your town hall issues it. Use its online office with Cl@ve or a certificate, or go in person with ID. Many town halls let someone collect it for you with your written authorisation and copies of your ID. Some charge a small fee for the histórico, and many do not. Procedure and fees differ by town hall, so check yours.

Insurance claims history

For car insurance, your insurer must give you a claims history certificate free on request. It covers at least the last five years and usually arrives within about 5 working days by email or post. Ask through the customer area or by phone. Home and health insurers are not bound in the same way, but many give a letter on request. A foreign insurer usually accepts the Spanish version, though some want a translation.

How long to keep things

Keep tax returns, receipts and payslips for at least 4 years, and keep pension and contribution records indefinitely. Also keep:

• Property deeds, purchase invoices and improvement costs for as long as you own the property, plus 4 years after you sell. They affect your capital gains.
• Insurance papers for the contract term plus the claims period, which can be up to 5 years.
• Contracts and finiquitos (final pay statements) for at least 4 years.

Tax periods can be extended if the tax office starts an inspection, and a foreign authority may ask you to keep records longer.

Keep them usable

Save every PDF in a cloud folder you can reach abroad, with a second copy somewhere else. Where a new authority wants its own language, you will need a sworn translation, so ask before you pay for one.

Timeline and deadlines

• Set up Cl@ve and a digital certificate so you can request records remotely: before you leave Spain

• Ask your motor insurer for a claims history certificate: allow about 5 working days for it to arrive

• Request the postal copy of your vida laboral if you cannot use the online route: allow several days, up to about a week

• Order the criminal record, civil registry and tax residence certificates, with Apostille where required: close to when the new authority needs them, since they are usually accepted for three to six months

Spanish certificates a new country or authority may ask for

• Informe de vida laboral (your record of Social Security contribution periods). The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social issues it free. Request it online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate and get a PDF at once, or by SMS, phone, post or at a Social Security office with an appointment. The postal copy takes several days.

• Certificado de empadronamiento, or the histórico version listing all your past addresses. The town hall (ayuntamiento) where you were registered issues it. Request it on its online office with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, in person, or by post or email. A representative with written authorisation and ID copies can collect it. Fees and procedure vary by town hall.

• Certificado de antecedentes penales (criminal record certificate). The Registro Central de Penados at the Ministry of Justice issues it to you or to a representative with notarised or electronic authorisation. Request it online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, in person by appointment, by post with form 790-006, or at a Spanish consulate. The fee is about 3.86 euros. Ask the Ministry of Justice separately for the Hague apostille if you will use it abroad.

• Tax residence certificate (certificado de residencia fiscal) from the AEAT, Spain's tax agency. Request it on the AEAT online office with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, or by appointment. It names a tax year and is valid for one year. Foreign authorities that apply a tax treaty often ask for it, and it can take days to weeks.

• Certificate of being up to date with tax obligations, from the AEAT. You get it instantly online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate, and it is valid for 12 months.

• Income records from the AEAT: a tax data certificate or a copy of your filed Renta return. Download them online with Cl@ve or your Renta reference number. From abroad, a representative with a power of attorney or authorisation can request them.

• Social Security portable documents for your destination. For the EU/EEA, Switzerland or the UK, the new country's institution requests your data electronically from Spain's Social Security bodies. Before leaving, ask the SEPE (the public employment service) for the PD U2 if you will export unemployment benefit, and the INSS (the national Social Security institute) for the European Health Insurance Card. For other countries with an agreement, ask the INSS or the Tesorería for a certificate of contribution periods.

• Sworn translation (traducción jurada) of any certificate the new authority asks for in its language. A sworn translator (traductor-intérprete jurado) appointed by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes it. Some countries accept only their own sworn translators, so ask the receiving authority first.

• Apostille for Spanish public documents used in Hague Convention countries. The Ministry of Justice apostilles civil registry and criminal record certificates. The Colegio Notarial handles notarial documents. The courts handle court documents, and the education authority handles school and degree documents. Countries outside the Hague Convention often need legalisation through Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the destination's consulate.

• Cl@ve or a certificado digital (FNMT personal certificate), which you need to request most of these records remotely. Register for Cl@ve in person or by video identification. The FNMT certificate needs an online application and identity check at an accredited office, including some consulates, and is valid for four years. Get both before you leave, because a certificate can be renewed online from abroad only if it has not expired.

Checklist

• Apply for the FNMT digital certificate and complete the identity check at an accredited office or a consulate that offers it

• Renew your digital certificate online before it expires, because renewal works from abroad only while it is still valid

Frequently asked questions

Can I request my empadronamiento history from abroad?

Yes, you can request it from abroad online if you have Cl@ve or a digital certificate, or by sending a representative with written authorisation. The certificate comes from the town hall where you were registered. Some town halls also accept a request by post or email, and a few charge a small fee for the historical version.

How do I get my vida laboral if I no longer live in Spain?

You can get your vida laboral online for free with Cl@ve, an electronic certificate or the DNIe, and the PDF arrives immediately. You can also request it by SMS with your ID number, date of birth and phone number.

Can I get a Spanish digital certificate or Cl@ve after I have left?

Yes, but it is much easier to set up before you leave.

Can my Spanish car insurer give me a no-claims certificate for a new insurer?

Yes, Spanish motor insurers must issue a claims history certificate free of charge on request, covering at least the last five years. It usually arrives within about 5 working days by email or post.