Routes to your first Spanish bank account and what to expect

Key rules

• NIE: Most banks ask for an NIE, so get one before you apply.
• Non-resident accounts: They often have fewer products and higher fees than a resident account.
• Bank policy: Each bank sets its own rules, so confirm eligibility with the bank before you apply.

Which route fits you

Branch. This suits residents with an NIE or TIE, EU citizens with a registration certificate, and most non-residents who hold an NIE and a passport. The bank checks your identity in person. It is the most reliable route if you are new and your paperwork is not perfect.

Online. This suits people who already have a Spanish NIE or residence document, or an EU/EEA ID. You verify with a video call or a selfie and ID photo. EU/EEA applicants may be accepted with passport or ID plus NIE and a video-ID check. Many banks that open accounts online ask for an NIE, and often a Spanish address. Non-EU applicants are often asked for a TIE. Some banks also ask for a Spanish phone number. Banks that have offered remote account opening to foreigners living in Spain include openbank, ING, BBVA, Bankinter, imaginBank and EVO Banco, usually with a valid NIE.

Non-resident account before you move. This suits future visa applicants, property buyers and anyone who has not yet arrived. You usually need your passport, an NIE, proof of your address abroad and a reason for the account. Several large banks have non-resident desks, and some will do part of this remotely. Many still want a branch visit.

Apps like Wise and Revolut work before you arrive. They do not give you a full Spanish bank relationship, so treat them as a stopgap.

How long it takes

• Branch: the account and IBAN are often issued the same day. If the bank needs a compliance review, allow a few working days.
• Online: approval often comes within minutes, and can take up to 2 working days.
• Card: it usually arrives by post or courier in 3-10 working days. Some branches hand over a card on the spot, and some banks give a digital card you can use at once in the app.

What to watch for

A bank that accepts you online may refuse you at a branch, and the other way round. If one bank says no, try another rather than pushing.

There is no government fee for opening a bank account; any charges are the bank's own account fees, which vary by bank. No legal deadline applies, so you can open an account at any time; if you wait, you only lack a Spanish IBAN for rent, salary and direct debits. If a bank won't open your account, what are your options? covers the basic payment account, its reply deadlines and your complaint rights.

Opening a Spanish bank account, step by step

• Get your NIE (the foreigner ID number) first; the padrón (the town hall residents' list) is not required to open an account: before you start

• Check which route fits you. Your citizenship, work situation and country of origin can add questions, such as proof of income or tax-residence forms: before you start

• Gather your documents: passport or national ID, NIE or TIE (issued by the police or the foreigners' office), proof of address, and proof of income such as a work contract, payslips or an employer letter: before you book

• Choose a bank and account type, checking the fees and that it accepts your status: first step

• Book an appointment (cita previa) on the bank's website, app or phone line, or ask at the branch, or start the online application: after choosing a bank; a branch visit takes 30 to 60 minutes

• Complete the identity check and sign the anti-money-laundering and tax-residence forms. Online, you photograph your ID and take a selfie or join a video call: at the appointment or during the online application

• Sign the contract and fund the account: right after the identity check

• Download the bank's app, enter the code sent by SMS, register your phone and activate the card. This depends on a mobile number the bank accepts, so ask in advance whether your foreign number works or get a Spanish prepaid SIM. Then set up direct debits and your salary payment: as soon as the card and credentials arrive

• If you have not moved yet, ask a bank with a non-resident desk for a non-resident account using your passport, NIE and foreign address proof. If you are already in Spain, bring proof of address and income proof and open in a branch or online. If your residence papers are not ready, a passport and NIE can be enough for a non-resident account: at the decision point

• Ask the bank for the reason in writing, then try another branch or a bank with a foreigner desk, or an online bank that accepts foreigners with an NIE. Request a basic payment account if you are legally in the EU, and complain to the bank's customer service and then the Banco de España if the refusal looks unjustified. If a bank won't open your account, what are your options? sets out the reply deadlines: if the bank refuses or stalls

• Bridge rent and the deposit with cash, a foreign card or a multi-currency account from an online provider, and check that your landlord accepts it. Some Spanish payers and tax payments want a Spanish IBAN. If you already arrived without an account, get your NIE or TIE, then book a branch appointment or start an online opening: while the account is not active, or if you arrived without one

Documents you need

• Passport, or national ID if you are from the EU/EEA, valid and in your name.

• NIE (the foreigner ID number) or TIE (the residence card), issued by the police or the foreigners' office. Most banks ask for it, and non-EU applicants are often asked for the TIE.

• Proof of address: a rental contract, a recent utility bill or a bank statement. A padrón certificate is not required.

• Proof of income or employment, if the bank asks for it.

• EU registration certificate, if you are an EU citizen living in Spain and the bank accepts it as proof of status.

• A reason for the account, such as a visa application or a property purchase, if you apply as a non-resident before moving.

If you are a Spanish, dual or UK Withdrawal Agreement citizen

• Spanish citizen or dual national: A Spanish citizen opens an account with the DNI (or Spanish passport); no NIE or TIE is needed.
• UK citizen with Withdrawal Agreement rights: You are not treated as an EU citizen. Use your passport and your Withdrawal Agreement TIE (or NIE), as a non-EU resident would. The bank decides whether it accepts them.

Opening a Spanish account: quick answers

Do I need a Spanish phone number for a Spanish bank app?

No, a Spanish phone number is not legally required, but many banks prefer one for SMS codes. Many accept an EU or foreign number, and some use app approval or biometrics. If your bank insists, a Spanish prepaid SIM is the usual fix.

How do I change the mobile number registered with my bank?

You can change your registered mobile number in the app or online banking after logging in, or by calling the bank after identity checks. If your old number is gone, visit a branch with your ID. The bank verifies the new number by SMS and may ask you to register your device again.

Why do Spanish banks refuse or delay accounts for newcomers?

Anti-money-laundering checks cause most refusals and delays: no NIE, no proof of address or income, or an expired ID. If a bank won't open your account, what are your options? lists every cause and what to do.