How to apply for paro at the SEPE, and the deadline

Terms used

• Paro — Paro is Spain's unemployment benefit, paid when you lose a job you did not choose to leave.
• SEPE — The SEPE is Spain's public employment service, which handles paro claims.
• Demandante de empleo — A demandante de empleo is a registered jobseeker with the regional employment service.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is Spain's electronic identity system for logging in to government websites.
• DNIe — The DNIe is the Spanish electronic ID card, which can identify you online.
• Cita previa — A cita previa is an appointment you book before visiting a public office.
• NIE — The NIE is the identification number given to foreigners in Spain.
• Certificado de empresa — The certificado de empresa is the document in which your employer reports your work details to the SEPE.

Key rules

• Deadline: You must file your paro claim within 15 business days of losing your job; a later claim starts on the filing date and the days of delay are deducted.
• Registration: Register as a jobseeker and sign the activity commitment, then renew the registration on the dates you are given.
• Employer certificate: File even if your employer has not yet sent the certificado de empresa.
• Final cut-off: A claim filed more than one year after you could first have made it is lost.

The deadline: 15 business days

You must file your paro claim within 15 business days of losing your job. Start counting from the day your job ended. If you are owed untaken vacation, the 15 days start when that vacation period ends.

File late and your benefit starts on the filing date. The days of delay are deducted from what you can claim. The exception is a delay that was not your fault, for example because your employer failed to do something. A claim filed more than one year after you could first have made it is lost completely.

Register as a jobseeker first

You need to be registered as a jobseeker (demandante de empleo) with your regional employment service. You normally do this at the same time as the claim. When you register, you sign the activity commitment, which is your promise to look for work and take part in the programmes you are offered.

Aim to register inside the 15 business days too. Registration is not a one-off. You must renew it (renovación de la demanda) on the dates you are given. Missing a renewal can suspend or end your benefit, so put each date in your calendar.

Choose how to file

• Online: Use the SEPE electronic office. You identify yourself with Cl@ve, an electronic certificate or a DNIe. Set this up before you start, because it can take time.
• In person: Go to a SEPE office. You normally need an appointment (cita previa) and must bring your ID or NIE.
• By phone: The SEPE phone line helps with booking appointments and with questions. Use it for guidance and for the appointment.

Registration as a jobseeker is handled by your region's employment service, and procedures vary by region and office. Check the current options for your area before you go.

Do not wait for your employer

Your employer normally sends the certificado de empresa straight to the SEPE. If it has not arrived, file your claim anyway so you stay inside the deadline. The documents list and the step-by-step timeline below show what to gather and what happens after you file.

If you are late or refused

The section below on missing the deadline or being refused covers your options.

From your last day of work to your first paro payment

• Your job ends: dismissal, end of a temporary contract, insolvency, ERTE or another involuntary loss: Day one of the clock

• Your employer sends the certificado de empresa to the SEPE: Within 10 calendar days of the end of your contract

• Register as a jobseeker (demandante de empleo) and sign the activity commitment: Right after your job ends, before you file the claim

• Wait for the SEPE resolution on your claim: Legally within 15 days of your application

• Receive your first payment: Usually around the 10th of the following month, typically 3 to 6 weeks after filing

• If you file late, expect your benefit to start on the filing date: After the 15 business days have passed

Documents to gather before you apply for paro

• Your ID, NIE or passport

• The certificado de empresa, which your employer normally sends directly to the SEPE. If it has not arrived, file your claim anyway; the SEPE will request it, and you can complain to the labour inspectorate (Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social).

• Proof that your job ended: dismissal letter, end-of-contract notice or settlement

• Your bank account details (IBAN) for the payments

• Family book or birth certificates and proof of dependants' income, if you claim for family members

• A valid residence and work authorisation, if you are a foreign applicant

Checklist

• Note the date your job ended and count 15 business days from it.

• Count the 15 business days from the end of any untaken vacation if you are owed some.

• Choose how to file: online through the SEPE electronic office, in person at a SEPE office, or by phone for help and booking.

• Set up Cl@ve, an electronic certificate or a DNIe if you file online.

• Book a cita previa and bring your ID or NIE if you file in person.

What if you missed the paro deadline or were refused?

If you filed late

A late claim is not lost, but it costs you days. If you file after the 15 business days, your paro starts on the day you file. The days of delay are deducted from the total you were entitled to. Waiting ten extra days means ten fewer days of benefit.

The deduction may not apply if the delay was not your fault, for example if your employer failed to do what it had to do. If that is your case, keep any proof and raise it when you file.

There is a final limit. The right to claim lapses one year after the day you could first have claimed. After that, the claim is lost.

What to do: file as soon as you can. Every day of delay reduces your benefit.

If your claim was refused or reduced

You can challenge the decision, in two steps, and each has a 30-day limit.

1. Prior claim. Send a prior claim (reclamación previa) to SEPE within 30 days of being notified of the decision. File it at the SEPE office that issued the decision, or electronically.
2. Labour court. When SEPE replies, or if it does not answer, you can sue before the labour court (Juzgado de lo Social). You have 30 days to do this.

What to watch for:

• The 30 days start when you are notified, not when you open the letter. Note the notification date.
• Skipping the prior claim can block your court case, so do not go straight to court.
• Keep copies of everything you send, with proof of the date.
• If you are unsure whether to appeal, ask a labour lawyer or a trade union advice service before the 30 days run out.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I have untaken vacation when my job ends?

Untaken vacation delays the start of your paro, but your 15 business days begin only when that vacation period ends. Check with the SEPE how holidays and annual leave are counted in your case.

Is my paro lost if I file after the deadline?

No, you do not lose paro by filing late, but you lose the days of delay. Your benefit starts on the filing date, unless the delay was caused by something like your employer failing to act. The right lapses completely if you wait more than one year.

Can I apply for paro in person without an appointment?

In-person filing normally needs a prior appointment (cita previa) at a SEPE office. Bring your ID or NIE, and use the SEPE phone line if you need help booking.

What do I need to file my paro claim online?

You need a digital way to identify yourself: Cl@ve (permanent or PIN), an electronic certificate or a DNIe. Without one of these, book an in-person appointment instead.