Your first month in Spain with children

Key rules

• Address first: Get your padrón certificate before any school or health step, because those steps depend on it.
• School right: Children aged 6 to 16 have a right to school whatever their administrative status, and can enrol mid-year.
• Nursery places: Public nursery places for ages 0 to 3 are scarce, so apply early and also ask private nurseries.
• Regional rules: Each autonomous community sets its own documents, dates and offices for school and health.

Start with your address

Register your address at the town hall first. Every child-related step below depends on the padrón certificate that proves it. Without it, the health card and school enrolment stall or get harder. Do this before anything else, then work through the steps in the order below.

If your padrón is not ready yet, ask the regional education office which other proof of address it accepts. A rental contract or an employer letter is often taken, but acceptance varies by office.

Step 2: Residence card for non-EU children

Non-EU children who are staying more than six months with a residence authorisation need their own TIE, babies included. A parent or legal representative must go to the appointment. Fingerprints are taken from age 6. Under 6, the TIE is issued without them. Children of EU citizens get a residence certificate or card instead.

Step 3: Health card for your child

Register your child at your local health centre (centro de salud) or the regional health office to get the tarjeta sanitaria. Children of an insured worker are covered as beneficiaries. Children of residents without other coverage are generally entitled to care too. Each region runs its own system, and some offer online steps. The documents below list what to bring.

Step 4: School or nursery

How you proceed depends on your child's age.

• Ages 6 to 16: Schooling is a right whatever your administrative status. Apply to the regional education department or its local admissions office. Some regions let you apply directly at the school. You can enrol at any time of year if you arrive outside the spring application period.
• Ages 3 to 6: Infant school from age 3 is part of the free public school system. Applications are normally made in spring for the following September. Newly arrived children can apply for vacancies during the year through the regional office.
• Ages 0 to 3: Nurseries (escuelas infantiles or guarderías) are public or private. Public places are applied for in a set window, usually in spring for September, and are scored on income, siblings and distance. Places are scarce in many cities. Ask your municipality or region about mid-year vacancies. Private nurseries enrol all year when they have space. Public nursery is not free everywhere, though some regions subsidise fees.

What to expect at school

You are assigned a school with vacancies, which may not be your first choice. The school may assess your child's language and level. Many regions run support classes (aulas de enlace or similar) for children who do not speak Spanish. Foreign studies are validated later, and children are normally placed by age.

Dates, offices and documents differ by autonomous community, so confirm them with your regional education department before you apply. The timeline, documents list and checklist below set out the sequence in detail.

Choosing between options

How do you find a school or nursery place for your child?

• Public school place through the admissions office: Your child is aged 6 to 16, or 3 and over. Apply in spring for the next year, or at any time of year if you arrive later. Bring your padrón certificate, or a rental contract if it is not ready.

• Public nursery place (0 to 3): Your child is under 3 and you can apply in the spring window for September.

• Private nursery: You arrive outside the spring window or miss out on a public place. Private nurseries enrol throughout the year when they have places, and fees apply.

Choose by your child's age and when you arrive: spring applications for the September start, mid-year vacancies or a private nursery if you arrive later. Your registered address comes first, because places are allocated by area of residence.

Timeline and deadlines

• Take fingerprints for children aged 6 and over; under 6, the TIE is issued without them: at the TIE appointment

• Apply for a public nursery place for ages 0 to 3: in spring, roughly March to June, for the September start

• Enrol children aged 6 to 16 through the regional admissions office: at any time of year if you arrive outside the normal window

Documents you need

• Padrón certificate, issued by your town hall: proof of your registered address, asked for at school enrolment, the health card and many TIE offices. A rental contract or property deed is sometimes accepted instead.

• Your child's passport, TIE or NIE, for the health card and school enrolment.

• Proof of a parent's Social Security affiliation or of the legal basis for coverage, for your child's health card.

• Family record book or birth certificate, for the health card.

• Your child's vaccination record, for school enrolment.

• Previous school records, for school enrolment after arriving mid-year.

Checklist

• Bring the padrón certificate, passport or TIE, proof of Social Security cover and a birth certificate to the health centre.

• Apply for a school place through the regional admissions office, with the vaccination record and previous school records.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child start school if I do not have a padrón certificate yet?

Yes, your child can usually still be enrolled without a padrón certificate, because schooling is a right for every child aged 6 to 16 whatever their status. Schools and education offices generally accept a rental contract, a property deed or an employer letter as proof of address instead.

What if we arrive after the spring school application period?

Yes, you can enrol your child at any time of year, but the place goes to a school that has vacancies. That may not be your first choice.

Will my child get help if they do not speak Spanish?

Yes, many regions offer support classes for children who do not speak the language, often called aulas de enlace.

Do babies and toddlers need their own TIE?

Yes, non-EU children staying more than six months with a residence authorisation need their own TIE, including babies. Under age 6 there are no fingerprints, but a parent or legal representative must attend the appointment.

Can I find a nursery place for a child under 3 after we arrive?

Yes, private nurseries enrol throughout the year when they have places. Public places are applied for in spring, roughly March to June, for September.