Task order and deadlines

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. By the end you will know the order to do things in and which deadlines apply to you. It does not walk through each application step by step.

Start with "What has to come first in Spain, and what does not". It shows which tasks depend on others, so you avoid getting stuck waiting for something that is waiting for you.

Key rules

• Residence card deadline: If you enter Spain on a long-stay visa, you must apply for the residence card (TIE) within one month of entering.
• EU registration: If you are an EU citizen staying more than three months, you must register as a resident within three months of arriving.
• Padron ID: A passport is legally enough to register on the padron, though some town halls ask for a NIE, so bring it if you have one.
• Self-employment: If you are self-employed, register with Social Security and the tax census before you start the activity.
• NIE: You can file the NIE application with a temporary Spanish address, before any padrón.
• Order: The NIE and the padron do not depend on each other, so neither has to come first.

Task order and deadlines: the whole process, step by step

• Check which documents you already hold, then register your address on the padron (see: Where the NIE and registering your address (empadronamiento) fit): as soon as you have a lasting address; a passport is legally enough, so bring a NIE too if you have one

• Book your fingerprint appointment for the residence card (TIE) if you entered on a long-stay visa (see: Where your residence card (TIE) appointment fits): apply within one month of entering Spain (latest 30 days after entry date)

• If no appointment is free, keep trying other times and nearby offices and save screenshots of each attempt (see: The deadlines that start running when you arrive in Spain): from the first day you cannot book, until you get a slot

• Start work only if your visa or approval allows it (see: What must be in place before you can start work in Spain): work visas and approvals generally allow work from entry; a tourist visa never does

• If you are an EU citizen staying more than three months, register as a resident (see: The deadlines that start running when you arrive in Spain): within three months of arriving

• If you will be self-employed, register with Social Security and the tax census (see: Tax and social security: what is time-sensitive in month one): before you start the activity

• Enrol school-age children, who must be in school from age 6 to 16 (see: What has to come first in Spain, and what does not): out-of-period enrolment usually takes days to a few weeks after you arrive

• Order home internet (see: Phone and internet: what works on day one, and when contracts start): 3 to 10 working days for existing fibre, 2 to 4 weeks if a new line is needed

• Apply for your health card at your health centre once padron and Social Security are in place (see: When you get your health card (tarjeta sanitaria), and care before then): the card commonly takes one to three months from arrival

• Collect your residence card in person with your passport and fingerprint receipt: usually two to four weeks after fingerprinting, sometimes up to six weeks or more

• Do the month-end check and chase anything overdue (see: Your month-end check: what is done and what is still open): at the end of the first month; apply late as soon as possible, since late filing, enrolment and registration are usually still accepted

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport
• Your NIE
• Padrón certificate
• Padrón registration — When you get your health card (tarjeta sanitaria), and care before then, The offices you will deal with in your first month
• Your residence card — The offices you will deal with in your first month, Your month-end check: what is done and what is still open
• The NIE application form — Where the NIE and registering your address (empadronamiento) fit

The home and the lease

• Proof of address — What has to come first in Spain, and what does not, Phone and internet: what works on day one, and when contracts start
• Signed rental contract — When you can open a Spanish bank account, and money until then, How long to stay in temporary housing and how it affects paperwork

Other documents

• Social Security number
• Form EX-18 — The deadlines that start running when you arrive in Spain, Where your residence card (TIE) appointment fits
• Proof of work — The deadlines that start running when you arrive in Spain, When you can open a Spanish bank account, and money until then
• A bank IBAN — Phone and internet: what works on day one, and when contracts start, What must be in place before you can start work in Spain

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Task order and deadlines: questions that cross several articles

Do I need a NIE before I can register on the padron or open a bank account?

No, you do not need a NIE to register on the padron, because a passport is legally enough, though some town halls ask for one. Banks usually do ask for a NIE or TIE plus a padron certificate and proof of income. Read "Where the NIE and registering your address (empadronamiento) fit" and "When you can open a Spanish bank account, and money until then".

Do I already have a NIE when I arrive on a long-stay visa?

Usually not, because the NIE is normally assigned after arrival when you apply for the residence card, and it is printed on the card. Some work visas and approvals already show one, so check your approval papers. Read "Where your residence card (TIE) appointment fits" next.

Does the residence card fingerprint appointment need a padron certificate?

In most provinces the fingerprint appointment does not formally need the padron, but some provinces ask for a certificate or proof of address. It is needed for later steps, so plan your address early. Read "Where the NIE and registering your address (empadronamiento) fit" and "How long to stay in temporary housing and how it affects paperwork".

Which office handles each first-month task?

The town hall handles the padron, the police or foreigners' office handle the NIE and residence card, and the Social Security office handles your number. The tax agency handles tax, and your regional health service handles the health card through your health centre. Read "The offices you will deal with in your first month".

When do I count as tax resident in Spain?

You are tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, counted from 1 January to 31 December with no clock starting on arrival. You can also be resident if your main economic interests are in Spain. Read "Tax and social security: what is time-sensitive in month one" and "The deadlines that start running when you arrive in Spain".