Your household crisis plan

It is for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, planning the move, or already settling in. You will finish with a short written plan, a printed card and the right copies of your documents in the right places.

The Topic covers:

• Your plan itself: contacts, roles and meeting points.
• Backups of your documents and data.
• Access to money when cards or banks fail.
• Getting through a blackout or a phone and internet outage.
• Care for children, pets and dependants.
• A plan for living alone.
• Changes to the plan for disability, illness or older relatives.

Start with "Building a simple household crisis plan for Spain". It gives you the base plan, and the other pages add to it.

This Topic is about preparing. It does not cover powers of attorney and wills, advice for specific hazards such as floods and heat, or replacing a lost passport.

Key rules

• Water: Store about 3 litres of water per person per day.
• Self-sufficiency: Plan for your household to cope on its own for at least 72 hours (3 days) in an emergency.
• Carry ID: Foreigners in Spain must be able to show their original passport or residence card (TIE), because a copy or phone photo is not formally valid.
• 112: Call 112 for any emergency: it is free, works 24 hours and covers ambulance, fire, police and rescue.
• ES-Alert: You don't need to sign up for ES-Alert, but your phone must be on and have a signal.
• Originals: A copy or phone photo is not valid ID, so carry your original passport or TIE.

Your household crisis plan: the whole process, step by step

• Open a Spanish bank account and get your card (Keeping access to money when cards or banks fail): as soon as you arrive: a resident account is often opened the same day, and the card arrives within days to a couple of weeks

• Write your household plan with contacts, roles and meeting points (Building a simple household crisis plan for Spain): in your first weeks, then review and practise it from time to time

• Copy your passport, NIE or TIE and other key documents (Which documents to copy and where to keep them): right after the plan, while you still have all the originals at hand

• Build a kit and a plan to cope alone for at least 72 hours (3 days) (Preparing for a blackout or phone and internet outage): before any emergency happens, so the kit is ready when you need it

• Renew prescriptions early and ask for longer dispensing where your region allows it (Adapting your plan for disability, illness or older relatives): before your current supply runs low

• Block a lost or stolen card through your bank's 24-hour line or app (Keeping access to money when cards or banks fail): immediately, at any hour, then ask for a replacement

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Passport
• Your NIE certificate — Which documents to copy and where to keep them, Keeping access to money when cards or banks fail
• Your original TIE — Which documents to copy and where to keep them

Income and work

• Proof of your income — Keeping access to money when cards or banks fail, Adapting your plan for disability, illness or older relatives

The home and the lease

• Signed parental authorisation naming your standby carer for everyday care — Who looks after your children or pets if you can't

Other documents

• Copies of your key documents — Building a simple household crisis plan for Spain
• A written household emergency card with 112 — Building a simple household crisis plan for Spain
• A paper copy and a secure digital copy of each key document — Which documents to copy and where to keep them
• The school's own authorised-collector form — Who looks after your children or pets if you can't
• Your dog's health document — Who looks after your children or pets if you can't
• Written authorisation signed by you for your pet's carer — Who looks after your children or pets if you can't

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

Your household crisis plan: questions that cross several articles

Which phone numbers should I put on my household emergency card?

Put 112 first, then the numbers for police, health, your doctor, your embassy and your insurer. 091 is the Policía Nacional, 062 the Guardia Civil and 016 the free, confidential helpline for gender-violence victims. Health emergency numbers such as 061 vary by region, so confirm yours locally. Read Building a simple household crisis plan for Spain next.

Can I get help in English if I call 112?

Yes, in most regions 112 can handle English, either directly or through an interpretation service, but coverage varies and is better in tourist areas. If you are not understood, state your language, your location and the type of emergency simply.

Is a photocopy of my TIE or passport enough if the police stop me?

No, you should carry the original, because a copy or phone photo is not formally valid. Police often accept a copy for a first check, but may then ask you to show the original at a police station. Read Which documents to copy and where to keep them next.

How much cash should I keep at home for an outage?

There is no official euro figure for household cash. After the April 2025 blackout, the government and the Bank of Spain advised keeping some cash in small denominations. Read Keeping access to money when cards or banks fail and Preparing for a blackout or phone and internet outage next.

How do I keep a reserve of my regular medication?

Renew your electronic prescription early and ask for longer dispensing where your region allows it, since some allow up to three months. Pharmacies will not give prescription-only medicines without a prescription, apart from limited urgent cases. Read Adapting your plan for disability, illness or older relatives next.