How to apply for a residence certificate in Spain

Written by Juan Madridejos Velasco and Luis Alberto Álvarez Moreno, Notaries in Barcelona and partners at J&LA Notarios Asociados.

If you are planning to move to Spain, you need to understand the steps to apply for a residence certificate in Spain. To obtain residence in Spain, you must put your affairs in order.

Even if we do not help in the process, our client frequently ask question on how to apply for a residence certificate in Spain?

Therefore, you’ll find below guideline on how to apply for a Spanish residence certificate:

Requirements and residence application process in Spain

For you to apply for the residence certificate in Spain, you must:

  • You must not be in an irregular circumstance during the application period
  • Be able to pay the corresponding fee
  • You need to accredit the reasons for the application; they can either be professional, social or economic motives.
  • Your ID or a copy of your complete passport

The steps involved in this procedure are easy and fast. The interested individual has to do the process by himself. The foreigner must do it at the police station or immigration office. If you need to certify foreign documentation you can present your document to a Notary in Barcelona for verification.

Here is the list of documents that you must have during the application:

  • A valid passport or national ID
  • A health care proof
  • Proof of address in Spain
  • Have two-sized photograph passports
  • Proof of payment fee
  • A well-filled-in EX18 application form

Alternatively, the foreigner can also conduct the application process in their country of origin. In this case, you must visit the consular office, the Spanish embassy or the Spanish diplomatic mission.

Once you have booked an appointment, the next thing is to present the required documents to the immigration office. Additionally, you will need to pay a small amount of about 7€.

After presenting all the required documents, it will take a maximum of days for the administration to issue a favorable verdict and finish the application process.

Significance of the residence certificate

Some people think there is no need for this certificate, but they are wrong. This certificate can help you in many ways during your stay in Spain. You can use it whenever you want to apply for nationality in Spain. Moreover, the certificate of residence is needed to obtain permanent citizenship. You must stay for a given period to earn citizenship in a foreign country.

It will be challenging if you cannot remember the days or years you have been in Spain. In that case, it will be hard to know if you meet the required years of stay. A residence certificate can solve all your misery.

Alternatively, an applicant’s application gets revoked due to a lack of continuous residence. Requesting the residence certificate will lead to an appeal against the rejection.

The above-explained reasons are proof why this certificate is a crucial document. The certificate clears your doubts and helps you understand your legal status.

Validity of a residence certificate

As already explained, this certificate is quite helpful for establishing your prior residence in Spain with various legal authorities. With it, you can accredit the time you have stayed in Spain. Once you have requested it, it will have a three-month validity.

JLA Notarios: your Notaries in Barcelona Spain

We hope you found useful information in this article! Lots of clients from our Notary ask us about this process. So, even if we can’t help in this specific process, we thought it would be useful to have a small guide on the residence certificate in Spain.

At JLA Notarios, we offer a range of notary services in Spain, including formalizing legal documents like contracts, land purchases, mortgageswills and inheritance agreements, or establishing companies and mercantile contracts.

To learn more about the role of a Notary, you can refer to our article on this topic:

If you require notary services in Barcelona, we’re happy to assist you. Our office is centrally located, and our team is fluent in English. You can reach us through the contact formphoneemail, or even WhatsApp!

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