Step · Residency
Register as an EU citizen resident in Spain
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who stay in Spain more than three months apply in person at the foreigners' office or police station for the 'certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión', a paper certificate that shows their NIE and address; non-EU family members get a residence card instead.
- Why it matters
- It is the main residency document for EU/EEA/Swiss newcomers and the proof of NIE that banks, employers and administrations ask for; non-EU spouses or family of an EU citizen follow a related route.
- When
- You are an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen and intend to stay in Spain for more than three months (the application must be made within three months of entering Spain).
- How long it takes
- The registration certificate is issued immediately on application (Policía Nacional sede; Interior). The family-member residence card has a maximum resolution time of 3 months.
- Official page
- Estancia y residencia (ciudadanos de la Unión Europea)
- Last checked
- 6 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 6 steps, what to bring (4 items), and 2 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
The application must be presented personally within three months of the date of entry into Spain, at the foreigners' office of the province where you intend to live or the corresponding police station.