How to Fill in your Certificado de Extranjeros (Residencia)
This information is applicable to EU citizens. It gves you step by step instructions on how to complete your forms to register as living in Spain. This is for Form EX18
To download the form to complete, click the link below
– Download Certificado de Extranjeros (Residencia)
If in doubt, it is well worth spending a little money to get somebody suitable to help you through the process. We did this when we first moved to Lanzarote – the peace of mind and time saved was worth every centimo. All areas will have someone who does this as a job. Perhaps make the Business Directory your first port of call. Here’s the link: Translation and Paperwork Services in Spain
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1.DATOS DEL SOLICITANTE - PERSONAL DATA
NIE – your NIE number (if you have one already)
N° pasaporte – Passport number
1er Apellido – First Surname
2 Apellido – Second Surname (if you have one)
Nombre – First name
Fecha de nacimiento - Date of birth
Lugar de nacimiento - Place of birth
Sexo – Gender (select as necessary)
Masculino (M) Male
Femenino (F) Female
Estado Civil – Marital Status (select as necessary)
Soltero(S) Single
Casado(C) Married
Vuido (V) Widower
Divorciado(D) Divorced
Separado(Sp) Separated
Nombre del padre - Father’s full name
Nombre de la madre - Mother’s full name
Domicilio en España – Your address in Spain
Teléfono – Your phone number in Spain
Localidad – Locality/Town (for example Albox)
CP – Zip code/Post code (for example 04800)
Provincia – Province (for example Almería)
2. DATOS DEL PRESENTADOR DE LA SOLICITUD – DATA OF THE APPLICANT SUBMITTER
Nombre – Name
NIE – NIE number (if you already have one)
3. DOMICILIO A EFECTOS DE NOTIFICACIONES – ADDRESS FOR NOTIFICATIONS
Nombre – Name
NIE - NIE number if you already have one
Domicilio en España – Your Spanish address
Teléfono – Phone number
Localidad – Locality
CP - Zip code/Post code
Provincia - Province
E-mail – E-mail
Solicito/Consiento que las comunicaciones y notificaciones se realicen por medios
electrónicos - This means that you request / consent that communications and notifications are made
by email
4. TIPO DE CERTIFICADO SOLICITADO – TYPE OF CERTIFICATE REQUESTED
Período previsto de residencia en España - Envisaged period of residence in Spain (Select below as necessary)
RESIDENCIA TEMPORAL – TEMPORARY RESIDENCE
Nacional de Estado del Espacio Económico Europeo - National State of the European Economic
Area
Nacional de Estado miembro de la Unión Europea – National Member State of the European
Union
Nacional de Suiza (Acuerdo de 21 de junio de 1999) – Swiss National Agreement (June 21, 1999)
RESIDENCIA PERMANENTE - PERMANENT RESIDENCE (This is more often the selection you will make)
- Trabajador en edad de jubilación y derecho a pensión con actividad en España durante 12 meses y cónyuge/pareja español - Worker retirement age and pension rights activity in Spain for 12 months and your spouse / partner is Spanish
- Trabajador en edad de jubilación y derecho a pensión con actividad en España durante 12 meses y residencia de 3 años - Worker retirement age and pension rights to work in Spain for 12 months and 3 years residence
- Residencia continuada en España durante 5 años - Continuous residence in Spain for 5 years
- Trabajador en jubilación anticipada con actividad en España durante 12 meses y cuyo cónyuge/parejaes español - Worker in active retirement in Spain for 12 months and whose spouse / partner is Spanish
- Trabajador en jubilación anticipada con actividad en España durante 12 meses y residencia de 3 años - Worker in active retirement in Spain for 12 months and 3 years residence
BAJA POR CESE - LOW GRANTS / DISCOUNTS
Especificar la causa - Specify reasons
FIRMA DEL SOLICITANTE (o representante legal, en su caso) – SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT (or guardian, if applicable)
INSTRUCCIONES DE CUMPLIMENTACIÓN – INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION
RELLENAR EN MAYÚSCULAS CON BOLÍGRAFO NEGRO Y LETRA DE IMPRENTA O A MÁQUINA
SE PRESENTARÁ ORIGINAL Y COPIA DE ESTE IMPRESO – FILL IN WITH ONLY CAPITAL LETTERS, USING A BLACK BALLPOINT PEN AND PRINT OR TYPE. RETURN ORIGINAL AND COPY OF THIS FORM
(1) Marque el cuadro que proceda. Hombre / Mujer – Check the appropriate box. Male / Female
(2) Rellenar utilizando 2 dígitos para el día, 2 para el mes y 4 para el año, en este orden
(dd/mm/aaaa) – Fill using 2-digit day, 2 for 4 for the month and year, in this order (dd / mm / yyyy)
(3) Marque el cuadro que proceda. Soltero / Casado / Viudo / Divorciado / Separado – Check the appropriate box. Single / Married / Widowed / Divorced / Separated
(4) Indique el título en base al cual se ostenta la representación, por ejemplo: Padre/Madre del
menor, Tutor – Indicate the title by which it holds the representation, for example: Father / Mother of the child,
Tutor
(5) Rellenar sólo en el caso de ser persona distinta del solicitante – Fill in only if you are someone other than the applicant
(6) Conforme Ley 11/2004 y Disposición Adicional 4ª del RD 557/2011 las personas jurídicas y los
colectivos de personas físicas que, por razón de su capacidad económica o técnica, dedicación
profesional u otros motivos acreditados tengan garantizado el acceso y disponibilidad de los medios
tecnológicos precisos están obligados a la notificación por este medio. – Under Law 11/2004 and Additional Provision 4 of the RD 557/2011 legal persons and groups of individuals who, because of their economic or technical capacity, dedication accredited professional or other reasons are guaranteed access and availability of media precise technology are bound to notice hereby.
(7) Marque el cuadro que corresponda – Check the appropriate box
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These notes are meant as a guide only, and you should always double check information when dealing in legal matters.
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.
December 19, 2012 @ 10:36 pm
hi I have an nif number from property I bought in alacante can I use this in lanzarote as I am spending 6 month of the year hear in rented accomodation
December 20, 2012 @ 2:20 pm
Hello Brian. Yes, your NIE number itself is with you for life. Some departments may ask you to get a renewal certificate… but the number itself is forever. We use our Lanzarote issued NIE numbers here on the mainland. Enjoy Lanzarote – we did… for 6 years!
Hope that helps!
Elle x
January 2, 2013 @ 12:10 am
Hello,
Just in case it helps, I wrote some months ago the process of renewing the NIE for a non Spaniard married with a Spaniard:
Good luck!!
January 2, 2013 @ 12:22 pm
Thanks Toni!
October 17, 2013 @ 10:19 am
But what do you enter when you have two first names and one surname??? Would you enter just one first name and then the other first name as a surname?
October 17, 2013 @ 11:13 am
Hi Steve. I would ask them. My guess is that you only the use the first of your two forenames… or put them both in the forename box. But the real answer to that may vary from clerk to clerk ;)
Elle
August 16, 2016 @ 9:39 pm
Hi I have two questions about this form.
If I am the applicant should I repeat all the info in the second and third section ?
If I am a student who will work for 3 months at a company should I pick the employed person or the student box ?
Where should I sign it ?
August 17, 2016 @ 12:18 pm
Hello Zoltán.
Before we answer your questions – will you be here for more than three months? Or less? If the latter (and you are an EU citizen) you don’t need to apply for this. If the former, then are you here for three months emplyed but then will revert to being a student? Or will you be looking for work?
Kind regards
September 10, 2016 @ 7:09 pm
Please could you tell me whether the box at the bottom of the form ” Firma del Cuidadano (familiar del solicitante) has to be signed? I am applying in person and have an appointment on Tuesday, so a speedy reply would be very much appreciated!
September 12, 2016 @ 10:07 am
Hi Cherril. From memory, we didn’t. But I would check with someone local in case it is different in your area.
October 23, 2016 @ 5:53 pm
Hello. I have been living in Spain for 6 years and I have Certificado de Registro de UE. I have just moved from Granada to Alicante. Is is correct that I need to go to the oficina de extranjeria with the form EX-18 so I can get an updated Certificado de Registro card? Many Thanks
October 24, 2016 @ 11:11 am
Hi Thomas. Yes, kind of correct. You may not get a card… but merely an A4 paper certificate. Not all areas do the cards.
Good luck!
January 20, 2017 @ 8:36 am
When filling out EX18, can I use English or does it have to be Spanish?
January 20, 2017 @ 12:38 pm
In Spanish. It is legal documentation and therefore has to be in the official language of the country it is for.
February 21, 2017 @ 6:06 pm
I work in the UK. We have a house there
I travel between UK & Spain as my family live in our house in Spain.
My children go to Spanish School.
We all travel back to the UK during holiday times
Do we require Permanent Residencia or Temporay as I dont envisage us living here for ever, but at the moment we spend more time in Spain than the UK
thanks
February 21, 2017 @ 6:13 pm
Hi Sean. If you are spending more than 3 months in total in Spain during the year… then yes you need to fill in this form.
It is more of a registration than anything. It just means longer than 30 days rather than “forever”.
However – speak to a specialist about any tax implications.
E x
March 22, 2017 @ 9:49 pm
Hi Elle I am getting a property in Spain but will not be in Spain more than 3 months at the time. Do I just fill out form EX15 or do I have to fill out EX18.
Thanks
March 23, 2017 @ 10:03 am
Hi Kellie. You just need EX15 because you won’t be resident. However, bear in mind that you are no0rmally considered resident if in Spain for more than 183 days in total over a year-long period – rather than “at a time”. So if you were here for 2.5 months in Jan/Feb for example, and then came back in August for a month and then a week at Christmas… that would push you over the 183 days.
Hope that helps. xxx
November 28, 2017 @ 2:44 pm
Are the EX15 and EX18 things mutually exclusive? Does just processing my EX18 also give me an NIE number?
November 29, 2017 @ 10:07 am
Yes you’ll get a NIE number that way too. Good luck! E x
December 25, 2017 @ 2:37 pm
Hello,
I have some questions about ex-01 form
We booked a hotel in spain but for 2 weeks and its not our premanent accommodation place .
1.should we filled domicilio en Espana with our hotel location in (Datos del extranjero/A) part 1 ? And in part 3 (Domicilio A efectos de notoficationes) ?
If not what should we do ?because we are not able to rent a house before getting the visa
2. In part 1 . The last sentence (consiento la comprobacion de esta cirunstancia) what meaning? Should i chek the box or not?
Thank you for your help
Best regards
December 28, 2017 @ 2:26 pm
I don’t know that the police would accept the hotel as your address. I’d stick to your permanent accommodation once you have it.
But… you say you can’t get a rented house before getting your visa? The word “Visa” concerns me. What is your originating country?
Regarding the tick box: That is up to you. If you are confident that your email is checked regularly… then tick it. It’s just so they have a way of contacting you via email with any announcements or future information.
Elle xx
December 28, 2017 @ 3:16 pm
Thank you for your response. Im from Iran . First of all when you want to apply for 3month national visa for non-lucrative visa you should rent a house during your living in spain but befor we go to embassy we can not rent a house beacuse we are not ensure aboute first 3 months visa ,they will get to us or not so …. Whats your suggestion to field address in spain place?
For this reason we booked a hotel , if we will succeed to get visa , we are going to rent a house in spain and when we go to police we will write address of it
Thank uou so much
December 28, 2017 @ 5:39 pm
Ah… I can’t advise knowledgeably for relocators coming from Iran. So sorry! I would recommend that you speak to the Spanish Embassy in Iran, or the Iran Embassy in Spain, as soon as you can, and see what they suggest.
Good luck!!!
Elle xxxx
January 8, 2018 @ 1:28 pm
Hi there,
My husband and I (both EU citizens), moved to Valencia in June and have opened a restaurant business, so we are both registered as Autonomo and have been paying Spanish social security since October 2017. We have had our temporary NIEs since June and empadronamiento since July.
Now we need to get our permanent residence (mainly to stop paying such extortionate bank fees!) but the EX 18 form doesn’t appear to have a category for us! Although we want permanent residence, we haven’t lived here for 5 years, nor are we of pension age. Is there a different form that we should be filling out? We already have appointments in February at the Oficina de Extranjeros so don’t want to waste their time (or ours)! Thanks for your help.
January 8, 2018 @ 1:44 pm
Hiya! It is unclear what you actually applied for in June. If it was the EX18 that you filled out at the time, then you’re covered. Do you have a certificate called “Certificado do Extranjeros”? If so, you already have Residencia. If not – then I would recommend you have another chat to your bank manager and ask them what you need to get now – and show them the EX18 so they can advise you. I suspect you are already set up and your bank needs to make some changes at their end… but that’s only an educated guess.
Your NIE is permanently yours… so you don’t need to renew it (or make it more permanent). It is your Residency that is for five years. In some parts of Spain (and depending what day of the week you registered he he) it is automatically permanent and doesn’t need the five year renewal either – we’ve never had to renew ours… we are classed as permanent residents. However – sometimes places will need to see a more recent copy (within 90 days) and those individual places will tell you whether a recent copy of your Empadron (available from your townhall for a few centimos) or a recent formal copy of your Residencia / NIE will do. Unless someone/something is asking for a newer copy of your Residencia – then you won’t need that appointment. If you have that certificate I mentioned above – you’re okay.
After ten years you can also apply for citizenship too.
Does that help? xx
January 17, 2018 @ 12:57 am
Hello, first of all, thank you for the explanation it is great.
I have just one question about the address. I’m in transition to Spain and I still don’t have a fixed address. To get the NIE, I was told in the police office to take it together with the EU certificate.
However , in the forms I have to fill in a spanish address. Should I put my hotel because I don’t have a flat? Or stick with some friend address? Thank you.
January 17, 2018 @ 12:22 pm
This is a commonly asked question – but the answer varies from area to area I’m afraid. Most seem okay with you using a friend’s address for now.
E xx
February 2, 2018 @ 10:53 pm
hi i have a question I have downloaded the e18 form and in the process of completing is this the form. Do I take to the bank to get stamped and pay the fee? I have an appointment at the police station feb 16th but am a little confused as somewhere I have seen you need to visit the police station first and complete a form 790. Along with a certificate bancario. Certificate de empdronamiento
I have my permanent contract and three payslips from the Company I also have my deeds to the house 4 pictures and my passport plus copies and my medical card . Do you think this is okay?
February 5, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
We (and many others) had to collect the Certificado de Extranjeros from the police station first as they will have stamped it… then take it to the bank to pay… then return to the police station. But this can be different in other areas. We couldn’t get our Empadroniamiento until AFTER we had the Certificado de Extranjeros – but again we have heard that this varies in other areas. Nothing’s ever simple eh!
Am sure the paperwork you’ve listed will be fine. It proves your ID, abode and earnings.
Good luck!
e xx
July 24, 2019 @ 3:25 pm
hello Elle…..I wonder if you have an English translation of the following form….EX – 01….if you could please send it to my mail….many thanks…B
July 25, 2019 @ 12:04 pm
So sorry Bryan – but we don’t have an English translation of it yet.
E x
July 27, 2020 @ 5:57 pm
Can I complete EX-20 in English?
Can I do it all myself or do I need a legal representative which is asked for at the end of the first section?
July 27, 2020 @ 6:52 pm
HI Christopher.
“Can I complete EX-20 in English?”
– No. It must be completed in Spanish.
“Can I do it all myself or do I need a legal representative which is asked for at the end of the first section?”
– You can do it yourself. However, if you are not confident in the language, you may include an error which could end up costing you more in time. For peace of mind, there are many businesses that will do it for a fee. Obviously any fingerprinting will need to be done by you :o)
Good luck!
September 26, 2020 @ 8:53 am
we are residens in Spain but are leaving how do we become none residents in the town we live in
September 29, 2020 @ 11:09 am
Hi Alan!
You need to contact the following:
Bank/s (Your bank account type may need to change to “non-resident”)
Ayuntamiento (to be removed from the Empadron) – in most cases, they just do it there and then. Others may just shrug and not do anything. Ayuntamientos get money based on how many are on their list, but the government is quite rightly clamping down. In our last home – there were 8 people registered as living at our address when we went to sort it out!!
Hacienda (for tax)
Good luck with the move.
E x
September 28, 2020 @ 12:37 pm
Hi i am filling out an ex23 form. When i get to section 4 i am not sure which box to tick. My circumstances are i got residency January this year and have the little green residency card. It doesn’t have permanent typed on it so i know my tie will be valid for 5 years. I am from the UK. Do i apply for a temporary tie or a permanent tie.
September 29, 2020 @ 11:05 am
Hi there! You select “Temporary”.
Good luck!
E x
October 18, 2020 @ 6:14 pm
Hi. I want to move to Barcelona within 2 weeks and going to fill out the EX20 form before the withdrawal agreement. I’m struggling to get an apartment without a NIE number. When filling out the EX20 form can I use an Air bnb address until I get an apartment?
October 19, 2020 @ 10:35 am
Hi there. To my knowledge, no. You have to use a permanent address. It may be different up in Catalunya, but I doubt it.
Good luck with the move!
E x
October 28, 2020 @ 12:44 pm
Hello
I am filling in the ex20 to start the residencia process, do I need to do this form for my children too? I have no problem filling the form in I just can’t see what section I should select for them on the second page. Is there a fee I need to pay for this? I can’t find any information about a fee for this form. Thank you
March 2, 2023 @ 8:37 pm
Hi Elle , i am trying to register my s1 med certificate , there is a box at the top of the form c-176-c which translates as “status of assurance ” would you happen to know what this means?
March 3, 2023 @ 4:09 am
HI Clifford. This is asking what state you are in terms of why you qualify. This may be one of the following: Employed, Self Employed, receiving Social Security or a Pensioner.
I hope that helps but I’d advise you speak to a local expert to get your exact wording in Spanish… as we all know what happens if you get a word wrong on these things :o)
E xx