A municipal registry is an administrative record listing all of the people who live in a given municipality and it acts as proof of exactly where individuals reside. In Spain, everyone is required by law to register their name with the municipal registry in their place of residence.
Why do foreigners need an empadronamiento?
If you are a foreigner, it is very important that you sign up in the municipal registry as soon as you move to Spain because it will prove how long you have been living in the country, regardless of your legal situation or nationality. Being registered will also be necessary for requesting documents and carrying out other procedures, such as getting a healthcare card, a residence and work permit, or in general all immigration procedures. The empadronamiento is key for requesting an arraigo or social benefits, so don´t hestitate to sign up even if you are in an irregular situation of stay in our country.
In order register you must go to the town hall corresponding to district where you live in Spain.
When you go for your appointment you will have to submit certain documentation. You must fill out the registration form and submit it with your identification card. Foreigners may submit either their passport or their NIE (foreigner identification card). EU community citizens may show their ID card from their home country.
You must also submit your signed housing contract/ lease or property title.
Finally, you cannot be registered in two municipalities at the same time. If you are already registered in one and go to register in another, the new municipality will contact the former one resulting in deregistration from the first.
Translated by: Katherine Pascal