Registering in the Barcelona padró (empadronament)

Before you start

• Original identity document
• Original document showing your right to live at the address, or the owner's or tenant's signed authorisation

Documents you need

• Identity document: TIE or passport (non-EU); EU registration certificate, passport or national ID card (EU/EEA/Swiss)

  required

• Current lease of at least three months

  required

• Signed authorisation from the owner or tenant plus a copy of their ID

  If you are not on the lease, for example when renting a room.

  optional

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose how to apply

   • In person at a Citizen Service Office (Oficina d'Atenció Ciutadana, OAC), by appointment. Book through the city's appointment service. There is an OAC in every district; the OAC Monumental (Carrer de Sicília, 216-218, Eixample) also serves people in English, French, Arabic, Urdu and sign language. Registration is completed on the spot.
   • Online through the Virtual Office with a digital signature (idCAT Mòbil, Cl@ve or electronic DNI). You receive confirmation by email in about seven days.
   • By phone on 010 (from outside the metropolitan area 931 537 010, standard rate). Service is available in Catalan, Spanish, English and French. You receive the form and instructions by post and must return them within one month.
2. 2

   Step 2: Gather your identity documents

   Bring originals:

   • Non-EU nationals: TIE or passport.
   • EU, EEA or Swiss nationals: EU registration certificate, passport or national ID card. A stand-alone NIE certificate must be shown together with your passport or ID card.
   • Children: their passport or ID, plus the family book or birth certificate if the parents' details are not on the child's documents.

   Documents must be in Catalan or Spanish; otherwise bring a sworn translation.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prove that you can live at the address

   • Tenants: a current lease (not open-ended) with a minimum term of three months, or an expired lease that has been extended together with the latest rent receipt (paid within the last two months), a utility bill in your name (paid within the last three months) or a bank transfer identifying the rental.
   • Owners: nothing if you appear on the property tax (IBI) bill; otherwise a deed or private purchase contract less than a year old, or a land registry extract.
   • Rooms, friends' flats or family: the owner or main tenant signs an authorisation for your registration and gives you a copy of their ID and their own proof of ownership or tenancy. The authorisation is valid for one month.
   • No documents at all: you can still register at the address where you live. Submit a generic application and an address verification request; the council checks that you live there. This route can take up to three months.
   • No fixed address: you can register at the address of a municipal service with a proof of residence report (informe de coneixement de residència, ICR) from social services.
4. 4

   Step 4: Attend, register and keep your volant

   At the OAC the registration is processed immediately and you can ask for up to two copies of the document. Online and phone registrations are confirmed by email or post. You can later download volants de residència and convivència online or ask for them at any OAC.

5. 5

   Step 5: Renew and update

   • Non-EU nationals without long-term residence must renew their registration every two years.
   • EU citizens with an EU registration certificate renew every five years; EU citizens not registered as such renew every two years.
   • Register again whenever you move within Barcelona.

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Bringing photocopies instead of originals to the OAC.
• Forgetting the copy of the owner's or tenant's ID when registering with an authorisation.
• Letting the two-year renewal lapse, which can cause problems with the health card and immigration renewals.

Tips

• The Barcelona International Welcome Desk (Carrer de Roc Boronat, 117) helps newcomers with formalities by appointment.
• The SAIER (Carrer de Tarragona, 141) gives free help to immigrants with registration and other formalities.
• Ask for a volant de convivència if you have children; you will need it for school pre-registration.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Official links

In your plan

• Register in the Barcelona padróAdd to plan
• Renew your padró registration every two yearsAdd to plan
• Find and sign a long-term leaseAdd to plan
• Book temporary accommodation that allows padró registrationAdd to plan
• Check what free movement means for you in SpainAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 6 Apr 2027.