Getting your TIE after arrival in Barcelona

On arrival to Barcelona, you will have to apply for your TIE at the police station of any town in the province where you are registered.

The first thing you need to do is to get is an appointment at the police station. This can take a long time (up to several weeks), and many attempts. Whilst waiting for the appointment, you can gather the other documents.

Here are instructions on how to get your appointment: How to get an appointment for TIE through Extranjeria website

All documents must be presented in either Catalan or Spanish. If your original documents are in another language, they must be certified and accompanied by a sworn translation into Catalan or Spanish.

Documents needed:

• • Completed EX-17 form: Download this form from the government website, fill it out completely, and sign it. Here are instructions on how to complete the EX17 form

• • Proof of payment (Tasa 790): Pay the required fee at a bank or through an ATM and bring the receipt as proof of payment. Here is the form Tax 790 Code 012: 

Choose the option: «TIE que documenta la primera concesión de la autorización de residencia temporal, de estancia o para trabajadores transfronterizos.» 

• • Recent passport-sized photo: A recent, color photo with a white background, passport-size (32mm x 26mm).

• • Empadronamiento: This is your registration with the municipality, proving your address in Barcelona (see next page)

• • Appointment confirmation: Print out your confirmation to show you have an appointment at the police station.

• • Passport and copies: Original passport and copies of the photo page, visa page (if applicable), and the entry stamp.

You will be issued a provisional copy of your Student Residence Authorization Card which will be valid until you will receive the original card in one or two months. The period of validity will depend on the duration of your studies. To collect the TIE card in the police office it will also be necessary to make an appointment.

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST APPLY FOR THIS AUTHORIZATION WITHIN A PERIOD OF 30 DAYS AFTER ENTERING THE EUROPEAN UNION. For this, you will need to present your flight ticket (boarding ticket) or the stamp on your passport showing the date in which you entered the European Union.

What is Empadronamiento?

“Empadronamiento” (also called “Padrón”) is a city hall registration to inform the municipal register where you currently reside. It is a census record which allows the city to generate a list of local inhabitants. It is mandatory to register (empadronarse) for anyone who plans to live in Spain more than six months in a year.

In addition, the Certificate of Empadronamiento should be no more than 3 months old in order to be considered valid for the administrative tasks above. You can ask for a copy of the certificate with the current date at your nearest town hall for free.

How to get “Empadronamiento” in Barcelona?

You can register at the nearest town hall (ayuntamiento) in your neighbourhood or any town hall in the city but always with “cita previa“.

You can get an appointment by calling 010 or on this website: Solicitud de cita previa

Necessary documents:

• • Passport (original + copy)

• • NIE (if you already have it)

• • Bill that you paid the rent

• • Proof of address:
    
    • • if you own the property: original copy of the title deeds (escritura)
    • • if you’re renting a flat: original copy of the rental agreement in Spanish/Catalan (contract must be for more than 6 months, signed within the last 5 years)
    • • if you rent a room:
        
        • • written document from the owner of the flat stating you reside at the address + signed copy of his/her ID + contract
        • •  – OR –
        • • Autorización expresa – document signed by a person already registered (“empadronado”) at your address + signed copy of his/her ID + contract

The procedure is free of charge. The registration should be renewed every 5 years for EU-citizens or every time you change your home address.