Getting Your Empadronamiento Certificate in Barcelona

You’ve made the leap to live in one of the greatest cities in the world and you know you’ll love ‘la vida loca’. But before you start cheering, get ready for the paperwork.

To live and work in Barcelona, you will need a number of documents, which includes your empadronamiento, formal registration with your local council (ayuntamiento) stating your place of residence.

Today in this article ShBarcelona shares the not so complicated process of how to get empadronamiento Barcelona online.

Table of Contents

What is padron certificate in Barcelona?

An empadronamiento is required if you plan to live in Spain for more than six months or for obtaining residency, a vehicle, a health insurance card, vote, or getting married.

Photo via Pixabay

Related article: Getting the Foreign Identity Number (NIE)

This will also help you to enrol at the local library, schools, and even give you discounts on local events or venues in your neighbourhood. The process itself is quite painless, free of charge, and very quick.

This document needs to be processed within the first three months of your stay in Barcelona and has to be renewed every 5 years or each time you move.

Staying in Barcelona for a while

How to get your empadronamiento – get the right documents

What you’ll need:

Your passport and a copy of the face page

Proof of address: if you rent the entire flat, then provide an original copy of the lease in Spanish or Catalan (contract must be for more than 6 months, signed within the last 5 years). If you rent a room, then a formal document from the owner of the flat that says you live there is required plus a signed copy of their ID; or you can get an autorización expresa, a statement signed by someone who is already registered (empadronado) at your address as well as a signed copy of their ID. Finally, if you own the property then you’ll need an original copy of the title deed (escritura).

Photo via Pixabay

Make an appointment, find the local council

It’s not necessary to make an appointment (cita previa) for the padron certificate but if you prefer to do so, call 010 or make one using the Solicitud de cita previa portal. It may help to save time.

Otherwise, just turn up to your local council without an appointment. It’s probably worth trying to get it done first thing in the morning.

Here is a list of the local city council addresses for the barrios in Barcelona:

District Ciutat Vella – Calle Ramelleres, 17
District Eixample – Calle Aragó, 328
District Sants-Montjuïc – Calle Creu Coberta, 104
District Les Corts – Plaza Comas 18
District Sarrià-Sant Gervasi – Calle Anglí, 31
District Gràcia – Plaza Vila de Gràcia, 2
District Horta-Guinardó – Calle Lepant, 387
District Nou Barris – Plaça Major de Nou Barris, 1
District Sant Andreu – Calle Segre, 24-32
District Sant Martí – Plaza Valentí Almirall, 1

Photo via Pixabay

Monthly rentals in Barcelona

Pick up your empadronamiento

You’ll most likely need a ticket from the machine at the reception or be told by the person at the front desk where to go. The queue might be long, but the task itself takes approximately 10 minutes, assuming you have all the documents needed, so be patient.

The attending person will fill out the application form for you on the spot and issue the document. Ask for an extra copy of your entry in Barcelona’s resident register.

Did you manage to get your empadronamiento?
Share valuable tips!

Sources:

https://seuelectronica.ajuntament.barcelona.cat/oficinavirtual/es/search-result?keyword=Empadronamiento

View Comments

alfalah12345 says:

04/23/2016 at 09:40

Very informative post!!
Minhas says:

03/23/2018 at 22:15

Hello, Please confirm if the padro was cut and not revenue in three months then after three month it will be revenue only for the pending months or again for three year duration

Minhas says:

03/23/2018 at 22:16

Sorry renew not revenue.

Faith says:

11/03/2019 at 15:15

Hello,
Your document is very helpful
What do I do if the owner of the house I'm renting cannot give me a contract

Daniella says:

11/04/2019 at 10:30

Hello Faith,
You need some kind of proof that you are living in Barcelona (legally).
Good luck!
Daniella

aymane says:

04/18/2018 at 00:29

Hello, thank you for this informations.

i just have one question, i went in to make an appointment, but in the part "tema" i can't figure out which one is the correct for the Appointment with the Barcelona City Council. can you help me !!

thank you.
Victor says:

02/03/2022 at 18:42

Hi,
Thanks for the article.
I will likely have a first contract of 3 months (say March to June) and then start a longer one in June.
Is it possible to get the padron in the following scenarios:
1) with the 3 month contract when I arrive in Barcelona
2) with the longer term contract, but before I actually start living in that place (ie before June)

Thank you!
Victor

Daniella says:

02/06/2022 at 07:35

Hi Victor,
You have now contacted the blog of a real estate agency.
Please get in touch with the Barcelona City Council for an exact answer to your questions.
Best regards,
Daniella