NEXO Spain

Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión

Register as an EU/EEA/Swiss resident in Spain

Register your residence in Spain if you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen staying for more than three months.

Who it is for
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
Legal deadline
3 months, from entry
How long it takes
certificate issued immediately when the registration requirements are met
Cost
current government fee
Where
In person · Policía Nacional / Oficina de Extranjería

Steps

  1. Identify the qualifying basis: employed, self-employed, sufficient resources plus health cover, student, or qualifying family status.interior.gob.es
  2. Complete EX-18, generate/pay Modelo 790 código 012, and prepare the evidence for that qualifying basis.interior.gob.es
  3. Attend the competent Police/Extranjería office and register personally.interior.gob.es

That is the whole procedure

If you would rather go through yours with someone, describe it to NEXO first. You will find out what applies to you, and whether you need a person.

What to bring

  • EX-18, identity document and proof of the 790-012 payment.interior.gob.es
  • Evidence for the qualifying basis: employment/self-employment, resources and health cover, study, or family basis as applicable.interior.gob.es

What the official sources say

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens staying in Spain for more than three months must register when they meet one of the qualifying free-movement conditions.interior.gob.es

The official guidance does not publish the fixed monthly resource figures previously quoted in the old guide.interior.gob.es

When the registration requirements are met, the certificate is issued immediately as part of the registration procedure.interior.gob.es

What we see in practice

NEXO's own observations. They are not official information and carry no source.

  • Do not treat EX-18 as the source of an EU citizen's underlying right to work; it documents registration under the free-movement regime.Observed 2026-09-22
  • Do not promise that EHIC alone satisfies every self-sufficient residence case; verify the actual health-cover basis.Observed 2026-09-22

Questions people ask

Do I need a job?

No. Employment is one route; sufficient resources plus qualifying health cover and student/family routes can also qualify.interior.gob.es

Is there a fixed official monthly savings amount?

Do not use the old €800–€1,500 figures. Apply the official sufficient-resources test to the actual case.interior.gob.es

Do I receive a TIE?

The standard document for an EU citizen is the EU registration certificate, not a general optional TIE.interior.gob.es

What gets it refused or delayed

  • The applicant does not establish any qualifying free-movement basis.interior.gob.es
  • Required identity, fee or category-specific evidence is missing.interior.gob.es

Does any of this sound like you?

  • You cannot clearly establish the applicant's worker, self-employed, student, family or self-sufficient basis.

Cases like these need someone to look at the details. Describe yours to NEXO and we will tell you what applies and what to do next.

Checked by Ivan Pereira on 2026-09-22. Information, not legal advice.

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