Information applicable to all students from countries outside the European Union.

Procedures for non-EU students

Obtaining the Cencus Certificate

All persons living in Barcelona are required to register in the town hall (empadronamiento). The empadronamiento is the municipal census registry of the residents in the city and is a mandatory requisite in order to access public services such as health care or education. Furthermore, be registered as resident in Barcelona is also required for completing other procedures related to Immigration law.

Steps to follow for empadronamiento​

To be registeres as resident in Barcelona, you must request a previous appointment before going to one of the Citizen Services offices with the necessary documentation.

Required documentation

  • Original passport and one copy or valid Residence card (TIE).
  • Original documents that certifies your residency: house title, rental contract (not older than 5 years and valid for 6 months at least), and one of the last bills (water, gas, electricity) stating the name and the address of the applicant. Lease agreement with a maximum seniority of 5 years. or last receipt of any supply (water, gas, electricity, etc.) stating the name and address of the person requesting the registration.

In case you are not the owner of the property, to obtain the registration as resident, you will need a signed authorization from the owner and a copy of his/her ID.

Obtaining the resident permit (TIE: Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero)

Once in Spain, one of your priority is to apply for the Spanish resident permit (TIE) within the first 30 days upon your arrival in Europe.  

You can apply for the residence card only if you will stay in Spain for a period longer than 6 months and if the VISA issued is a D type valid for 90 days.

The TIE is considered your Spanish ID, which proof your legal residence in Spain.

This permit is valid maximum one year and it can be renewed from 2 months before the due date.

In order to get your first TIE, you must book an appointment to any Police office (Extranjeria) in the province of residence. To book an appointment click here (enlace: sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/pagina/index/directorio/icpplus)

The documents to submit at police office must be in Spanish or Catalan and are:

  • Original official form Ex-17 and a copy.
  • Original passport and copy.
  • Original Visa and copy.
  • Photocopy of the entrance stamp in EU or flight ticket (boarding pass).
  • Registration in the city hall – Empadronamiento
  • Three photos passport size in colour and on a white background.
  • School certificate – Certificate of enrolment.
  • Health insurance that covers medical expenses during the stay.

After the appointment, you will receive a temporary certificate with your resident permit number. After 4 weeks from this date, you can go to collect the TIE card to the same police office where you attended the appointment or to the address indicated on the temporary certificate. Before you go to get the residence card, do not forget to pay the tax in any bank.

Renewing your TIE

Students must do the TIE renewal process personally and this process can be started only from 2 months before the permit expires.

The documents, in Spanish or Catalan, to be submitted are:

  • Original official form Ex-00 and a copy.
  • Original passport and one copy.
  • Original resident permit (TIE) and one copy.
  • Certificate of economic means from a Spanish bank account (you should have the 100 % of IPREM - Public Income Indicator of Multiple Effects- which is 532,51euros/month - 6.390,12euros/year).
  • School certificate – Certificate of enrolment and grades.
  • Receipt of payment of the renewal process tax. 
    • To get the tax form  
    • Fill in the data (fields with * are mandatory) and click on the option 1.3 (the amount is 16,81 euros)
    • Write the security code.
    • "Get the document".
    • Print the form.
    • Pay at the bank.
    • Attach to the previous documentation the receipt and the copy.

If you changed your address, you must also hand-in the new “empadronamiento” (registration in the town hall).

To check the status of the renewal process.

Once the resolution is “Favorable” and the TIE expired, you can complete the renewal process booking an appointment for fingerprint at police station (extranjería).

If you see that the status of your TIE is “en trámite” (in process) for long time or is “tramite-requerido” (document-requested), contact the international office.

AUTHORIZATION TO RETURN

You can get information about this process here

The official Ex-13 form can be downloaded here

To get the authorization to return, you must request an appointment.