Moving to Barcelona as an English Speaker: First 30 Days

You have landed, the boxes are in the flat, and every next step has a Spanish or Catalan name you do not recognise. The order you do things in matters in Spain, because one document unlocks the next: you cannot get the health card without the padrón, and a resident bank account asks for it too. This guide sets out a 30-day order, with the official fees, the deadlines we could verify and the places where English help exists. It is a plan for the first month, not legal advice, and your route depends on your nationality, so check the official pages linked in the sources.

Week one: the basics before the paperwork

• Save the emergency numbers: 112 for any emergency in Spain, which can connect you to an English speaker, and 061 for urgent health advice in Catalonia.
• Keep the rental contract and the deposit receipt. For a home the deposit is normally one month's rent, and in Catalonia it is lodged with Incasòl, the Catalan deposit body.
• Request an appointment with the council's Welcome Desk, which helps in English, Catalan and Spanish with registering, the health system and enrolling children. It is at Carrer de Roc Boronat 117 and you ask for an appointment through a form.
• Book your padrón appointment (below), because appointments are the bottleneck for almost everything here.

Weeks one and two: register on the padrón

The padrón is the municipal register of where you live. The council says registering gives access to public healthcare and basic schooling for children and is needed for most immigration procedures, and that you do not need regular residence status to register. You can go to any Oficina d'Atenció Ciutadana, call 010 or use the online procedures office. Ask for a padrón certificate and keep several copies, because CatSalut requires one issued in the last three months for the health card and banks ask for one too. If you are not sure which office to use, our neighbourhood starter packs list the one for each area, for example in Gràcia, Eixample and Poblenou.

Weeks two and three: your NIE or TIE

The NIE is your identity and tax number, and many contracts and procedures ask for it. The TIE is the residence card for non-EU citizens with a visa or residence permit. The official fees, set by Orden PJC/617/2025, are €9.84 for the NIE, €16.08 for a first TIE, €19.30 for a renewal and €12 for the EU registration certificate. Anything above that is an adviser's service fee. For a first TIE you apply in person within one month and have your fingerprints taken at the Policía Nacional office for your province, which needs a cita previa booked on the official portal: choose your province, the procedure, enter your passport or NIE number and pick a slot. Slots are scarce, so check often, and a gestor or lawyer can do the booking for a fee. Our newcomer glossary explains each document, and you can compare immigration lawyer fees.

Weeks three and four: the health card and a bank account

CatSalut requires the padrón first for the Catalan health card (TSI). Take your passport or NIE and a padrón certificate issued in the last three months, and apply online or at the health centre (CAP) for your address. A resident bank account usually needs your passport, your NIE or TIE and a padrón certificate, while a non-resident account can often be opened with a passport alone. The Bank of Spain says banks must offer a basic payment account for a maximum of €3 a month to anyone legally resident in the EU. Our bank account guide covers the documents and what to ask. For a doctor in English before the card arrives, see how to see a doctor in English.

If you have children

Children aged 3 to 16 who arrive outside the normal pre-enrolment period, for example when a family moves mid-year, can apply for a school place online at any point in the school year through the Barcelona Education Consortium. Places depend on vacancies, the process is free and requests are generally resolved within about two weeks. Municipal nurseries (escoles bressol) for children up to 3 run a separate application window, in May. Our guides cover school fees and the public alternative and how the nursery application works.

What can wait until month two

• Digital ID: Cl@ve or an electronic certificate, useful for dealing with tax and public offices online.
• Your driving licence: if you are a legal resident you generally have six months to exchange a foreign one.
• Tax: the Spanish income tax return and, if you are self-employed, registering as autónomo.
• Language classes: free Catalan courses and conversation practice are available through the CPNL.

Your 30-day checklist

• Emergency numbers saved (112 and 061).
• Deposit receipt and rental contract filed.
• Welcome Desk appointment requested.
• Padrón appointment booked, certificate collected.
• NIE or TIE appointment booked and attended.
• Health card applied for.
• Bank account opened.
• School or nursery application started, if you have children.

Not sure how much Spanish you will need? Read can you live in Barcelona without speaking Spanish for the data and the honest answer.

Need a gestor or lawyer who works in English? Browse by neighbourhood: All of Barcelona, or by area: Eixample, Poblenou, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Les Corts, Diagonal Mar & Vila Olímpica, Gràcia, El Born & Barri Gòtic and Sants.

All of this, with the official fees, price ranges and emergency numbers, is in our free 17-page guide for people who do not speak Spanish yet.

Some professionals named in our directory offer services mentioned here. A listing is not a ranking or an endorsement, and every figure below comes from a named source. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.