Moving to Barcelona: the paperwork checklist, in the order that actually works

Before flying, get the Hague Apostille on your birth certificate, marriage certificate, and academic diplomas. Spanish authorities require sworn translations (traducción jurada) of any non-Spanish document submitted to a registry, university, or extranjería office. Doing this from origin is far cheaper and faster than after arrival.

Cita previa slots in Barcelona disappear within minutes of release and are the single biggest bottleneck of the relocation. Open the ICP (Administración Electrónica) booking site as soon as you have a flight date and select 'Barcelona' plus the procedure you need. Refresh at off-peak hours; a found slot is worth taking even if the date is not ideal.

Spain treats you as a tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spanish territory during a calendar year, or if your main centre of economic interests is in Spain. Tax residency means worldwide-income taxation under IRPF, plus reporting obligations like Modelo 720. Map your travel calendar early and decide whether you want residency to start this year or next.

Ley 28/2022 created two figures for international remote workers: a one-year visa (applied at the Spanish consulate from origin) and a residence authorisation of up to three years renewable for two more, applied for in Spain at the UGE-CE. Family members can be included. Confirm current income thresholds and required documentation on the BOE text and the UGE-CE site before filing.

These three marketplaces hold the bulk of unfurnished long-term listings (alquiler de larga duración). Set up alerts with your target neighbourhoods, max rent, and number of rooms. Listings are posted by both private landlords and agencies; agency fees were reformed by Spain's housing law, so check the official site for the current commission rules.

Wise lets you hold and convert across 40+ currencies at the real mid-market rate, and gives you EUR account details so you can receive money in Spain before your local bank account is open. New arrivals usually use Wise to bring savings over from their home country and as a backup card while the Spanish bank account is being set up.

Until you have residency, you can open a 'cuenta de no residente' at most Spanish banks. The Banco de España's customer portal (Portal del Cliente Bancario) is the official starting point for understanding the difference between resident and non-resident accounts and the certificates banks may ask for. See the official site for the current required documents and any fees.

112 is the single emergency number across Spain and the EU. It connects you to police, fire, and medical emergencies and operators handle calls in Spanish, Catalan, English, and French. It's free from any phone and works without a SIM. For non-urgent health questions in Catalonia, dial 061 Salut Respon instead.

TMB's T-usual is a personal, non-transferable pass with unlimited journeys for 30 consecutive days from first validation, starting at €22.80. If you are under 30, the T-jove gives you 90 consecutive days of unlimited travel across all fare zones for €45.50. Buy either online via the TMB website or through the TMB app.

Barcelona Expats and Girl Gone International (GGI) Barcelona are the two biggest Facebook groups for newcomers, used daily for housing leads, doctor recommendations, second-hand sales and meetup invites. Request to join with a short intro about why you moved.

Catalan schools split into pública (state-funded), concertada (state-subsidised private), privada (fully private) and international (e.g. BFIS, ASB, Hamelin Laie). Pública and concertada both go through preinscripció; international and privada have their own admissions. Use the Departament d'Educació's Mapa Escolar to compare schools by neighbourhood.

Tasa 790-012 is the government fee for NIE, TIE, and the EU Citizen Registration Certificate. You fill the form on the Sede Policía Nacional portal, print it, and pay at any Spanish bank (or pay online if your bank is integrated). Bring the stamped receipt to your cita previa; without it the office will turn you away. See the official site for the current amount.

Form EX-15 is the official application for the Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE) for non-EU applicants requesting the number without a residence permit. Print two copies, fill them in black ink, and bring them to your cita previa together with passport, justification of economic/professional/social interest, and the paid tasa 790-012 receipt.

Catalonia uses a centralised pre-enrolment process (preinscripció escolar) run by the Departament d'Educació, typically opening in March-April for the September school year. The portal covers early childhood (0-6), primary, secondary and vocational training. See the official preinscripció site for this year's exact application window and required documents.

For children under 3, Barcelona runs municipal escoles bressol and the Generalitat runs llars d'infants. Pre-registration goes through the same Catalan preinscripció portal, with limited spots and a points-based admissions system that rewards being empadronat in the district. See the official sites for this year's dates and the municipal Barcelona bressol portal for city-run centres.

Spain's Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos (LAU 29/1994) sets the rules for residential leases. Article 9 gives tenants the right to extend a residential contract up to 5 years (7 if the landlord is a company), and Article 36.1 caps the cash deposit (fianza) at one month's rent for housing. Article 21 obliges the landlord to keep the property habitable. Read these articles before you sign and confirm in writing what's included.