🇪🇸
Daily life in Spain
Daily life in Spain becomes much easier once you have your local ID or tax number, address registration, health cover and a safe way to ask official questions.
Everyday offices in Spain
Seguridad Social (TGSS): Social security number. Phone: 901 50 20 50. SEPE: Employment service & unemployment benefits. Cruz Roja / CEPAIM / Accem: NGOs supporting newcomers. Agencia Tributaria: Tax ID for foreigners, returns.
Numbers, banking and benefits
Get your NIE / TIE: The NIE is your unique foreigner number. EU citizens get a green certificate; non-EU get a TIE card. Book a cita previa — On sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es — choose 'Asignación NIE' or 'Toma de huellas'. Appointments are scarce; try early morning. Pay the tax (modelo 790) — Form 790 code 012, ~12 €. Pay at any bank or online. Attend with documents — Passport + copy, completed EX-15 (NIE) or EX-17 (TIE), photos, proof of reason (work contract, study, family). Empadronamiento: Town-hall address registration. Required for healthcare card, school enrollment, residence renewals. Book at your ayuntamiento — Each town has its own portal — search '[city] empadronamiento cita'. Free. Bring proof of address — Rental contract, utility bill, or owner's authorization. If you live with someone, they must come and sign. Receive certificado de empadronamiento — Same day or by post. Renew every 2 years for non-EU citizens. Healthcare (Tarjeta Sanitaria): Universal public healthcare for residents. Free at point of use; small co-pay on prescriptions. Get a social security number — Apply at TGSS with passport + NIE + work contract or proof of residence. Register at your health center — Go to your nearest Centro de Salud with padrón, social-security number, NIE. Without contributions — If you have no work history, request 'asistencia sanitaria a personas sin recursos' — covers you once empadronado.
Safety, legal help and discrimination
Emergency number: 112. Support line: 016 (violencia de género). If you face discrimination, domestic violence, wage theft or housing abuse, ask a legal-aid office, equality body or migrant NGO for free confidential help.
Settling into local routines
Learn the waste-sorting rules, transport pass options, quiet-hour customs, school contact habits and basic phrases in Spanish. Small local routines reduce stress and make neighbours, teachers and offices more helpful.
Frequently asked questions
What should I organise first after arriving in Spain?
Start with address registration, residence or ID paperwork, health cover, a bank account if possible, and the key numbers used for tax or social security.
Which office should I contact first in Spain?
Start with Seguridad Social (TGSS). For broader newcomer help, also check Extranjería (Oficina de Extranjeros), Ayuntamiento (Padrón), Seguridad Social (TGSS).
What language will offices use in Spain?
The main administrative language is Spanish. Larger offices often offer English or interpreters, but bring translated documents when possible.
Can I use my home country driving licence?
EU licences are valid across the EU. Non-EU licences are usually valid for 6–12 months, after which you must exchange or retake the test.
Is tap water safe?
Yes, tap water is safe and highly regulated across the EU.