# Do I need Residencia if I have a NIE as I've just been told I don't?



## labob (Dec 2, 2014)

At the foreigner's office. The bloke told me I don't actually need it as I already have a NIE.

I don't know if I believe him! 

I'm in Valencia city.

Hello to everyone.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

labob said:


> At the foreigner's office. The bloke told me I don't actually need it as I already have a NIE.
> 
> I don't know if I believe him!
> 
> ...


He's WRONG. You do need one as it's the law.

It's not actually called a 'residencia' (before others start complaining) - it's a certificate of registration that shows you are on the foreigners list.


Without this document, many things are impossible (or very hard to do) in Spain.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> He's WRONG. You do need one as it's the law.
> 
> It's not actually called a 'residencia' (before others start complaining) - it's a certificate of registration that shows you are on the foreigners list.
> 
> ...


Unless of course you are not resident in Spain, then you would not need one, in fact, could not have one.


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## labob (Dec 2, 2014)

Thanks, I'll have to go back tomorrow then, which is a massive pain. 

I showed him the EX-18 too, so I'm probably going to have to argue my case!

Just to ask, what things can you now not do without residencia?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

labob said:


> Thanks, I'll have to go back tomorrow then, which is a massive pain.
> 
> I showed him the EX-18 too, so I'm probably going to have to argue my case!
> 
> Just to ask, what things can you now not do without residencia?


You do not say you are living in Spain. As I said, if you are not living in Spain that would explain why you were told you cannot register on the EU Citizens Register. Other than that I cannot see any reason why you were told that.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

labob said:


> Thanks, I'll have to go back tomorrow then, which is a massive pain.
> 
> I showed him the EX-18 too, so I'm probably going to have to argue my case!
> 
> Just to ask, what things can you now not do without residencia?


do you actually live here?

one thing you can't do is have a resident bank account - non-resident accounts have higher charges


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## labob (Dec 2, 2014)

Yes I do live here. I already have a NIE from living here before (I returned to the UK for some time for family reasons) and of course the rules have been changed in the interim, I think this is what's caused the confusion as I've been able to open a resident bank account with just my NIE, some places are probably still working off the old rules.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

labob said:


> Yes I do live here. I already have a NIE from living here before (I returned to the UK for some time for family reasons) and of course the rules have been changed in the interim, I think this is what's caused the confusion as I've been able to open a resident bank account with just my NIE, some places are probably still working off the old rules.


As you live here, i.e. this is you main or only home, go back and explain that. As in that situation you MUST register on the EU Citizens Register,.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

labob said:


> Thanks, I'll have to go back tomorrow then, which is a massive pain.
> 
> I showed him the EX-18 too, so I'm probably going to have to argue my case!
> 
> Just to ask, what things can you now not do without residencia?



... in theory, you can't get a resident bank account, you can't get SIP (health) cards, you would have problems registering children at school, you can't enrol on the padron, you would have difficulties buying a car etc. etc.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> ... in theory, you can't get a resident bank account, you can't get SIP (health) cards, you would have problems registering children at school, you can't enrol on the padron, you would have difficulties buying a car etc. etc.


Not wanting to split hairs but I know of at least three municipalities where for many years, one has not needed to be EU Registered to be on the Padron. I know several holiday home owners who were welcomed on the padron (and thus get a discount on local taxes IBI etc). After all, the town hall gets somewhere around 110€ p.a. for each person registered.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> ... in theory, you can't get a resident bank account, you can't get SIP (health) cards, you would have problems registering children at school, you can't enrol on the padron, you would have difficulties buying a car etc. etc.


no - sorry

you don't have to be a registered resident to be on the padrón, nor to get your children into school - nor to get SIP cards / tarjetas sanitarias

to go on the padrón, the rules state that you need proof of address such as rental contract or escritura - even 'illegals' can go on the padrón - you just have to live here

to get your children into school, you only have to be on the padrón - even the children of 'illegals' are entitled to attend school

you can get a tarjeta sanitaria without being a registered resident - if you have a NIE & are registered as autónomo you are entited to healthcare - & then you can use that entitlement when you register as resident

non-residents can buy cars - so you don't need a resident cert for that - just a NIE number 

& yes I know that in some places people will indeed be told that they need this & that - but the rules are as I've posted


regardless of what you might or might not need that cert for though, it's a requirement to register


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

larryzx said:


> Not wanting to split hairs but I know of at least three municipalities where for many years, one has not needed to be EU Registered to be on the Padron. I know several holiday home owners who were welcomed on the padron (and thus get a discount on local taxes IBI etc). After all, the town hall gets somewhere around 110€ p.a. for each person registered.


Quite so. Add mine to your list.

And just to make things even more exciting, my New Zealand friend who's here for six months had to get a padrón certificate in order to get his temporary NIE.


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