# El Padron and DNI card



## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Hi everyone,

Sorry but I have a strange circumstance that is difficult to get a clear answer on from Spain and the UK.

I am half Spanish and have recently acquired my Spanish passport ready to move to coruña with my Spanish family (on my fathers side).

Because I have been a UK citizen for the 1st half of my life I haven’t been registered in Spain for any official documents yet.

Correct me if I am wrong or please help for much needed advice:

I have my birth certificate and my parents marriage certificate officially translated into Spanish and hold a new Spanish passport.

Do I? 

1) go to the town hall with my Spanish auntie who can register me as living at her permanent address to get a certificate af residency when I arrive to stay..

2) get appointment I advance to the police and take my translated birth certificate, certificate of residency from the Town hall at my aunties address and passport with photos, monies and apply for DNI residency card.

3) also can I be registered in the family book at the town hall at the sAme Time or will I need a separate appointment?

I hope I can get clarity on these complicated procedures.

Ciao
Luis


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I guess by "certificate of residency" you mean padron and not "Residency Certificate"?

DNI is not, of course, a residency card.


My opinion is that you should get your DNI first, then padron.

What's the "family book"?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> I guess by "certificate of residency" you mean padron and not "Residency Certificate"?
> 
> DNI is not, of course, a residency card.
> 
> ...


The OP has a Spanish passport, so will get a DNI - as you say though, not a residency card, but an ID card.


I think the 'libro de familia' no longer exists in actual book form, as it used to, held by the familyas a record of marriage & births - but now there are individual marriage & birth certs etc.


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## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Thanks for getting back to me. 
I need proof of residency for the DNI card though don’t i?

How do I get this?


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

Policia National issued ours, they also issued our passports, perhaps your initial enquiry should be with them.

Different areas will no doubt have different systems.


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## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Thanks.

So an appointment at the policies Nacional without proof of Spanish address on paper will be ok will it?


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

LewisB73 said:


> Thanks.
> 
> So an appointment at the policies Nacional without proof of Spanish address on paper will be ok will it?


That question I cannot answer, however the Policia National should be able to advise you better than we can here. My DNI card does display my current address. My circumstances are far different to yours, I applied for Spanish nationality and had to prove 10 years resident.


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## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Thanks.

This is why I think it could be a better idea to register at the town hall to get proof of address first.


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## Hepa (Apr 2, 2018)

LewisB73 said:


> Thanks.
> 
> This is why I think it could be a better idea to register at the town hall to get proof of address first.


Could be, however DNI cards cost money and have to be changed whenever you change address, you will also need photos.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> The OP has a Spanish passport, so will get a DNI - as you say though, not a residency card, but an ID card.
> 
> 
> I think the 'libro de familia' no longer exists in actual book form, as it used to, held by the familyas a record of marriage & births - but now there are individual marriage & birth certs etc.


Thanks, that's what I thought too.

I didn't know you needed proof of residency for a DNI as he suggests. What if you don't live in Spain but are still Spanish???


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> Thanks, that's what I thought too.
> 
> I didn't know you needed proof of residency for a DNI as he suggests. What if you don't live in Spain but are still Spanish???


Logically, I don't see why you'd need proof of address.


but then this is Spain...


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## JOSELITO (Aug 22, 2018)

Hi Luis,
This is what, in my experience, needs to happen for you to get a DNI made for you at the Jefatura de la Policia Nacional.

You will require a Birth Certificate specifically requested for the purpose of requesting a DNI. This, in your case and in the case of all Spanish citizens not born in Spain, is at the registro central in Madrid. The good news is that you request it on line and it's free.
By the way, this registry in Madrid thing is all part of the process when your parents went to the consulate to register you and updated their Libro de Familia. I'm assuming that this happened as you have a Spanish passport, wether soon after your birth or at some point thereafter.

I believe the Birth Certificate needs to be no older than 3 (or is it 6) months old when you present it requesting your DNI. I don't believe a transcribed UK birth certificate will do.

You will also require a couple of passport type photos. There are booths in front of the Policia Nacional in Coruna (the office by the ports, there are several) and they cost about €5 for a set of 4 photos.

If you search for DNI Cita Previa on google, you should find the Policia Nacional pages quite easily and on there you can request a cita previa and choose from the dates presented. They're a busy bunch so the earliest will be 2 or 3 weeks out. They no longer work under Queue and ask and Cita Previa is a must to get seen.

On that page you will also see all the paperwork you need to take with you, photo types and guidelines (no wearing sunglasses etc).

You may want to forget the fact that you are Dual Nationality. You are, and you're not. My advice would be to go there, present your papers and get your DNI done without mentioning, if applicable, that you have a UK Passport. There is no dual nationality between Spain and the UK, but having said that, it seems to be don't ask don't tell and everyone's cool.

Cost of DNI card is free if your family is "numerosa" 3 kids or more, or about €15. Same for passport renewal, about €16. Yeah, nothing like the UK.

As for Padron etc., not sure if you need it but by simply going to your ayuntamiento and asking for a volante de padron for the address you're in, you'll get one.

Couple of things. Obviously you'll have to be empadronado there first or you won't show up on the print out. Also, don't ask for a certificado de padron. That requires Mayoral signature, local police verification and all sorts of hassle and not required for this purpose.

Check on the site for Policia Nacional if you need Padron. If not, get your DNI first as you'll need it for empadronamiento. Otherwise they'll do it using your passport and then you'll be having to go back and change it to avoid showing your passport all the time some official thing comes up. Of course, if Padron is required for DNI, there's no avoiding it. Sorry, Spanish red tape is a known giant pain but the good news is that once done, it's generally rare. DNI's and the like that do have periodic renewals have automatic processes and are a breeze compared with local ayuntamiento stuff.

You'll find Traffico fun if you're getting a UK driving license exchanged. Not a nightmare, just patience and good shoes. But, once done, renewal is a piece of cake as the Psycotecnicos renew it for you 

Best of luck and Noraboa meo !


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## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Hey Joselita,

Great info thanks!

One problem....

I wasn’t born in Spain but the U.K. so I’m not registered in the family book. I gained my Spanish passport through the London consulate where I’m technically registered I assume.
They have said that they don’t issue birth certificates but referred me to an official recognised translator who has translated my UK birth certificate and stamped it with their official number and signature to verify it’s utheticity i assume.

Hopefully this should be sufficient or would you suggest getting registered in Spain to get one reissued from Madrid.

Sorry, I said it was complicated ha ha 

Luis


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## JOSELITO (Aug 22, 2018)

Hi,
Not sure how much I can help given the events that led to your post.
My kids were all born in the UK. I registered them at the consulate general and the end result was a libro de familia with mum, dad and the kids, all kids (born outside Spain) with registry entry information on their page in the Libro.
I can only suggest you call the consulado general and get confirmation that as you have a Spanish passport, you also have an entry in the registro central in Madrid. i.e. they registered you there.
Without that and due to the birth certificate issued for DNI is specifically for that purpose (not sure how it differs from another birth certificate copy) I can't see how you can get what the Policía Nacional ask for to produce it. Perhaps the first action is for the consulate to be asked to add you to the Libro de familia - that would then trigger them registering you if they haven't already.
I must say I'm surprised they sent you to an official translator given that all births should be registered in Spain - local if born in Spain and central registry by the consulate if not. Perhaps they can clarify that.

All Spaniards aged 14+ are required by law to have a DNI. If Tráfico, for example stop you during a random check, the first thing they ask you for is your DNI.

Hope the consulate can help clear this up for you. If they had registered you during the passport process, this would all go away. Perhaps they did!


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## JOSELITO (Aug 22, 2018)

Sorry, all Spaniards over 14 (living in Spain) are required to have a DNI....


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## LewisB73 (Aug 21, 2018)

Many thanks. Appreciate your help.


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