The new Residents Certificate is a replacement for the existing foreign Residence Card (Residencia Card) which foreigners used to have to apply for after being physically resident in Spain for more than 6 months.

The new Royal Decree 240/2007 of February 16 2007 states that foreign residents from EU countries must apply for the new Resident Certificate after living in Spain for 3 months.

To apply for the new EU Residents Certificate please visit your nearest National Police office and complete Residents Certificate Form EX 16.

It is usually best to get there for 9am, if not 30 mins or 1 hour before to ensure you can be seen and avoid a wasted trip. At Marbella and Fuengirola police stations people are usually queuing from 8am or even 7am and shortly before 9am the first x number of people (usually 50 or 100 people) will get a numbered ticket meaning that they will be seen that day. If you speak some Spanish or are well prepared then we would advise going to Malaga police station since the queues are much smaller, the police station is open longer and also waiting times to receive Residence Certificates are generally less.

You will require the following documentation to apply for the Residents Certificate:

Residents Certificate Application Form, available from local Town Hall or here - Residents Certificate Form - (Original + 1 Copy)
NIE Number
Applicant's Passport (Original + 1 Copy)
Census Certificate, available from local Town Hall (Original)
2 Passport size Photographs
6.70 Euros Application Fee

Each individual applicant must be present when applying for the Residents Certificate, however an authorised third party may collect the completed certificate on your behalf.

Anyone who already has a Residencia card or applied for one before April 1st 2007 does not need to apply for the new Residents Certificate until their Residencia card expires.

To download a copy of the application form click here - Download EU Residents Certificate Application Form or alternatively visit the Spanish Interior Ministry website and download it from there - EU Residents Certificate Form EX 16

Residents Certificate for Foreigners in Inland Spain and Costa Del Sol

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