Change of Address on Your TIE or EU Certificate in Barcelona

If you live in Spain as a foreigner and you move to a new flat, you have to tell the immigration authorities, not only the town hall. Holders of a TIE, EU citizens with the green registration certificate, their family members and family members of Spanish citizens all have to report a change of address to the Oficina de Extranjería or the Police. Spanish Immigration Law treats not reporting it, or reporting it late, as a minor infringement, which can be fined up to 500 euros.

We report the change for you for 200 € + VAT, a service that also updates your padrón address and, if the move happened some time ago, includes the written explanation that goes with a late report. We tell you exactly which form and documents apply to your case and follow the file until it is done.

Who this service is for

• Non-EU residents with a TIE, whatever the type of residence.
• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens registered with the EU registration certificate, and their family members with the EU family member card.
• Family members of Spanish citizens who hold the residence card under the family member rules.

Why it matters

It is an infringement under the Immigration Law

Article 52.a of Ley Orgánica 4/2000 lists as a minor infringement the omission or delay in reporting to the Spanish authorities changes of nationality, civil status or address. Under article 55.1.a, minor infringements can be fined up to 500 euros.

The rules for your type of residence

For EU citizens and their family members, Royal Decree 240/2007 sets the obligation to report changes of nationality, civil status or address to the Oficina de Extranjeros of the province or, failing that, to the Police. For family members of Spanish citizens, article 98 of Royal Decree 1155/2024 sets a period of two months to report changes of address, nationality and civil status. For other residents, the duty comes from the Immigration Law itself.

Your address history is checked later

The address the immigration authorities hold for you is not just an entry in a database: later procedures look at where you have lived. When you apply for a renewal of your residence permit, for Spanish nationality or for arraigo, an address on record that does not match your padrón or your contracts raises questions you then have to answer in writing, at a worse moment.

The padrón and the immigration record are two different things

This is the misunderstanding we see more than any other. Registering at your new address in the padrón of the town hall does not update your immigration record. The town hall and the immigration authorities are separate administrations, and changing one does not change the other. Many people in Barcelona move flat every year or two, update the empadronamiento correctly and assume that is the end of it, until a renewal or a nationality file shows a different address.

The reverse also happens. Both records should show the same address, and the full service keeps them aligned.

What we do

1. Review your situation. Your card or certificate, the type of residence you hold, when you moved and whether there are earlier moves that were never reported.
2. Tell you which route applies. The form and documents can differ depending on whether you hold a TIE, an EU certificate or a family member card. We tell you exactly which ones apply to your case.
3. Prepare the file. We complete the paperwork, check your proof of the new address and put everything in order before it is filed.
4. File and follow up. We submit the notification and keep track of it until the change is recorded.
5. Check your document. We check whether your card or certificate also needs to be updated, and tell you what that involves if it does.

What is included

Change of address: 200 € + VAT

• Review of your residence document and your new address.
• Preparation of the form and supporting documents for your case.
• Filing and follow-up of the notification.
• Check of whether your card or certificate also needs updating.
• Updating your padrón address at the town hall (empadronamiento).
• If you are reporting the move late, preparation of the written explanation (alegaciones) that accompanies the notification.

Any official fees are paid separately. All our prices are shown without VAT; Spanish VAT applies to clients resident in the EU. You can compare this with our other services on our packs and services page.

Mistakes we see most often

• Assuming the padrón change is enough. It updates the town hall, not your immigration record.
• Waiting until the renewal. By then several moves may have gone unreported and the explanation has to cover all of them.
• Reporting late without any explanation. A late report is better than none, but it should say why it is late and since when you live at the new address.
• Forgetting family members. Each person in the household with their own card or certificate has their own record to update.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to report a change of address if I already updated my padrón? Yes. The padrón belongs to the town hall and does not update your immigration record. The two are separate and both should show your current address.

What happens if I report my change of address late? Reporting late is classed as a minor infringement under the Immigration Law, with fines of up to 500 euros. Reporting it with a written explanation is still the right step, and our full service includes that explanation.

Is there a deadline to report the new address? For family members of Spanish citizens, Royal Decree 1155/2024 sets two months. For other residents, the Immigration Law classes a delay in reporting as an infringement, so it is best done as soon as you move.

Do I need a new TIE card after moving? It depends on your case. We check whether your card or certificate also needs to be updated and tell you what that involves before you file.

Can you report the change for my partner and children too? Yes. Each family member with their own card or certificate needs their own notification, and we prepare all of them together.

Requirements, fees and procedures can change, so we confirm the current ones for your case before you file.