The correct order to do everything when you arrive in Spain on a student visa — empadronamiento, NIE, TIE, bank account, SIP card, and more. What to bring to each appointment and how to avoid getting sent away.

Spanish bureaucracy has a reputation. That reputation is earned. But the main reason students spend weeks going in circles is that they attempt things in the wrong order. Each step requires the previous one. Attempt step 3 before completing step 1 and you’ll be told to come back. Here is the exact sequence.

Why Order Matters

Spanish administrative processes have dependencies:

You can’t open a Spanish bank account without a NIE
You can’t get a SIP health card without empadronamiento
You can’t renew your TIE without a bank account in some cases
Your TIE appointment requires your empadronamiento

Do things out of order and you’ll waste half-day trips to offices. Do them in order and most things resolve surprisingly smoothly.

The Master Sequence

Day 1–3:   Get a SIM card (no documents needed)
Week 1:    Empadronamiento (town hall registration)
Week 1–2:  Book TIE appointment (cita previa)
Week 2–3:  Open a bank account
Week 3–4:  Get NIE number confirmed
Week 4–6:  TIE appointment (biometrics)
Week 4–8:  SIP card (health card)
Week 8–10: Collect TIE card

Step 0: SIM Card — Day 1

Before any office or paperwork: get a Spanish phone number. Every administrative process asks for a phone number. WhatsApp codes, appointment confirmations, bank verification texts — all go to your Spanish number.

Lycamobile at any estanco (tobacco shop) — passport only, no NIE needed, €10–15 for a prepaid SIM with data. → Full SIM card guide

Step 1: Empadronamiento — Week 1

What it is: Registering your address at the local town hall (Ajuntament in Catalan, Ayuntamiento in Spanish). This is a legal requirement for anyone residing in Spain for more than 3 months.

Why you need it first: The empadronamiento certificate (volant de padró or certificado de empadronamiento) is required for the SIP card, for some bank accounts, and as supporting documentation for your TIE renewal.

Where: Your local OAC (Oficina d’Atenció al Ciutadà) in Barcelona. Find the one assigned to your postcode at ajuntament.barcelona.cat.

Book online: Most Barcelona OACs require an online appointment. Book at the city website.

What to bring:

Original passport + photocopy
Original student visa + photocopy
Proof of address (your rental contract — contrato de arrendamiento)
If staying with someone: a letter from the homeowner authorising your registration

Result: A stamped volant de padró (in Catalan) issued immediately. Keep several certified copies — you’ll need them multiple times.

Common mistake: Going without a rental contract. If you’re in temporary accommodation (hostel, Airbnb), get a proper rental contract signed as soon as possible.

Step 2: Book Your TIE Appointment — Week 1–2

The TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) is your Spanish residence card. You must book the biometrics appointment within 30 days of arrival in Spain.

Where to book: sede.gob.es → Extranjería → Cita previa → Toma de Huellas (EX-17)

The reality: Barcelona TIE appointments are chronically scarce. Check at 7am and again at 9am — new slots sometimes appear in the early morning. If you cannot get an appointment within your 30-day window, document your attempts (screenshots) in case you need to explain the delay later.

→ Full cita previa guide

Step 3: Open a Bank Account — Week 2–3

A Spanish bank account is needed for:

Rent payments (most landlords require Spanish IBAN)
Setting up direct debits (phone, gym, subscriptions)
Work payments if you’re employed

Order matters: You need a NIE number to open most Spanish bank accounts. Your NIE is printed on your Spanish visa sticker — look for “NIF/NIE:” on the visa label. If it’s there, you can use it for bank account opening.

Easiest options for students:

Wise (online, opens before arrival, Spanish IBAN available) — fastest
Openbank (Santander’s online bank) — NIE + Spanish address required, fully online
CaixaBank or Sabadell — in-person, require TIE, can be done with NIE on visa

→ Full bank account guide

Step 4: TIE Appointment (Biometrics) — Week 4–6

When your cita previa arrives, attend with all documents. This is the fingerprint and photo appointment.

What to bring (complete list — do not arrive with anything missing):

Original passport + photocopy (all pages)
Original student visa + photocopy
EX-17 form (completed and signed — download from extranjeria.gob.es)
Empadronamiento certificate + photocopy (dated within 3 months)
Enrollment letter from your school + photocopy
Proof of health insurance (your visa insurance policy) + photocopy
Proof of financial means (bank statement showing €600/month) + photocopy
1 passport photo (35×45mm, white background)
Modelo 790 Código 012 (the fee payment form — download, fill in, and pay at a bank before the appointment) — fee approximately €16

The fee payment: Pay the Modelo 790 at any bank that accepts tax payments (entidad colaboradora) — CaixaBank and Banco Sabadell are reliable. Pay the day before your appointment; keep the stamped receipt.

At the appointment: Documents are checked, photo taken, fingerprints scanned. Takes approximately 15–20 minutes.

Step 5: Get Your SIP Card — Week 4–8

The SIP card is your Catalan public health card. Register at your local CAP (primary care centre).

What to bring:

Empadronamiento certificate (dated within 3 months)
NIE or TIE card (or passport + visa showing NIE number)
Completed registration form (available at the CAP)

→ Full healthcare guide

Step 6: Collect Your TIE Card — Week 8–10

Approximately 6–8 weeks after the biometrics appointment, your TIE card is ready. You’ll receive an SMS or email notification, or you can check status at extranjeria.gob.es.

Collect at: The same Extranjería office where you did biometrics. Bring your passport and the receipt from your appointment.

The TIE is your official Spanish residence ID. From this point, you can use it instead of your passport for most purposes within Spain.

Documents to Always Carry Copies Of

Every Spanish administrative office asks for originals + photocopies. Prepare a folder with:

Passport (all pages) — 3 copies
Visa — 3 copies
TIE card (front and back) — 3 copies
Empadronamiento certificate — 3 copies (get fresh ones when needed — they expire for most purposes after 3 months)
Enrollment letter from school — 2 copies
Health insurance — 2 copies

The Spanish Administrative Mindset

Go in the morning. Most offices open 9am and run out of walk-in capacity by 11am. If you have an appointment, arrive 10 minutes early.

Bring everything, plus more. If the appointment says “bring X, Y, Z,” bring X, Y, Z plus copies of anything even loosely related. Being turned away for a missing photocopy is extremely common and wastes an entire appointment.

Accept the pace. An appointment at Extranjería can take 2–4 hours including waiting. Clear your calendar for the day.

Don’t panic if something takes longer than expected. Your visa remains valid while your TIE is being processed. Keep the appointment receipt as proof you’ve initiated the process.

Related guides:

Spanish Bureaucracy Survival Guide 2026: The Exact Order of Operations After Arriving

Not Sure Your Documents Are Right?